GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 9 August 1929, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES.

HERALDS OF SPRING. Heralds of Spring arc in evidence in the borders. Snowdrops, with snowwhite, green tipped bells, vie with those of the white kellcborus (Christmas rose) whose larger drooping white bells are showing to great advantage. Its rose-coloured companion is also a welcome, addition lo the Sirring garden. Primroses and polyanthuses with plump buds and here and there a partly opened blossom, seem to be only awaiting a touch of warmth to open out full beauty. Primula malacoides ever succeeds in braving the wintry elements and clumps, massed with dainty spvaj'.s, are decidedly attractive. Ami how' we love 'the early spikes of the

fragrant wallflowers! Few gardeners realise the value of these as a bedding subject. With the new colourings now obtainable, a massed planting is a gorgeous sight. Violets both double ami single, continue to blossom freely, the trailing type of the former lends itself particularly well to certain nooks in the rock garden, the dainty tendrils studded with lilac and mauve blossoms show to advantage trailing over an|d down, a projecting rock. The value too, of the yellow 7 ' viola and the free blooming mauve type is more fully realised when, during the cold month of

July, they still persist in opening out their bright blossoms. One type of aubrotia is also of great value. At pre-sent it is thickly studded with

dainty mauve blooms, while other types are only in the bud stage. Clumps of fragrant paper-white narcissus with its yellow 7 companion, not fax behind, once again give us of their spikes oi bloom. Seasonable Work. As soon as weather and soil condi-, tions permit, the herbaceous perennial borders should receive attention. Those who accomplished this work in the late autumn ■will find the spring task con-

siderably lessened. In the large - borders, groups of cannas are indispensable, so also are groups of red-hot-pokers. These two form a good background for a large border, with groupings of yellow and brown heleniums. Such a background is an effective one for a fronting of gaillardias, orange and bronze eschsckoltzias, and Oriental poppies. Clumps of orange Minins are useful for filling in among the poppies

and groupings of gladioli conns will help to brighten the border in orange oi scarlet eximson .shadings. The majestic strain of antirrhinums, which give us such rich golden shades, will show in such a border to wonderful advantage, while Iceland poppies fronting them look extremely well. . A few .specimens of leonotus (lion’s tail) with its gay whorls of bright orange, are fine in the background.

A B)ue Border. Where space permits, another long border devoted to flowers of,blue colourings is always refreshing dnd pleasing to the eye. In such a border, groups of delphiniums may find a home, together ivith the handsome and. effective polyphyilus lupins, which. give so little trouble anij yet repay ivith masses of spikes in wonderful blue hades. There are als'o some good bronze types which could bo included in the 'first mentioned border. The newer small blue flowered penstomon is a lovely sight when grown in the mass. Ancliusus, aquilegias in blue and purple shades, and where shrubs are liked, several varieties of the ceonothus family are splendid and bloom over a long period. Clumps of both flag and sibiriea irises are good, while for fronting such a border, nothing looks more effective than catmint (mussdna) with its long period of blooming. Backing this, a grouping of scabiosa Caucasus, blends wonderfully well. Blue and mauve sweet peas axe often useful in the background, and if there be a wall, the perennial Argentine pea will ramble luxuriantly, and here, too, a home can be found for the clematis which can be had in many shades of mauve and purple, while a wistaria is winsome trained along the top of the wall. Many other things to tone will suggest themselves to- the lover of flowers, such as tbadietrum, statice, blue salvias, etc.

The Reserve Garden. It is always well to have a reserve plot of plants, which may be grown in the kitchen garden, to replace any spaces iii the borders where plants have not flourished as expected. These may ‘-■ike the form of annuals or bi"Ttmr.i« and should be planted thinly, so that each plant can be lifted with a large ball of earth attached when removed to the border, enabling the plant to continue growth unchecked.

Sweet Sultans. Sweet sultans, although not difficult to grow, have found greater favour with the public, since with careful cultivation, they have been improved a great deal. Perhaps the greatest attraction which this flower exerts is the fact that it does not wilt a day or two after cutting but remains in first-class condition for a long time, often for over a fortnight. They are fairly easy to raise from seed, either in spring o" autumn, although autumn sown plants appear to produce the most flowers. The plants are always graceful, as the flowers are born on long*stem's. As to the soil, the sweet sultan is not over-particular but that of a heavy nature does not give as good results as soil of a lighter eharacterpoxcepting in the ease of the fairy sweet sultan, which appears to be of much stronger growth and flowers very freely.. Success with the small yellow variety is more difficult than with either the white or purple and many growers find it answers best to sow the seeds in the position the plants are to occupy and to thin out to about seven inches apart. The sweet sultan is now grown largely for market purposes and to get the bloojpis on the market, great care is necessary, as, if they are packed when

the heads are all wet, disaster may follow from a financial point of view. The Sunny Sheltered Comer. Modern houses in particular have many sheltered and sunny corners, which should never be planted with those things which will grow and

thrive during the winter in other parts of the garden. In the list of shrubs alone, there are some gems which will thrive in our climate, provided they are not exposed to frost. The citrus fruits always make their appeal. They are useful as well as ornamental. The pnorman orange forms a beautiful shrub while the mandarin grows into a round, neat and compact bush, with numerous small orange-coloured fruits. The wonder lemon is always admired and forms a handsome tree but for general usefulness, the smaller type, of lemon is the best.

Among the fiowering'shrubs, there are several choice things. Luculia losca stands out prominently with its huge bunches of shell pink, fragrant bowers. The bowers of this shrub have quite an exotic appearance. The lasiaitdras are

all good, especially the grandifiora, with Its largo'royal purple blooms.. L. rosea is also splendid, with large pink flowers. These two are the gems ot the family. Lantanas and bonvardias, too, give satisfaction. Tcmpletonia retusu (rod bush of West Australia) is rare and bcautifulhtnd in a warm corner will produce quantities of large elianthus-like, brick red flowers during

the winter month-. Another splendid shrub is groyia Sutherland, . a Soutt African native, named after Sir Georgt Grey. It has large handsome foliagi and beautiful crimson scarlet flowers As it requires a dry position, a sheltercc corner of the house suits it. In a coo moist corner, try the lapageria rosea cue of the choicest climbers grown with very large wax-like pink bells. I it rather difficult to establish, but. whet

once growing, it is very hardy.. In ivarm, sheltered corner, bougainville creepers do well. These are now t be had in several shades of magent and pink. A pink jasmine is also noVelty of recent introduction. Tn paeolum (flame creeper) is it lovcl thing, with flatfish, glowing oranp

flowers, and requires a .southern aspec Very beautiful is the orange gloi creeper (Thunborgia Gibsonii), wit deep orange self-coloured convulvu like blooms. This is a fast-grown evergreen twiner, growing to a'heigi of five or six feet, and is covered ivi blooms almost throughout the year. Pentstemons. Many gardeners are unacquaint' ivith any pentstemons other than wh is known as the florist’s pentsteim with large individual flowers. The are, however, many species from Nor West America which make delight! garden plants and only those fo.rtun; enough to possess a representative c lection can realise the very many .be: tiful shades of colour and the dive, forms displayed by this interesting a valuable genus. Many of them fo compact, low-growing bushes wdth.fl™ ere of varying shades of delphinilj blue lones. In the higher parts, oaj

rock garden those show t.o advanta Another, pentstemon heterophyllus, 1 a .nearly prostrate habit of grow with erect flower stems some 12 inc iii height, ranging from reddish pm to an almost pure blue. Another riety has silvery glaucous foliage, : tall spikes of salmon flowers, ivhih unique variety bears tall purplish-bh flowers. Flowering in summer I autumn, it is fine fox the borders. I

Garden Peas—The First Dish,

Most folks who grow garden peas interested iirtsecuring the earliest e The first dish of peas is something be looked forward to and something be proud of from the gardener’s pi of view. It behoves all who w< have the first picking, to sow in a ■ tienchcd plot, and to take ad van tag a south wall border, as there, one : reasonably look for the first pick Supplement the ground with a g dressing of lime and sow the dv early cropping varieties, such as I ard Seddon, American Wonder, ton’s Pioneer, and Little Marvel. Y just peeping through, the early need protection from, birds.. 1 where slugs are troublesome it i well to go out two or three times n,i ly and dust the rows with lime.

Sprout Early Potatoes. If not yet done, all early seed ] tods should now be “set up” in, low boxes and placed in a sunny, y spot to sprout. When setting up tubers, place the broad end upperi as it is there that the bulk of the are situated. Cabbage, Cauliflower and Lettu Small sowings of these shoul made at once in pans or small b The value of early greens in so \ that every effort should be mad produce as early as possible.- A y good lettuce of recent introduetii the winter white. This grows ii very large plant, with a large t< heart of a buttery nature. For use, it is to be strongly recomme as slugs do not trouble it so mu< those of the curly and crinkled Webb’s Wonderful is always a all round lettuce, witih a nicy, heart. ' The sowing will furnish tables when those from plants al set out have finished.