SHRUBBY CALCEOLARIAS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 520, 24 November 1928, Page 28

SHRUBBY CALCEOLARIAS

j Bedding Calceolarias were at one time 1 considered a most essential class o£ plants for tlie adornment of the garden in summer and there were few bedding schemes which did not include a goodly proportion of these, particularly of the yellow and brown shades. : Nowadays they do not, however, fisj ure quite so prominently, having either been displaced by the larger and more brilliantly flowered greenhouse varic- 1 ties or by some different class of; plants entirely, with the result that 1 many of the once popular varieties are now' difficult to procure »' •r'lin-itp.y, for they are charming t little plants, it is still possible to oU- | tain these in sufficient variety to enI able them to he used with good effect j either in bedding schemes or to brighten up some portion of the garj den. ■ Provided the weather is at all favourable, these may lie planted out now, and, as short jointed stubby little j specimens give much better results i than long spindly ones, preference i should be given to the former when ! selecting one’s plants, j Success or otherwise depends tc a | certain extent on the season, as a very ! hot, dry season considerably shortens their period of usefulness, but as cooij ness at the roots is appreciated by this i class of plant, these should be planted jin a fairly rich loam, which ins been j deeply cultivated. Tlie space allowed i between each plant depends on ! whether they are used as dots or massed; but well-shaped symmetrical plants can only be obtained by per- ! mitting ample room tor development, ! and 'the ground between the plants ! should either be carpeted with a dwarf | subject to keep the roots cool or else i stirred regularly with the hoe for the | same purpose.