GARDENS IN TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 27, 16 July 1952, Page 6

GARDENS IN TAUPO

FLANTING FOR SUMMER DISPLAY (:My "Flora.") As mentioned last week much of the colour in our summer gardens will eome from elumps of perenn■jials. Por those just starting, I am listing a few of these desirable plants. As you all know, a perenuka! lives for quite a few years, and flowers regularly. The following oiies, I think you will find, will do ■well in Taupo. Anchusa — This bears stems of deep blue flowers, grows to a height of two feet. Bees love to visit j these flowers in summer. i Aquilegia or Columbine — Some ! treat tbese as biennials: but the ; • ! ehoicer varieties can be divided and ; grorwn on from year to year. There are some large spurred flowers now •obtarnable. j ' Aretotis — Although tbese are on- : ly half bardy; they do well bere if j some protection ean be given. The j ■eolour range is very wide, white, j cream and yellow to the deeper ; wines and magentas. Buitable for I growing on banks. Aubretia — This is very popular j for edges or rockeries, produces an abundance of small, blue or mauve flowers over a long period. Very bardy. Aurieula — A meniber of the Primula family; similar in growth to the Polyanthus; liking also, a semishade border. Has a wide range of colours, dark plum, purple, helio- i trope and rosy-buff; most have a golden-yellow centre.

C'oreopsis— Very hardy, will thrive on even the poorest soil. Bears bright yellow daisy-life flowers. Echinacea — The Purple-Cornflow-er. This is one of the showiest of border flowers. The rose-purple flowers have reflexed petals surroundmg a prominent ehocolate coloured cone. Cailiardie — These require no in-

I I troduction; they seem to like con- | ditions in faupc. and their gay flowrnc keep on blooming for a long period in summer, especially if the dead heads are removed. Gazania — I think these are har- ! dier than the Aretotis, which they re- | semble. Folk will know them by ! the familiar name "black-eyed ' Susan;" but there are many attractive hybrids now available in many j shades of pink, red and apricot. Gerbera — These are not at their | best in Taupo gardens; but they ! can be grown here although their flowering period is not very long. They require a warm sunny position with ample supplies of water dur- ! ing summer. Lovely shades can now j be obtained in both the single and double varieties. Geum — Rather untidy growers; but the flowers — yellow or red — carried on long branching stems are useful for cutting. Gypsophila — Bears masses of small dainty blooms which are most attractive for floral work. There is the single and double pink forms, besides the older single white. Helenium — Bears flov/ers resembling miniature sun-flowers, but are in various rich and pleasing colour combinations, some reddish touched with yellow and brown, another rich crimson touched with yellow. They grow to about four feet. Helleborus, or Winter-rose — these are popular as they bear masses of pale green, pink or purple flowers in the winter or early spring. They send up flowering stems 12 inches high. Under favourable conditior.s they seed themsel/es, so visit a friend who has a well established clump.

% ;Hollyhock — ^Lovely things grown I against a wall, their height seems to need a back-ground, also the shelter. Unfortunately a rust fungus often seriously damages old plants; this fungus can be checked by spraying, but burn if too badly affected. Kniphofia (Red hot Poker) — Very effective if placed at the back of

I j the border, as they are rather untidy objects for a too conspicuous position. They send up spikes four . or five feet and covered with either pale yellow or deep orange-red flowers. As this has only touched on a few of the perennials I will lis-t a few m ore next week. '