GARDENS IN TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 124, 11 June 1954, Page 8

GARDENS IN TAUPO

A CALENDAR OF SEASONAL WORK

(By

"Flora")

Taupo conditions do not lend themselves to much planting during winter months, except for the deciduous trees, both fruit and ornamental. Plant perennials if the soil remains frost-free. Take cuttings of any kind of hardy deciduous shrubs and insert in a sheltered position. Earth up celery and leek plants. Cut down old asparagus fronds and give the bed a dressing of manure, preferably farmyard, or three or four inches of compost would be beneficial. A light hoeing round all flower beds and vegetable plots will allow air to enter the soil more freely, a "must," even if there is little growth. After heavy frosts tread round newly planted subjects, they are inclined to lift in this light soil. Shallots If you have not already put them in shallots may still be planted. Sprinkle a dressing of 4ozs. blood and bone and loz. each of potash and sulphate of ammonia to each three yards of row. Press bulbs an inch or so into the soil, leaving about six inches between sets. Specimen Trees Deciduous: Though there is not usually much room for many large trees in quarter-acre sections, they are so attractive that to include one or two as specimens does add to the lay-out of our gardens. Pride of place must be given to the Silver Birch (Betula alba), Taupo's special tree. Noted for its silvery trunk and golden leaves in autumn, it grows rapidly, soon making an attractive background for the; lower growing subjects. Tulip Tree (Liriodendron Tulipifera) : This must not be confused with the Magnolias, which are also termed Tulip tree. It-has yet to prove its worth in Taupo, but I see no reason for it not doing well. Its leaves turn a beautiful goldenyellow, but its greater feature is its greenish flowers, marked at the base of the petals with orange. It will not flower for some years. It will reach a height of forty to fifty feet. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) : This tree, the common English Beech and the Fagus Riversii, or Copper Beech, both do well in Taupo, the latter being especially pleasing for decorative work. Maple (Acer): There are many varieties of this graceful tree and all the green-leaved varieties turn lovely colours in autumn. The bronze foliaged ones are not so hardy, being easily burnt by the wind, but lovely to grow if a sheltered spot can be found.