FOR THE WOMEN GARDENER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1938, Page 4

FOR THE WOMEN GARDENER

FLOWERS ON THE ROOF. Flat-dwellers who are lucky enough to have access to a roof garden can gratify their love of the beautiful, and their desire to grow things, by planting shrubs and plants in tubs, boxes, or stone jars. Old barrels sawn in the middle make excellent receptacles, and butter-boxes painted green are not to be despised. There are pottery bowls and urns in different colours to be had, but these are a trifle expensive, and home-made substitutes are quite as useful, if, perhaps, less decorative. Even the most limited area can become a lovely garden, for it is surprising how many beautiful flowers can be induced to flourish in such confined spaces as tubs and boxes. This form of gardening requires a little more care and attention than that of the open garden, but the result justifies the time and labour spent. If the stone coping has a railing, green latticed wickerwork round the railings makes an attractive setting for the garden, and a crazy pavement effect worked in cement makes an ideal “floor.” Drainage is, of course, of paramount importance. The soil for the tubs must be very good and well prepared, as the shrubs and plants must find all their nourishment within the confines of the boxes, and watering must be carefully and consistently done.

Some of the smaller cypresses are ideal for tub growing, and other specimen shrubs that are suitable for the roof garden are euonymus, the palmlike dracaenas, diosma, hydrangea, poinsettia, some of the low-growing conifers, hybrid fuchsias, and many others. Annual larkspurs in tubs are lovely, and with small growing plants such as lobelia or mignonette round the tub they make a pretty picture. A fuchsia bush trained standard fashion with a great cluster of bells overhanging the centre of a tub in which pink ivy geraniums and cherry pie are packed is another beautiful combination. Another tub may have tall, stately lilies with yellow violas at their feet, and yet another may be filled with snapdragons, the tall variety in the centre and dwarfs grouped round the edge. Masses of two shades of one colour are very effective.

Flowering bulbs with arabis or aubretia planted to fall gracefully over the edge of the tub are sights to gladden the eye of the most fastidious flatdweller. When the bulbs have ceased to flower and the arabis and aubretia wither off, the tub can be filled with bedding-out plants.

Keep fragrant, sweet-smelling shrubs such as sweet alyssum, lavender, rosemary, and mimulus, etc., beside the doorways. Lavender is especially delightful in tubs, as it will flourish until it covers the tub completely with its silvery foliage and upright spikes with clusters of mauve florets. Rockeries are fascinating features on a roof garden, and these provide ample scope for individual ideas of beautification. The following plants are suitable for rockeries: Agathea, alyssum, arabis, buttercups, centaurea, cotoncasters, dianthqs, gazania, goldfussia, heliotrope, heuchera, ivy pelargoniums. lantana, neirembergia, thyme, veronicas, Virginian stock. Those of trailing habit are ajuga. mum, oenothera, thunbergia, and villus, heeria. lotus, mesembryanthemum. cenothera, thunbergia, and vinca.

Places can always be found for baskets of ferns such as adiantum (maidenhair), asparagus sprengeri, nephrolepis, or hardy mixed ferns, and these add considerably to the attractiveness of “the garden on the roof.”