HORTICULTURE.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 7, 30 April 1920, Page 3

HORTICULTURE.

Referring to wliite broom last week the wisdom of discarding old plants for young was mentioned. This suggests some referer.ce to the use of young trees shrubs ©tc., being used for garden decoration practically as bedders for which many can be used in flower beds and borders most effectively. Small plants of prunus pissardi c n by cutting back and severing the largfir roots v'ith a spade, be kept quite small for a number of years, its dark foliage being most effective; the small narrowle&fed spiraea can be cut back to a few lofjse spraya and be beautiful both for bloom and foliage. Ac.uba japonica can be similarly treated, cabbage trees can be grown from seed and used from 3 to frve years before rooting out, Selected s&edlings of phormium purpurea have dark purple foliage and by carefully reducing from time to time according to the positions they are in can be kept quite small for three to six years. Interspersed with a few small cabbage trees and perennial agrostes they .give lovely effect and may be filled in with annuals or geraniums in summer. Viscaria or bright coloured phlox drumondi suit excellently, and from this time on and throughout the winter, when the flowering plants are cleared awaj lovely autumn and winter effects are retained instead of bare borders. Looking around now we see the beauties of autumn tints in tbe foliage of many trees and shrubs. The large leaved Virginia creeper (ampelopsis) with its leaves turning from green and bronze through all shades of ydiow, orange and scarlet- is a thing of briiiiant beauty, quick , growing, an excellent house creeper, and excellent for cutting, The small foliage variety also gi^es briiiiant colouring and is good for covering brick walls, but not nearly so hardy and of little use for cutting. Tlie pi'rple beech is also putting on its autumn glories of rich gold and browns, and has the advantage of retaining its leaves for a considerable period after colouring. Perhaps the best flowering house climb- ©•: is the solaniun jasminoides with its light and graceful foliage and large sprays of white flowers from early spring till winter, hardy and very quick growing. The large flowered clematis with its wealth of big flat flowers from pure wliite and through numerous shades of blue is always charming as a house climber. The jackmani varieties with their masses of various violet and purple shades always cali forth exclamations of delight, they are usefuT and lovely as cut flowers and ladies delight to wear them as dress sprays. For covering large spaces clematis montana is unsurpassed as a hardy climber giving a dense mass of snow white blcoms in the spring with fine pale green foliage turning to a light yellow before falling in the late autumn. Clematis paniculata is similar to montana in growth and foliage, but gives its wealth of small ereamy blooms in the autumn. Alister Stella Gray was recently mentioned as a perpetual flowering pillar rose, it is still full of blooms and buds showing its autumn value.

Keep your .autumn work well up by cleaning yonr beds and borders and removing those things that are ready, in particular those perennial and herbaceous plants that are already making new growths. Take good care of your autumn sown sweet peas, as the leaves now falling from tree- and shrubs are apt to settle rorrnd them and provide a shelter for slugs whkh do much mischief, wholly destroying many of the strongest shoots and weakening others. The soil surrounding the peas should be kept perfectly free from all weeds and rubbish and small fwigs inserted to prevent the peas from gettmg dov/n on to soil. If spring bulbs and their allies have not yet been planted, get them in with D e least possible delay.