YOUR GARDEN AND MINE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 63, 6 September 1940, Page 47

YOUR GARDEN AND MINE

By

Ann Earncliff

Brown

(No. 44)

month for renovating a mixed border. Where the variety of such a border pleases, but the arrangement of the plants is not to your taste, you may make an entire redistribution of the hardy perennials, plan pockets in which to sow annuals. Weed carefully amongst any drifts of bulbs that may be in bloom or about to bloom, but do not disturb them at this late stage. In general it is wisest to clean up a border in sections, lifting only those plants that can be divided, if necessary, and re-planted on the same day. Lift any subjects that are not to be divided with a generous ball of earth carefully pressed round the roots. Michaelmas daisies which have grown into very large clumps should be broken up, not by cutting with a spade but by a tearing action, Two small hand forks set back to back make excellent levers to separate strongly knitted roots. In re-planting any dividedup clumps choose the outer plants for re-setting. The inner roots are more apt to be exhausted. September renovations save. the gardener who is not familiar with a particular garden from digging up precious roots in his zeal to rid the border of weeds. Spread sacks on lawn if you are obliged to place your dug out plants on it. Should it be necessary to leave any such plants out of the ground be sure to cover them well. Frosts can come in September and exposed roots may suffer severely. Dig your border over with a fork, or if necessary ve is a last-lap —

spade it and then break down with a fork. Lime can be dusted on after digging, and forked in at the rate of from 4 to 80z. per sq. yd. Bonedust, which is an excellent manure for the mixed border, should be scattered over the surface before digging. If your border is quite bare of plants it is simpler to have a plan of your planting ready and you can then go ahead with the business of returning the plants without wasting time considering the future effect as you work, Where small shrubs are used in conjunction with the border plants be sure that you do not plant any lime-hating varieties in a soil naturally or artificially containing lime. It is quite pleasing to see veronicas, rosemary, senecio, pernettya, ceanothus and some dwarf conifers in a mixed border and these have an "architectural" value all through the year. Azaleas, rhododendrons and heaths are very delightful grown in conjunction with lilies — all the lime-hating ones — while spring bulbs of all kinds are happy in such company. Polyanthus, primroses and violets in mixed shades are very successful with rhododendrons (which range from tiny dwarf varieties of China to the 100-feet trees from Burma). All varieties of rhododendrons like. good loamy soil with some sand too, If they can get some peat also they are very happy but they get along nicely lacking this. If, however, your land is chalky or contains lime, be sure you will not be successful with azaleas or the rhododendrons. However, even if your soil is quite poor, dry and sandy, all the gay broom hybrids will thrive and keep your garden melas; — :