For June, 1923 



143 



In the Garden and in the Greenhouse 



GEORGE F. STEWART 



Lv THE Garden 



THIS month, late June, and early July, is probably 

 the showiest part of the whole year for the herba- 

 ceous borders. Delphiniums will be in all their 

 glory, and I doubt very much if in any part of the year 

 we have a better garden plant. They are general favor- 

 ites with everj'body and of late years we have wonderful 

 shades of color among them. Another thing in their favor 

 is that they can be used with great advantage with several 

 other colors, and at this season of the year delightful 

 pictures of the various groupings may be made. Cam- 

 panula medium in its several colors flowers at the same 

 time and blends well with Delphiniums. A few clumps 

 of the yellow Hemerocallis (Day Lily) scattered along 

 the border also fit in well in the picture, and, of course, 

 Lilium candidum and regale, also Oenothera (Evening 

 primrose) ; Polemonium cteruleum (Jacob's ladder) : 

 Lupinus polyphyllus in its several colors ; Cam]>anula 

 persicifolia, bkie and white ; and A'iola cornuta atropur- 

 purea. 



A good background of green is necessary to .get the 

 full beauty of the various colors, and after all I think a 

 wall built in a sinuous line covered with Eunnymus radi- 

 cans is about as good as anythin.g. Behind the wall, trees 

 of a drooping habit may be grown, which, when han.ging 

 slightly over the wall, will break the stiflf outline some- 

 what. The plants in the border will need to be kept in 

 position by stakes to avoid breaking down the taller plants 

 by rains and high winds. This requires some experience, 

 and a good eye to preserve the natural appearance of the 

 plants. 



The borders require frequent cultivating to loosen up 

 the soil, and should be kept well su]iplied with water while 

 the plants are flowering. If a succession of flowers is 

 desired all throu.gh the Summer, plan.'^ should he in mind 

 as to what to fill in with as the other plants go out of 

 flower. Delphiniums, as soon as the flowers pass, should 

 l>e immediately cut down to the .ground, and a little 

 fertilizer worked in around each plant. In this way a 

 second crop of good flowers may be had later on. The 

 flowering season of Campanula medium may also be 

 prolonged by picking off the seed bags, as soon as the 

 individual flower passes. All these details require time 

 and labor ; but it certainly is worth it in the better appear- 

 ance of the borders. 



Planting out in the beds in the more formal .gardens 

 will now all be finished. Keeping the beds neat and clean 

 will, from now on, be routine work. A formal garden 

 never looks well even if the colors are all properly 

 blended, if kept in a slipshod condition. Geraniums 

 should be watered well when set out, and it will indeed 

 be an exceptionally dry Summer if they need an}- more. 

 By keeping the water away from them, they have a much 

 shorter and firmer growth, and the result is they flower 

 much better. Cannas, on the other hand, require abun- 

 dance of water, but care should be taken that it is done 

 under the flower stems, as the flowers are very easily 

 injured. Coleus in beds in the formal garden need fre- 

 quent pinchings to keep them in shape. 



Have all the dahlias planted around June 20. They 

 seem to grow well in coal ashes. Divide the clumps to a 

 single eye and cover with a shovelful or two of coal ashes. 

 Pinch them once when about a foot high and apply plant 

 food when they set bud. If .given when planted they 

 seem more ea.ger to grow than flower. Dahlias need 

 spraying once or twice to keep insects in check. , 



This is a good time of the year to increase stock of 

 Phlox subulata, pink and white; Phlox divaricata with 

 its lovely blue flowers; Iberis semperflorens, Aubretia 

 deltoidea grandiflora ; Arabis alpina, Alyssum saxatile 

 compactum. There are many places where plants of low 

 growing habit are very useful and pretty in the Spring, 

 and these are all useful in the various positions where such 

 plants are required. 



The rhododenrons would be greatly benefited by the 

 removal of all the seed pods if one has the time, but if 

 one has a large plantation of them it is an endless job. 



Outdoor roses will now be coming in flower. They re- 

 quire a great deal of watching for the various insects that 

 they are subject to. If a continuous supply of flowers 

 is expected, they must be fed w-ell and given plenty of 

 water. There are now many fine varieties of hybrid teas, 

 but the old hybrid perpetuals have their place and are 

 much more hardy. 



Give sweet peas plentv^ of water, and occasional water- 

 ings with liquid manure. Keep the flowers closelv 

 picked and look out for green fly. Near the seashore a 

 much longer flowering season may be enjoyed than inland. 



Any annuals that have been sown where they are to be 

 grown will need thinning out. If this is not attended to, 

 poor flowers will be the result. Careful weeding is neces- 

 sary while the plants are small, as they are easily dis- 

 turbed at the roots. Any plants w^hich are to be moved 

 are better if marked while they are in flower, as one is 

 better able to remember the color of the flowers when 

 placing them in a new position. 



If ])runing of the later flowering shrubs is needful, do 

 it immediately after they pass out of flower, as if it is 

 deferred until late in the season, no flowers will be seen 

 next year. 



Greenfly will be bothersome on some plants and will 

 need dustin.g or spraying to keep them in check. We find 

 that Imp soap or some of the tobacco solutions does the 

 work, and they are not too expensive. 



As soon as one has abundance of peas, it is better to 

 stop cutting the asparagus bed. Give a thorough cleaning 

 and frequent applications of plant food while it is making- 

 growth. This builds up good strong crowns for another 

 season. The earlier peas will now be bearing and should 

 have plenty of water. The successional crops as they 

 come m flower are all the better to have a little stimulation 

 with some fertilizer, being .given a thorough watering 

 when an application is made. Keep up successional crops 

 of peas. Although in many locations they do not bear 

 well during the hot weather, yet an occasional dish is 

 appreciated by the family. 



Celery is an e.xcellent crop to plant after peas. It re- 

 quires abundance of water while growing, and is better - 

 if sprayed with Bordeaux frequently for fungous dis- 

 eases. On the whole, I think celery is better if planted 

 on the level ground rather than in trenches. It gets a 

 more free circulation of air during the hot weather. 



Late cabbage and cauliflower may now be planted out. 

 Secure a nice rich, deep piece of land, on which they have 

 not been grown for some years. Melons, cucumbers, 

 squash, egg plants, are also benefited by spraying with 

 Bordeaux, as they also are liable to attacks of fungous 

 diseases. Don't wait until the plants are afifected, as spray- 

 ing is oifly a preventative. 



Keep up a successive planting of corn well into July. 

 Even if one does get caught with early frosts occasionally, 

 it is worth the risk. 



