Gardening for Amateurs 



405 



Some Helpful Reminders 



MOWING Lawns Late. It is 

 important to keep lawns cut to 

 as late a date as possible, other- 

 wise in the event of a mild winter the 

 grass will present a very untidy appearance 

 long before spring. Mowing will be best done 

 when the grass is dry, and at this season that 

 will probably not be till the afternoon. 

 Where wormcasts are numerous it will make 

 the work much easier, and give a tidier 

 appearance if the roller is used before the 

 mowing machine. 



Calceolaria Cuttings. Cuttings of the 

 shrubby Calceolarias may be inserted in 

 October with every prospect of a good per- 

 centage forming roots. They may be put 

 into prepared soil either in a frame or in 

 boxes, whichever be most convenient. In 

 either case it is important to use light, sandy 

 soil, and to make each cutting firm. Natur- 

 ally at this season the chief enemy is damp, 

 and every opportunity should be taken to 

 dispel this by giving air liberally on sunny 

 days. Very little water at the roots will be 

 required after the first soaking. 



Garden Alterations. Early autumn is 

 a very good time for carrying out any pro- 

 posed alterations or renovations in the her- 

 baceous borders, for plants put in then 

 naturally have a stronger hold on the soil 

 than those planted in the spring, and con- 

 sequently a better display may reasonably 

 be looked for in the first season. Thorough 

 trenching of the soil is advisable where it can 

 be carried out, but in any case a good dressing 

 of manure should be applied. Remember 

 when dividing and replanting clumps of such 

 things as Michaelmas Daisies, Phloxes, etc., 

 that the outside pieces are far stronger and 

 more satisfactory than the worn-out middle 

 parts. 



London Pride. Where a compact peren- 

 nial edging is required for a bed or border, 

 few things can compare with the well-known 

 London Pride, often catalogued under the 

 less familiar name of Saxifraga umbrosa. 

 When it is in bloom in spring a remarkably 

 graceful effect is given, and even after the 

 flowers have disappeared the compact rosettes 



of leaves have an attractive appearance for 

 the rest of the year, winter included. It 

 spreads very rapidly if not checked occasion- 

 ally. 



Mock Oranges. The Mock Oranges are 

 often, and I doubt not will continue to be, 

 known as Syringa, although this is the 

 botanical name of the Lilac. The correct 

 name is Philadelphus. Every garden should 

 include one or more representatives of these 

 shrubs. They make quite a good show 

 during early summer, when the spring-flower- 

 ing shrubs have lost their beauty, and they 

 are by no means particular as to soil or 

 position. Good sorts are P. Boule d' Ar- 

 gent, P. coronarius, P. foliis-aureis, with 

 golden leaves, and P. Gerbe de Neige. 

 P. microphyllus is a dwarf kind suitable 

 for planting in rock gardens. 



Autumn Bedding. When planting Wall- 

 flowers it is advisable to place the plants 

 rather thickly than otherwise unless other 

 plants are inserted between them, in which 

 case sufficient room for the proper develop- 

 ment of the latter must be allowed. This 

 applies more or less to the majority of spring- 

 flowering subjects put out in autumn, for it 

 must be remembered that they make very 

 little growth before flowering a fact in 

 direct contrast to the case of summer 

 bedding-plants, many of which have to be 

 planted at distances which at the time 

 appear to be too great to allow for subse- 

 quent growth. 



Lifting and Potting Begonias. Begonias 

 are often lifted from beds in the garden on 

 the first visit of frost, and at such a time they 

 are usually in full blossom and perhaps 

 entirely uninjured. In such cases a grand 

 display can be secured in the greenhouse 

 throughout the autumn by lifting the best 

 plants carefully and potting them. Do not 

 place them in great heat ; the ordinary cool 

 greenhouse will do admirably. Both the 

 tuberous and fibrous rooted kinds may be 

 successfully treated in this manner. As 

 they go out of bloom they can be dried 

 off in the same way as plants grown 

 entirely in pots. 



