262 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



March 30, 1912. 



GARDENS OF GORGEOUS 



COLOUR. 



Colour is a greater factor in the creation 

 of joj than is generally recognised; as 



flowers used ; the orange was the African 

 marigold^ a line of French dwarf ones in 

 front. 



Whole borders of blue violet and orange, 

 of red purple and amber, of deep rose and 

 azure blue can be recommended as brillia]it 



years pass scientists tell us more and more in the extreme. Vermilion is enhanced by it is 



of the influence of bright hues upon mental 

 and even physical health, so the gardener 

 who uses a bold palette when painting his 

 pleasure grounds for the year may oon- 

 gratufate himself upon adding to the sum 

 total of contentment and sanity. It is 

 so easy to create a magnificent effect, a 

 display that will arouse public enthiisiasm 

 and live in memory, simply by massing 

 gorgeous colours. There need be nothing 

 vulgar or garish, no inharmonioas ccntrr'sts, 

 no crudeness to jar upon the most sensitive 

 taste, but the heart may be lightened, the 

 eye charmed, the very soul upraised by 

 the outspread perfectness of vivid tints. 



One essential is to have a sufficiency of 

 each hue employe<l. To blend many, in 

 small patches, is successful only as yielding 

 a curious effect,' a kind of kaleidoscopic 

 beauty, or one reminiscent of some rich 

 stained-glass window through which the sun 

 shines. This is a legitimate interest to 

 create as a feature in a large garden, not 

 as a method of planting the whole one, 

 whetlior large or small. For example, if 

 a six-foot wide border runs for a half-acre 

 length agaitist a gray fence, or old wall, 

 there will be a grand sliow gained by em- 

 ploying not more than four colours in it. 

 The back might be all massed with the royal 

 blue <Jf delphiniums, anchusas, cornflowers, 

 and open glades of Phacelia campauiilaria 

 and larkspurs of the new perennial dwarf 

 type ; in the next two-foot breadth could 

 be varying groups of lemon, gold, and car- 

 mine, ri'prt^sented by chrysanthemums, sun- 

 flowers, and Coreoptiis lanceolata 

 grandiflora, phloxes, hybrid pyrethrums, 

 and godetias, while tlu* foi-egroniuFs two 

 feet could slmw ros(^-pink and azure. 



A glorious result can be gained by the 

 unusual blend of violet, carmine, royal blue^ 

 and rose ; if arranged in this order the har- 

 mony from a slight distance will be per- 

 fect. As a further extension of foreground 

 mauve may appear, culminating in azure 

 blue. When carmine and royal blue are 

 mingled on a palette, or pale pink and 

 azure, violet and mauve are produced re- 

 spectively, hence the sympathy that all 

 these gay colours possess, and their readi- 

 ness to live happily together, when suitably 

 situated. 



r 



For a still more striking border or bed 

 royal blue^ orange, amber, and scarlet can 

 be used ; again, in this order they are a 

 treat for the artist's eye, or equally so if 

 the amber comes next the blue. If the 

 jscarlet were in that position the effect 

 oould not fail to be crudely unpleasant. 

 Pure lemon-gold is a perfect associate for 

 blues, whether indigo, royal, or azure. By 

 using it between these blues all may be 

 safely employed near together. The clear 

 yellow, of a lemon, not an amber shade, 

 is offered by many chrysanthemums and 



sunflowers, the viola Ardwell Gem, the Ice- 

 land poppy, and the yellow carnation. 



A gardener was once called upon to com- 

 plete with scarlet zinnias and verbenas a 

 bed in which carmine phloxes already 



and 



reigned. For a while he felt in despair of 

 ever achieving anything but a disastrously 

 vulgar show, until the happy idea occurred 

 to him of separating the antagonistic hues 

 by a line of maroon, then one of orange. 

 These last hues suit each other ; the former 

 subdues the garish shade of carmine, the 

 latter softens down the scarlet into which 

 it blends. The annual known as Bidens 

 atrosanguinea, or the Black Dahlia 

 the d a rkest sea b io us 



and 



genta is 

 coloured 



2e of masses or snow 

 suited 



by a carpet of cream- 



M. JH. 



■ t 



APPLE GALLOWAY PIPPIN. 



have, 



Many 

 with the 



and 



place. 



of the old-world apples 

 progress in horticulture, 

 ilie introduction of improved varieties, 

 almost disappeared from cultivation^ and 

 their one-time high position is now unten- 

 able, yet there were some that the very 

 best of the newcomers could not easily dis- 



One of these is the variety named 

 lialloway Pippin, which for several cen- 

 turies has been extensively cultivated 

 throughout the southern parts of Scotland. 

 After many years' experi-ence^ during which 

 it havs been pitted against apples of great 

 renown, I am inclined to think that, 

 although it may be nearly equalled by 

 some, yet for long keejiing, and good quali- 

 ties both as a culinary and dessert fruit, 

 it is unsurpassed by any. 



Strange as it may seem, after such a re- 

 cord, it must l>e admitted that at present 

 fewer fruiting trees exist in its native pro- 

 vince than has been the case since its ex- 

 lence and adaptability to the climate and 

 district were first recognised. How to ac- 

 coinit for this apparent neglect on the part 

 of cultivators is difficult to explain, except 

 that, having obtained possession of a 

 healthy and fruitful tree, no thought was 

 given to the raising of young stock to re- 

 place it when age and decrepitude slowly 

 but surely advanced. In recent years some 

 improvement in this respect has become 

 more manifest, and young trees have been 

 sought for and planted; but, as a rule, 

 it is old and almost worn-out specimens 

 that are encountered. 



Locally, but more especially by persons 

 well advanced in years, the variety is known 



as Croft-an-righ — [Dr. Hogg refers to it 

 as 



doubt 

 old 



Croft-en-Reich."— Ed.] — derived, no 

 from its early association with an 



that together with its 



monastery that, together 

 orchard, or croft, existed in close proxi- 

 mity to the county town of Wigtown, and 

 upon the shores of the bay of that name. 

 Whether it originated here as a seedling, 

 or was introduced from some distant source 

 by means of the monks, who were well 

 versed in pomology^ I cannot say. 



Scarcely a trace of masonry of the old 

 monastery marks the spot where this haven 

 of rest formerly stood ; and the glebe at- 

 tached, wherein a few rugged fruit trees 

 stood as late as the middle of the last cen- 

 tury, is now a grass field, though its posi- 

 tion can still he defined by the more luxu- 

 riant growth that tells of the higher fer- 

 tility of the soil compared with other parts 

 of the field. In mediaeval ages this was 

 a place of considerable importance, and 

 was used as a halting place by Scottish 

 kings and their numerous ret'nue when on 

 pilgrimage from the Scottish capital to 

 the Shrine of Saint Ninian (Whithorn 

 Priory), a few miles distant. 



To return, however, to the subject, it 

 may be stated that the tree is a strong 

 grower, and has a spreading habit which 

 renders it very suitable for the formation 

 of a stately standard. For such the crab 



stock should be used, but for garden pur- 

 poses the paradise stock answers well, and, 

 of course^ earlier productiveness is thereby 



The fruit is large, deep 



engendered. 



were the maroon yellow in colour after being stored for a 



few weeks, and is then of excellent qualitv 

 for any purpose. As a culinary fruit it 

 may be used from October onwards but 

 here it is seldom wanted until midwi'nto 



aps, m seasons of scarcitt 

 when, owing to paucity of other varieti^' 

 is requisitioned earlier. From Jannai.^ 



J anuarv 



until May it holds the place of honour botl 

 for cooking and dessert purposes ; and 

 although connoisseurs might possibly object 

 to its classification as a dessert fruit proper 

 the great majority of consuniei's have m 

 compunction in the matter, and many pre- 

 fer a firm, juicy, and highly-flavoured fruit 

 to one that is quite the reverse of this. 



The variety is not precocious in fertility, 

 especially when grafted upon the crab 

 stock, but this may to some extent be over- 

 come by using the broad-leaved paradise 

 stock instead ; but those who can wait 

 patiently for a few years might with ad- 

 vantage choose the former, where space 

 for full branch development can be allowed. 

 Several of our best and most fruitful trees 



to all 



here have, 

 storm and stress 



appearance, withstood 

 for a century — perhaps 



longer than this — and are yet pictures of 

 health and vigour. J ames Day. 



Galloway House Gardens, Garlieston. 



OUTDOOR PEACHES. 



I ihave read with pleasure the receat 

 article on the above subject by IMr. Alger 

 Petts. I think lie is doing good work by 

 noting so clearly the, requirements of 

 peaches in the open. Few -people will deny 

 the fact that peach trees out of doors are 

 most wretchedly managed in many in- 

 stances. When we see the manner in 

 which so many trees are trained, there is 

 small wonder that peach culture on walk 

 in the open has fallen into bad odour. 



There are two points omitted in Mr. Alger 

 Petts' article that I would like to draw at- 

 tention to, points that most likely escaped 

 his notice at the time. First, the manage- 

 Very oft^^n 

 I, uder 



------- 7 



ment of the roots of the trees. 



the peach trees are growing in a 

 with a southern aspect and the reizular 

 occupants of the border may be herl)iuvHii^ 

 flowers or vegetables. In any case, the 



root:; being 



is tha: 



of 



or vegetables, 

 crop, especially if the latter, will receive 

 considerable manurial assistance, and u 

 the peach roots are allowed to ramble at 

 will in such snrroundings the trees wu 

 make gross growth. The borders in front 

 of the peach trees should be trenched every 

 alternate vear to within 4ft. of ^1^^ 

 This will \'esult in a quantity of ii» 



formed lon the sttronn:, anu 

 what would be otherwise fibreless, loot^ 

 Such a precaution as this will 

 trees from gross growth, and its attenca 



consequences 



The seconc j. — 



of supplying peaches with a sufficiency J 

 water after the fruits have been sajJiereu. 

 This is a detail much more 

 the future welfare of the trees than nu 

 persons think. Take, for example, suoJ^ 

 summer and autumn as we experienc ^^^^ 

 }•(>;! r, and considea" how a wall P'"*'^*^'"^ ^1,^. 

 trees sec uring as much *\ „pn 



roots as they would if growing 

 and also think of the amount of moib 

 the bi-ieks absorb from the soil. 

 the roots perform their natural ni."<- 

 of storing the required nutriment i 

 trees if they are denied " ^"P''' 

 of water? This is .a det — 

 gotten after the fruit has ''>«^n .'.f'^^me? 



too 



■ei 



from the trees untd the time again 

 round to expect another crop 



A practical and well-iUiwtrat*>d 



Rocteeriee k Rock Gahdens J'-";".,;^ 'i^'^!:„(,tionf. *»? 

 K. H. .Te.nkin«. It is full of skilled <^\\^'i\,_y,^r f<* 



oan be obtain.ed by 

 lOd. 



iKxst from our 



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