Garden Ornaments

by Mary Harrod Northend

AN ORNAMENT DELIGHTFULLY USED TO MARK THE OPENING OF PATHS THROUGH WOODS

There is very little choice as to what kind of flowers to mix with the shrubs. Take it all in all, the perennials stand first. The reason for this is that they are more suitable for this purpose than annuals, which have to be re-planted every year. Like the shrubs the perennials die down in the fall and re-appear when the breath of spring sweeps over the land, in greater profusion and showing added vigor through having conserved their strength by resting during the winter months.

You are very foolish if you have taken no thought for the future life of your shrub or perennial. Once planted they do not take care of themselves and if neglected it only means the survival of the fittest. Different species require different treatment, and a great many kinds need to be subdivided every two or three years. The scarlet and crimson Phlox, Spirea, and many other varieties should never be left longer than two years, they should then be carefully gone over and an experienced hand should determine how much should be left and what removed. If you have planting of Iris, Shaster daisies, and Veronicas, they can readily wait until the third year.

The ground is of just as much importance as the planting. Just because you wish to grow flowers and shrubs, you must remember that they must have food to live on, that this food must be properly prepared and contain plenty of nourishment, otherwise you will have spent money and time for naught. First of all comes fertilizing. Doubtless, in some part of the ground you can find a corner that will be the proper place for the compost heap. In its selection, it is better that it should be concealed by shrubs or trellis, vine covered. It would be a blot in the landscape if you treated it otherwise.

Every time you rake over the lawn or weed the garden, throw into a large basket the refuse and let it form part of the compost heap. The foundation for this should be plenty of manure and this, to be at its best, must be well rotted and mixed in with other material to lighten and bring about better results. You will be surprised, that is if you have never tried it, to see how quickly it grows. Almost before you know it you have enough to use in the garden next year. No matter how rich it is, a liberal amount of coarse bone meal added will pay in the end.

Your fertilizer ready, as early as possible in the spring dig your ground to the depth of eighteen or more inches. It is better if the earth is pulverized; some people go so far as to sift it. Next put in your fertilizer, mixing it with the earth previously removed. Give it time to settle before planting and you will never be dissatisfied with results.

Opinions vary as to proper time for planting perennials. Many people feel that the spring is the safest. It is foolish to follow this plan unless it can be accomplished as soon as the frost is well out of the ground. Many of them are likely to die. Therefore, if you pot them in the fall, and winter them under glass, the result will be much more satisfactory. It is simply the working out of the garden lover's idea as to what is correct and what incorrect as to the time of planting.

Many kinds are better massed. This applies to the Sweet William, the Hollyhock, Delphinium, and other varieties, that seemingly belong to the same family. The hardy Asters, which are late flowering, are invaluable for massing. They burst into blossom at a period when the early frosts have lolled the more tender plants, making their bright hues a dominant feature in the garden. It is better to shade colors than to plant one variety. For September and October blossoming why not use the Abendrote or Evening Glow? It has a bright rosy red flower and is a very free bloomer. Mix with that the Glory of Colwall, which is ageratum blue, showing double flowers, grown on stout, erect stems. The pink of the blossom contrasts admirably with the rosy red. The White Queen will mix with these two colors very effectively. This is a pure, splendid white and comes into blossom at the same season of the year.

A very interesting way of treating the defining line of the garden proper is by a low hedge. Many of these are berry bearing, thus working into the bird scheme. The Hawthorn Oxyacantha is well suited for this purpose. It is used in England for hedges and during the time of its blossoming shows a pure white, sweet-scented flower followed by a scarlet fruit. The Berberis is excellent for hedging. It blooms in the summer and is succeeded by a bright colored fruit that lasts into the winter.