Evening Star Newspaper, May 4, 1940, Page 12

GABDI_N NEWS. Combine Dogwoo * c, -SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1940, GARDEN NEW d and Wistaria to Paint Loveliest. of Spring Pictures_‘ THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTO Vine Must Have Support Rotate the Decorative Crops... Strong Enough to Stand Ever-Increasing Weight Care of Climber and Trees Found to Be Very Similar, And of Simplest Type By W. H. YOUNGMAN. One of the loveliest of the early spring flower pictures is that made with the dogwood and the purple wistaria. Few of us realize how effective these two can be together until they are seen. The white blossoms of the dogwood against the violet-blue flowers of the Chinese wistaria so complement each other that they make a striking garden picture. Espe- cially is this true when they are used in the background and so can be viewed from a distance. Where one has a wall, an old tree, or a pergola that may be covered with a strong growing vine, the wistarias are well worth considering. Few vines grow as vigorously and are as free from troubles. While they prefer sun, they will tolerate light shade, but if there is any chance: of climbing up to the sunlight they will do so, and hence we may find their foliage and flowers up so high that we get little enjoyment from them. While the wistaria is generally thought of as a climber—it needs sup- port—a wire, strong cord, or a framework of some kind. Climbing is ac- complished by the tendrils twining around the supports. They are so strong, however, that they will crush light frames and a woven wire, such as used for many climbing vines may be torn apart. Once the vines have reached the branches of a tree a support is no longer needed. On a solid wall support is needed at all times, since there is nothing for the vines o to wrap about. On the Calendar Wistarias are not partial as to soils, although they like best a fair- 1y rich one that is not too dry. Their strong roots can penetrate our heavy clays and provide us with vines giv- ing ample blooms as readily as on the more friable loams. Forcing Early Bloom. Some gardeners object to plant- ing wistarias because of the oft- repeated ideas that they will not bloom for seven years (or some such lengthy period). Some seedlings are slow to come into flower, but most of the plants to be obtained from nurseries are grown from flowering wood and bloom at a reasonably early age. Where one does choose to grow them from seed, or has a plant that stubbornly refuses to flower, it may be given a shock, which in most cases produces bloom the following year. Cutting a few of the roots, severe pruning, or ring- ing a few of the larger branches are the common methods used in giving them this shock. | Rigorous pruning is desirable at all times to insure free blooming Midsummer shortening of the long shoots seems to stimulate the for- mation of flower buds. This is often illustrated by the crops of flowers borne on vines that are pruned to keep them within bounds. or on a standard trained shrub which is | freely pruned to give it shape. | Inasmuch as the wistaria has only | a few roots, and they are long, it is well to buy young plants, or pot- grown specimens. Grafted plants or | rooted-cuttings insure desirable col- | or forms. ‘Wisterias may be had in several colors ranging from a pure white | through pale lavender, deep lavender, | to violet blue. The white wisterias | show to good advantage aagainst a green background. The length of the flower clusters vary greatly those of the Japanese species (W floribunda) being much longer than those of the Chinese varieties (W sinensis). The wistarias are seldom troubled by insect pests or diseases, but where some chewing insect does work upon them they may be sprayed with an arsenical poison. Their culture is of the simplest, in fact, very few gardeners give them any care ! Occasionally they insist on throwing out snake-like shoots at the surface | of the ground which seem to want | to spread over the garden, and these are usually removed as soon as noticed. | Adding Dogwoods | To Picture. With the wistaria in the back- | ground little more need be said| about planting a group of dogwood | trees in front of it. The native dog- | wood (Cornus florida) is so well | May 6—Washington, D. C.: Woodridge Garden Club Tulip Show, Sherwood Church Hall. May 7-10—Baltimore, Md.: An- nual meeting, Garden Club of America. March 8-9—Takoma Park, D. C.: Takoma Horticultural Club's 25th annual tulip show. May 12-19—New York City: Tulip Festival by Department of Parks. May 14-15—Petersburg, Va.: Annual meeting, Garden Club of Virginia. May 21—Springfield, Ill.: Gar- den pilgrimage of the Garden Club of Illinois to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden. May 21-23—Roanoke, Va.: An- nual meeting, Virginia Federa- tion of Garden Clubs, Roanoke Hotel. ;May 24_Chevy Chase, Md.: Carden Club tour. Garden Pilgrimages The seventh annual Maryland house and garden tour opened on Friday, April 26, and will continue through Monday, May 6. The famous show places of Maryland are opened each year, under the auspices of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, in order to acquire funds for the purchase and maintenance of the Ham- mond-Harwood House in Annapolis. Houses and gardens to be visited during the early part of the tour have been listed in this space during the past weeks. Today those scheduled for the last two days of the tour, May 5 and 6, are described. Further information may be obtained from the county rlm-_rmmu from the A. A. /. headquarters in Washington and Baltimore and from the headquarters of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland at the otel Belvedere, Baltimore. QUEEN ANNES COUNTY, MAY 5-6. Chairman: Mrs, William Marvin Barton. Centerville, Md. Telephone Centerville 233. Headquarters, Queen Annes County Lounge. A $2 ticket admits to all places; single admissions, 50 cents. Luncheon served at the Blue Lantern Inn, Centerville. ST. LUKE'S CHURCH—1730. Church in 1728. KENNERSLEY—About 1704. Restored brick house. READBOURNE—Beautiful paneling in Georgian house. Family burying ground beyond rose garden. Mr. and Mrs. Luther L. Gadd, owners, Parish set off from St. Pauls HERMITAGE—Atmosphere of tradition. Ancestral home of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin C. Tilghman, owners. BLAKEFORD—Gardens only. Fine box, rare shrubs, flowers. Magnificently restored estate. Mr. and Mrs. George M. MofTett, owners. BOLINGLY—About 1733. Mr. and Mrs. 8. E. W. Friel, owners. MY LORD'S GIFT—Modern house has paneling from old man- sion. Woodland and bog garden. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Marsalis, owners. BELLE POINT—Beautifully planted. Mr. and Mrs. T. Harris Smith, owners. It you have but a small porch or terrace to devote to flowers, you can still keep up with your garden-minded neighbors in kaqv- ing a long and varied season of bloom. The porch boz, about 8 inches wide, is built from ordinary sheathing boards, and beau- at the foundation were pot grown in a greenhouse and simply transplanted into the soil-filled they can be replaced with other greenhouse potted material— changing the picture as time and taste direct, all through the summer. boz. When their season is over —Photo by Edwin H. Perkins. Minor Bulbs Of Major Interest By EDWIN C. POWELL. The so-called “minor bulbs” are | | thus named because they are of | minor importance to commercial bulb growers. It is merely a trade ! name and has no reference to the merits of the plants. The small| spring-flowering bulbs are impor- tant in the garden because they produce an abundance of brilliant, showy flowers for one to two months before the larger daffodils, hya- cinths, and tulips appear. There are & half dozen or more in this group of bulbs which come mostly from the Netherlands, althougn | | some are produced in the United States. Three or four, at least, | | should find a place in every garden. | The Chionodoxa or Glory-of-the- Snow may bloom on the snow banks | in their native country but in the vicinity of Washington they do not appear until after the snow is gone in February, March, and April. The flowers are small, about an inch in | diameter; and blue, running into! white and red forms, with recurved- | spreading, acute segments. Luciliae is the best species and is a brilliant | blue with a white eye. The Chiono- | doxas cross readily with the Scillas and the hybrids are known as Chionoscillas. They thrive best in a fertile, well-drained soil where | they have plenty of light and nn} | from offsets and seed. There are four or more dlstinct’ classes or types of Scillas whica | differ markedly from each other. | Bifolia, the earliest, is a small feath- ery flower with narrow petals. Nu- | tans, the English Bluebell or Wood | Hyacinth, grows to 8 inches in height and follows Siberica in period | of bloom. Give it partial shade and plenty of leaf mold to obtain best results. There are also white, lilac- red, and pale rose forms. Still | later, taller, and larger are the vari- ous Campanulata or Spanish Squills that grow a foot or more in height and are valuable as cut flowers. | There are blues, lavenders, whites, | | and pinks in this type which makes | relatively large bulbs and increases | prodigiously so that they should be ! dug, divided, and replanted every few years. Garden Cllfi) Lilies Are Not Difficult To Grow Successfully If Bulbs Are Healthy Porous Loam With Gravelly Subsoil for Drainage Best Conditions for Planting By J. STEALEY ELMS. A most important contribution to the beauty of the garden is the lily. This ornamental, in it5 stately splendor, adds that needed touch of dignity to the well-balanced landscape and well deserves its reputation as the “aristocrat of the garden.” It is widely distributed in its native origin, probably more so than any other bulbous group. The lily bulb varies greatly in size and shape, is fleshy and has overlapping scales. For the purposes of trade the commercial growers in this country hav¢ divided the lily into two main classes, designating those which we grow i1 our gardens-as “hardy,” and leaving to the florists who maintain green- houses the task of forcing into bloom the tender white “Easter lily.” From one Japanese species, L. longiflorum, many forms of the popular Easter lily were developed. Bermuda first started to grow the bulbs commercially, utilizing the variety L. longifiorum eximium, and soon controlled the ma’- kets of the world. Through the ravages of a very serious disease early in the 20th century production in the island was nearly killed. The Japanese, meanwhile, had been developing other varieties, very well suited for csld storage and forcing and by the time control measures had proved effecive on the Bermuda blight, had become a strong competitor. Another region that is slowly entering into the competition for the pro= ducticn of these beautiful Easter lilies is in the Gulf States. Although the main purposes of these so-called “Easter lily” bulps is for use in the greenhouse, they can%- be planted in the garden and should | give bloom during the summer. planting, as they obtain thei’ nu- But to get back to our garden lilies. Perhaps some hints on their planting, cultivation and propag; tion may be of interest. The prin- cipal factor you must consider when planting lilies is the matter of drain- age. planting than others, upon the species. that is followed is to plant to a depth of about three times the height of the bulb. Soil is another factor; a porous loam with a gravel- ly subsoil being ideal. If these con- ditions are not available, try digging a hole or trench to a depth of about 3 feet. In the bottom of this place a layer of gravel, stone or other ma- terial that will serve to drain. Then fill with a loam that is light and fertile. A year-around mulch is necessary to conserve moisture. If the soil lacks humus, some well- rotted cow manure or partially de- cayed leaves should be worked in; never use fresh manure. Where the soil is rich and fertile, bonemeal | worked in to a depth of 18 inches | will add to the nourishment neces- sary to increased growth after the depending Activities Listed By BETSY CASWELL. Appropriately, a silver cup will be among the awards at the Takoma Horticultural Club's 25th consecu- | method of propagation, the flowers ! ]may be a variation of the parent. | tive Tulip Show, which opens at the Takoma Library, Fifth and Cedar streets, on Wednesday, May 8. The public is invited to view the display from 8 to 10 o'clock Wednesday evening, and again from 9 am. to 9 pm. on Thursday, May 9. The cup will be given to the win- | ner of the most points in the speci- | | lilies are established. | Lilies are prolific producers of }seed. Select your seed from the | most vigorous of your plants. These | seed can be sown in cold frames ! in the fall or outdoors in the early spring. Bulbils will be produced and after several replantings will make | flowering bulbs. Unlike the bulb Rooting habits of the lilies vary. being separated into two classes. ‘The one class contains those which produce their roots from the bot- tom of the bulb. The species of this class require rather shallow The Muscari or Grape Hyacinth | men classes, which are expected to | Mrs. Arthur Sturgis, Mrs. H. Tudor which belongs in the lily family | prove very interesting. Miss Lottie Morsell, Mrs. Charles G. McRoberts, should be in every garden. and largest, and because of its frag- rance and size of the bells one need The | Fahrenbruck is chairman of the |Mrs | variety Heavenly Blue is the best | show, with Col. William H. England | Robert Ash and Mrs. Arthur Defen- acting as exhibition chairman. The Takoma club is one of the oldest Farderick W. Connolly. Mrs. derfer The art posters, which will be used | grow no other. It increases rapidly | and largest garden clubs in this vi- | at the entrance of each garden to Muscari | cinity, and its shows have always|be opened, are being painted by the azureum, a light blue flower, is the | been noteworthy and instructive | pupils of Rosemary Street School. earliest to bloom and is a very| prolific seeder. Botryoides, tae com- | mon species, has dark blue flowers and has gone wild in many places. | There is also a white form of it.| Unusual types are the feather hya- | cinth (plumosumo), the musk hya- | cinth (moschatum), of a decided odor that some people like, and the tassel hyacinth (comosum). | Cultural directions for growing | these minor bulbs are simple. A| fertile, well-drained soil well pre- pared by spading previous to plant- ing meets their requirements. Plant adapted to local conditions that we | all take it for granted that it is| going to live and flower. The Kousa | dogwood (C. kousa) is equally useful | although its flowering season is lawr) than that of our native shrub. There are a few simple precautions which: are worth observing in planting thish lovely, tall shrub or low-growing tree Dogwoods may be transplanted in the fall, but generally speaking they stand moving best in the spring,: ‘They should be moved with as little | shock as possible since when in a weakened condition they are likely to be attacked by the borer—their one serious enemy. It may be that by carefully wrapping the trunks of‘ newly transplanted dogwood trees the borer may be excluded; at any | rate, the wrappings will reduce loss ! of moisture and hasten recovery. | ‘The care of the dogwood is almost as simple as that of the wisteria Dogwood are shallow rooted and | resent cultivation or root dis-| turbance, a mulch of decayed loavesl or peat moss in the spring and fall | is all the care needed. The removal | of dead twigs and the cutting off of | straggly branches to keep them | shapely constitute the necessary pruning. This is done in the late | spring after flowering and before | the formation of the new flower buds takes place in the late summer The dogwood and wistaria com- bination is hardly feasible unless one has a wall or pergola for the vine However, if one wishes to grow the wisteria in standard or tree form, taller than is usually done, the two may be placed almost anywhere. BLOOMINGDALE HOUSE—About 1660 in part. hexagonal portico. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dudley, owners. ERINTON—Modern French pmvm(tml, situated on island con- nected by causeway. Mr. and Mrs. G. DeS. Canavarro, owners. STAGWELL—Collection of miniatute antiques. English walled garden. Mr. and Mrs. Walter C. Lee, owners. WYE PLANTATION—Gardens only. Restored old terraced gar- dens, fine trees. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Houghton, owners. CLOVERFIELDS—About 1730. Beautiful mantel and mural. Mrs. Herbert Carter, owner. OLD WYE CHURCH—Wye Mills. Recently restored. WYE OAK—Estimated age, 400 years. Two-storied TALBOT COUNTY, MAY 5-6. Chairman: Mrs. Robert G. Henry. Myrtle Grove, Easton, Md. Telephone Easton 33-F-2. Headquarters, Hotel Avon. Telephone Easton 370. Single admissions, 50 cents, except as noted. Accommodations and luncheon at Hope House and Hotel Avon, Easton. LANGSHAWS—Georgian brick house on Skipton Creek. Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Kellogg, owners. CLEGHORNE ON WYE—(8ingle admission, $1.) About 1800. Extensive gardens. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lockhart, jr., owners. PRESQU'ILE—Beautifully restored by Mr. and Mrs. Nils Ander- son, owners. GROSSE COATE—Property grarted to Roger Gross. Place sold before 1700 to Henrietta Maria Lloyd. Central block of house built 1755. Beautiful gardens, fine trees. Mrs. Charles Tilghman, owner. WYE HOUSE—Garden about 1660. Mrs. C. Howard Lloyd, owner. HOPE HOUSE—Imposing mansion, largest yew tree in America. Mrs. Rosamond Starr Belt, owner. FAIRVIEW—Stately pillared mansion. Beautiful furniture and box gardens. Mr. and Mrs. Than V. Ranck, owners. HUNTING HALL—Delightful garden at rear of house. Mr. and Mrs. Davis Burroughs, owners. LOMBARDY—Wing prior to 1776. Charming old-fashioned gar- den, trees and fine box. Gen. and Mrs. J. Kemp Bartlett, owners. MYRTLE GROVE—Beautifully proportioned rooms and hanging staircase. Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Henry, owners. RATCLIFFE MANOR—(Single admission, $1). Notable for paneling, woodwork and boxwood. Mr. and Mrs. John W. McCoy, owners, NORTH BEND—About 1700. Extensive gardens along curve of Miles River. Mr. and Mrs. James Dixon, owners. EMERSON POINT—Resurveyed in 1696 for John Emerson. Fine use of boxwood in elaborate gardens. Mr. and Mrs. John D. Miler, owners, b WEBLEY—Formerly Mary's Delight. A grant in 1659 to Edmond Webb. Beautifully situated on bay shore. Mrs. Harold Walker, owner. LANGDON—Rose garden and others beautifully developed. Miss Mabel W. Gillespie, owner CANTERBURY MANOR—Lovely approach between tall trees. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Wheeler, owners. CEDAR POINT—About 1672. Unsurpassed water location. Mr. and Mrs. Charles 8. Todd, owners. DEEP WATER POINT—Fine approach through judas and dogwood trees. Modern French provincial house. Mr. Oliver Grymes, owner. ' OTWELL—1660. Very old and unusual house. Lawn sloped to river. Miss Margaret W. Goldsborough, owner. WILDERNESS—Beautifully restored house. Extensive box gar- dens. Mr. and Mrs. J. Ramsey Speer, owners. i Children’s Gardens By Edwin L. Howard. Studio Publications, New York. While many of the plans and de- slgns worked out in this book by Mr. Howard for Children’s Gardens are exceedingly clever, few of the ideas are simple enough for the average child to use. Much of it would require considerable time and | Jabor and no end of skill on the part | of some adult. | The Zoo, the Bird, the Games and the Picnic Gardens seem to be most practical. A good place to keep a pet is often difficult to devise. The plan offered here is excellent and one that could be simplified with- out too much loss of pleasing effect. The Bird Garden would not be hard to incorporate in any garden. The dimensions given in the Games Gar- den are of real practical help. And while only children who are nearly grown could have any part in build- ing the Picnic Garder there is no doubt that they would share greatly in the pleasure it would give. W.H. Y. adequate supply of moisture while growing and until the foliage h“,the bulbs as early as they can be obtained 3 to 4 inches deep and from ripened. Plant the bulbs 3 t0 4|2 fo 6 inches apart according ro inches deep and 3 inches apart. ] size; then leave them alone. A light The purest, most billiant blue | mulch the first winter may be help- flower is the Siberian Squill, Scilla | ful in some soils, except for the siberica. It blooms at the same | Grape Hyacinths which send up time or a little later- than the | their leaves in the fall and should Chionodoxa, is more vigorous, and | not be covered. Most of them will produ.ces more flowers per plant, six | thrive in light shade, hence can be | to eight stalks bearing several planted along the edges of the bor- | flowers being common from well- | ders or under trees or shrubs. As established bulbs. There is also a | with other bulbous plants the foli- white form that is very dainty. The | age must allowed to complete | variety Spring Beauty is consid- | its growt! nd ripen before it is! erably larger and of a darker blue. | removed. For Lasting Loveliness in Your Garden Plant Flowering TI;GOS and Shrubs Drive out to our Nurseries on the Frederick Pike, two miles north of Rockville, Md., and let us help you make a selection which will give you continuous bloom over a long period. cial Closing-out Price on Top-grade Dormant o lOS?IUSHES—d Our Nu?uriel 35¢—3 for 1.00 Perennials—Pansies—Annuals A. GUDE SONS CO. NURSERIES—ROCKVILLE, MD. LANDSCAPE DEPT.—1318 EYE ST. N.W.—NA. | ments. exhibits. Chairmen and committees for the garden tour sponsored by the Gar- den Club of Chevy Chase, Md., on May 24 for the benefit of the Mont- gomery County General Hospital are listed as follows: Mrs. Philip E. Bradley, tour chair- man. Mrs. Robert Ash, club president and co-chairman of tour. Mrs. J. Gilmer Korner, tickets. Mrs. Hartley H. T. Jackson, Mrs. James W. Murphy, distribution of posters. Mrs. Ridley McLean, art posters. Mrs. Karl D. Loos, tea. Her as- sistants are Mrs. Conway P. Coe, Mrs. Jennings Bailey, jr.; Mrs. Ar- thur Defenderfer, Mrs. V. L. Elli- cott. Mr=. E. Percival Wiison, hostesses. Mrs. Frederick Stohlman, infor- mation booth. Mrs. Egbert Clark, flower arrange- Mrs. Richard B. Winder, publicity. Her committee includes Mrs. Robert F. Fleming, Mrs. Conway P. Coe, LANDSCAPE CURBING | r Bearing, n of Lawn This visit will help you which you will want for your garden next year. On orders for bulbs given at the nursery during this 10-day inspection pe ‘Tea will be served in the gardens of Mrs. Chester Wells and Mrs. John | Selby and flower arrangements will | be on display at the homes of Mrs. | Herbert H Moffitt, Mrs. William S. | Corby, Mrs. Alfred E Fowler, Mrs. | Chester Wells, Mrs. John A. Selby, | Mrs. Robert Ash, Mrs. Frank P. | Wilcox and Mrs. Rudolph Max | Kauffmann Some bulbs require deeper | A general rule | triment from the plant food, nitural or otherwise, in the surface soil. ‘The other class are stem-mwoting | lilies, whose roots appear on the stem between the bulb ind the | surface. These require te deep | planting, so as to provide plenty of | underground stem space for the feeding roots to develop. It would indeed be wonderful to claim that the lily is free from dis- ease, but like many otler garden | plants it is subject to ths attack of | many enemies. The moaic disease, | a virus, probably is the nost serious. It is prevalent in all sctions and | all the species are subjict to it. A marked stunting, acconvanied with a twisting of the stemsand leaves, deformation of the flwers and & | mottling of the folige are the | symptoms. Roguing, or the dig- | ging and burning of all affected | plants as soon as foun, seems to be | the best control. Be sure that all the bulbs you plant ar: in a healthy condition. The same treatmers is prescribed for another virus digase known as “yellow flat,” whose symptoms are the curling down of the leaves. Botrytis, a fungois disease, also is an enemy. This § first noticed as large orange-brow1 spots appear | on the foliage, folloved by a burned appearance and otted buds. A control for this casists of gather- ing and burning dl dead stalks in the autumn, anc in the spring spray with a 44-50 mixture of bordeaux. Soil Requirments The first requiste in growing roses is to have rich, deep ground. The next step is to kep the ground rich. | If these pointsare observed there | would be less cmplaint about dise.. ease. Sturdy, ell-fed plants -are seldom attackecby diseads, and suf= fer less from inect pests than their weaker neighbrs. Crop Rotition | Radishes, arrots and lettuce | should be som at 10-dav intervals throughout tie spring seeson in or- der to have ; continuous supply of | erisp, tender -oots and leaves. For Cut Flowers | The best way to assure an ad- equate suppy of cut flowers is to plant a fev rows in the vegetable garden. Bloom ths year. 5 to 7 inches wide. Wonderf] 2-yr." plants. = Yellow. Red. White, %nk. Rose, Bronze, Lavender. M ixed r Diffrent Rock Pla Rod EVERGREENS, You can make your yard a safe play- in & White Do . Protect your lawn and Phone for free estimate. CYCLONE FENCE COMPANY | Room 609 Insurance Bldg. Phone: DISTRICT 0468 CYCLONE] FENCE flowers, An Invitalion . . . May 4th to 14th Open All Day Sunday You are cordially invited to visit our extemsive Display of Tulips, Narcissus and other Spring flowering bulbs in bloom at our NORBECK NURSERIES, Norbeck, Maryland About 3 miles this side of Olney on the old Seventh St. Pike to select the varieties L LONORBECK | riod we will make o— ~ORockviLre Special 15% Discount —if cash or check accompanies order. or C. 0. D. Bulbs will be shipped 10% discount on charge orders. in the Fall at the proper time for planting SMALL'S Flower and Garden Center Dupont Circle Telephone Dupont 7000