Evening Star Newspaper, May 11, 1940, Page 10

IA—10° cARDEN Bright Colors, Cheer NEWS, Pansies and Violets Are Well-Loved Members Of the Viola Family Certain Groups Particularly Adapted to This Area by Ability to Stand Heat By W. H. Youngman. It seems a far cry from the giant ruffied pensy to the dainty lif woods violet, but they are members of the same fi are the violas or perennial ‘members of this much loved f: called tufted pansies of the rock garden, the fragrant sweet Jump-ups and a host of others that everybody admires. Bright delicate fragrance, cheery faces and an abundance of bloom are the gifts of this widely adapted, useful group of dainty garden plants, Many gardeners grow the “funny-faces”—pansies. The production of plants on a commercial scale which are sold in the early spring when in full bloom has done much to encourage their use. Violets, on the other hand, are not widely grown. Perhaps the sweet violets, gems from the old gardens. are most frequently encountered. Rock gardens and wild- flower gardens often contain a few violets, but are more apt to have plants of the violas such as Jersey Gem, Jersey Jewel, etc., which are more or less perennial. In a brief discussion such as this it is impossible to do more than point out a few cultural points and the more worthwhile species and va- rieties for each group. Pansies are hardy perennials that are best treated as annuals in this area. Seed started in July and August in cold frames or seed flats make strong flowering plants that can be<- planted in the flower borders in October, where they will produce bloom, if in protected places, from midwinter on until June. Beds fully exposed to the summer sun ordinarily *“pass out” in June, whereas those in partially shaded places often con- tinue in flower well into the summer. Pansies are gross feeders that thrive in well-enriched soil. One gardener uses a mixture of half peat moss and half sheep manure to pro- duce the beautifully ruffied, large blossoms for which she is well known. Other gardeners use quan- tities of well-rotted cow manure in the soil and mulch with peat moss. In the parks you will often find the pansy beds coated with manure. Food and moisture are most important for . vigorous growth and large flowers. ‘Winter protection other than a mulch is unnecessary in this area. Pansies may be used in many ways. Beds of them are always in- teresting, and they may be used as edgings, grouped among the shrubs, or planted among the spring flower- ing bulbs. Their bright colors and interesting patterns make them at- tractive in any situation. Sweet violets (viola odorata) are charming, dainty and much loved, although they seem to be a bit more difficult to grow than most of the so-called true violets. This difficulty is partly due to our belief that they, Being violets, should be planted.in shade, the deeper the shade the better. Actually they prefer light shade and protection from midday sun. Morning sun is best for most plant life. Overcrowding, however, is their chief difficulty. Annual lifting and dividing is advisable for they set runners so freely that they soon become too crowded and die out. Leaf mold freely incorporated 4n the soil provides food and re- tains needed moisture. Besides the sweet violet, there are 8 number of others, which are of interest to local gardeners. Rasina, the little “pink violet,” is a form of the viola odorata, and there is also & white form. V. latiuscula, the broad- leaf wood violet, is very adaptable and can be naturalized. It seeds so freely that it may become a weed, but its generous crops of fragrant flowers in the early spring more than offset this objection. The large-leaf white violet (V. incognita) is very showy and is a willing grower. Other white violets, such as V. blanda and V. pallens are will stay “put.” The Canadian vio- let (V. Canadensis) is another white violet that is worthy of trial in a partially shaded situation. Of the yellow violets the downy yellow (V. pubescens) is probably as useful as any of the spring bloomers. (Some of these named above also bloom in the fall) One of our natives, the bird’s foot violet (V. pedata) is not so easily grown, although it is most attrac- tive and worth the extra effort. It delights in sun and an acid soil with plenty of humus and sand. (On sandy soils it may be necessary to add a little clay.) The larkspur vio- let (V. pedatifida) has the same cul- tural requirements. The third division of the Viola family is the so-called Viola, also known as the tufted pansy (V. cor- nuta). Viola cornuta withstands heat, but the small size of the flow- ers did not encourage its widespread use in spite of this ability. With the advent of Viola Jersey Gem, a rich violet-colored beauty, this ob- jection was overcome as it had all of the heat-resisting qualities of V. cornuta, plus the size freedom of bloom and form of the pansy. There is a white form of Jersey Gem that is a strong grower and free bloomer. A mauve form is also available. Newer named varieties include Jersey Jewel, Apricot, Hunt- ercombe Purple, Lavender Gem, Yellow Gem, Arkwright Ruby, etc. Not all of these varieties are as heat- resisting as they “should be for use in local gardens. Jersey Jewel, Lav- ender Gem, White Gem, and Ark- wright Ruby, in addition to Jersey Gem are probably the best, although the others are worth a trial. The hardy Violas, unlike most violets, need sun at least part of the day. In shade they seldom bloom freely or last well. Also, strange to say, they need some lime. Otherwise their requirements of humus, plant food and moisture are the same as those of the pansy and violet. A long season of bloom is usual under favorable growing conditions, al- though if seed pods are allowed to form the production of flowers is reduced. The Violas are as easily-grown from seed as are the pansies. Propa- gation, however, in the same garden is usually by division in September or October. Prune off the long growths and break the crown apart. Reset the divisions in well-prepared soil and mulch with leafmold or fully as useful. The cream violet -(V. striata) is very adaptable and One-Color Scheme Makes An Interesting Garden By AGNES A novel departure from the usual garden arrangement is to. “go Hollywood,” and adopt a one-color multiple-color plan It is not necessary, however, to go to the extreme as some movie stars do, in featuring flowers of one color throughout an entire garden. This experiment can be successfully tried out in a section or small part of a garden—with much fun, too. 5 A blue garden would be lovely geous. Blue is being used more and¢ more in decorative designs, and getting blue flowers to carry out color schemes has always been more or less of a problem—so, what could be more fascinating than collecting all the blues possible into a garden space? To start a blue garden, trellises or a fence—if there happens to be one—could be covered with blue morning glories to be used as a background or to give height to the garden. Blue lilacs could also be used in the background. And for the garden proper there is the bal- loon flower, the new double lark- spur, besides the old-fashioned cornflower, the beautiful scabiosa— blue moon, and a sky blue lacey blossom, which is most effective, and is known as blue lace flower—grows about 2 feet high. Then, too, there are the violets, forget-me-nots, ageratum and many others—but the fun would be spoiled if more are mentioned. Some may not care for all blue—in that case'a combination of blues, creamy yellows and soft rosy-pink shades will offer a well- blended color scheme in any garden. An all-white garden would be an innovation to the gardener who en- Joys experimenting. White blos- soms with only green follage for color are lovely, and, too, & bit mys- terious looking by moonlight. This is because most whites have just enough yellow in their tone to cast & luminous glow. peat moss. TRIMBLE. scheme instead of the conventional and interesting as well as advanta- satiny climbing roses along with bushy plants—the white lilac for such a garden. A few suggestions— white snapdragon, phlox, cosmos. dahlia, salpiglossis, chrysanthemum, asters, baby’s breath, white petunia, and the old-time four-o'clock, which never shows its pretty face until after sundown. Yes, there will be some who do not care for so.much white because of the heavy and sweet fragrance— but this odor is popular now in per- fumes, you know! It is interesting that this very sweet and lasting odor belongs to the white flowers because the pollinating insects are not attracted as much to the white flowers as to bright colored ones; | therefore they retain their own individual fragrance. For a fall garden, when the mid- summer flowers are beginning to fade, a yellow and orange arrange- ment would be delightful. Many flawers of these hues bloom until frost, and lend an appearance of warmth to the atmosphere as Old Man Winter approaches. A red garden is rich and gor- geous, and can be planned most artistically with little trouble—as gardening goes! In selecting seeds and plants for this experimental color arrange- ment in your garden, be sure to have in mind the exact colors, height of plants and time of bloom- ing, for these points are all neces- A white garden would naturally start off with the exquisite white sary to consider to carry out an effective plan. ~On the Calendar 12-19—New York City: Tulip Festival by Department of Parks. 5 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 24—Washington, D. C.: * Garden tour, the Garden Club of Chevy Chase, Md. Benefit of the Montgomery County General Hospital. : June 1—Washington, D. C.: Gar- den American Harticul- b tural Soclety, 3850 Tunlaw road N.W. (Garden of Mrs. Benedicta Regenstein,) - June 2—Washington, D. C.: Rose fete and demonstrations, gardens of Dr. and Mrs. Whit- man Cross, 101 E, Kirke street, Chevy Chase, Md. June 5—Leesburg, Va.:. Fif- teenth annual flower show of the ue-‘lmn Garden Club at Bel- mon July 18-20—New York City: An- Men's Garden THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, MAY y Faces and Abundant Blo For the Ouidoor Living Room . . . By choosing flowers that will do well in the location allotted to them one is sure of having constant and luzurious bloom in the window bozxes or porch containers. Here geraniums grow vigorously in colorful pots and holders placed in a sunny corner of the terrace. If the location were shady the choice might be fuchsias, tuberous begonias or night-scented stocks. flower to the exposure” is a golden rule, especially in “porch gardening.” Plants for Window Boxes Should Be Selected With Reference to Exposure Lists Are Given of Varieties That Will Do Well in Shade Or in Sunny Locations. By THE MASTER GARDENER. ~ Away back in October I received a particularly enthusiastic letter and an excellent photograph of a motherly little old lady, showing her thrifty, blooming porch boxes of petunias. She said they were the prettiest in her town all summer and even at that late date they were still blooming lustily. She gave due credit to the part that feeding had played in her success. Right then and there I said to myself, “Mustn’t overlook reminding my gardeners that porch and window boxes must be fed,” because the plants are grown in such a small amount of soil that nourishment incorporated in the soil when the boxes are planted is soon exhausted. Of course, for success with porch and window boxes there are many other factors besides feeding that must be taken into consideration. Thorough drainage must be provided for. This is very im- t. Plants must be selected wisely, with reference to exposure and amount of sunlight available. Also, do not plant the box too thickly. Be sure there is enough room so plants can develop naturally. ‘When the soil is prepared for the boxes sufficient humus must be included so that the soil is in good physical condition, and re- tentive of moisture; sufficient plant food must be ‘incorporated to provide available nourishment promptly. Use one level teaspoon of complete balanced plant food to each quart of soil, mixing thor- oughly with the soil. After the box is planted, good judgment must be used in water- ing. A window box dries out quickly, so it should have daily in- spection. A thorovh soaking should be given as often as needed. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Use a little imagination and originality in choosing plants. Among the all-America winners of past years may be found some good sug- gestions for planting material. For example: Petunia Pink Gem, a winner of 1934; a dwarf, compact and bushy miniature of the giant sorts, would be excellent material for a window box. One or two of the night-scented stocks will provide fragrance in the evening. " Here is a list of plants and suggested combinations that will aid you in making a selection of material: Plants Suitable for Sunny Situations: Flowering Plants: Petunia. Sweet alyssum, Geranium, Latana. Portulaca. Ageratum, Snapdragon. Lobelia, Candytutt, . Btocks. Marguerite. Cupflower. Some Suggested Combinations for Sunny Locations: Nasturtium. Heliotrope. Salvia. Verbena. Pink geraniums, blue ageratum and Pink and blue petunias, marigold, Zinnias (Lilliput and Mexican hybrids). Foliage Plants: Dwarf French marigold. Asparagus sprengerl. English ivy. German ivy. Wandering Jew. Coleus. Pandanus veitchi. Vinca. Dracaena indivisa. Dusty Miller, English ivy. lobelia. Red geraniums, English ivy, sweet alyssum and blue lobelia. Center of white petunias, with border of deep red petunias. Rosy Morn and Blue Balcony petunias, white geraniums and * dracaenas for accent.’ Scarlett, O'Hara and Heavenly Blue morning glories, sprengerl, ‘Wandering Jew, asparagus gold and pandanus. Plants That Are Suitable for Shady Situations: Flowering Plants: Pansy. ‘Tuberous begonia. Fuchsia, Night-scented stocks. ‘Vinca. Some Suggested Combinations for Shady Locations: verbena, petunias, mari- Sansevieria. Pachysandra terminalis, Aspuragus sprengeri, dracaena and Boston fern. English ivy, coleus, Boston fern and pandanus. * For window boxes on the north side of a house it is usually neces- sary to confine the plants to foliage plants or for shady locations. ferns, such as the above “Fit the Photo by Edwin H. Perkins. Leaves From The Garden Notebook Planting Is Now In Full Swing In This Area Planting is now in full swing and almost all seeds, bulbs and tubers may with safety go into the ground. Gladiolus corms, if planted at two- week intervals, will provide a long season of bloom. Dahlias are or- dinarily planted in late May, but for early bloom may oe set out now. Zinnias, marigolds and most of the other annuals may be sown out of doors with reasonable safety. ‘Wood ashes are a most valuable source of potash—an element much needed by roses, peonies and dahlias. If you have a fireplace and burn wood be sure to get the ashes out now. Scatter them over the beds and either by raking or hoeing stir them into the soil Newly planted shrubs and trees with the coming of hot weather should be kept well watered. The roots of recently transplanted woody shrubs are not well enough estab- lished to provide sufficient mois- ture for rapid growth and to take care of normal transpiration. The feeding of house plants is often neglected. Recently products have been put on the market to meet the needs of indoor gardeners and no doubt will help to keep house plants in good condition. These products. however, do not obviate the necessity of repotting at least once a year as they furnish only the plant foods. Good potting soil contains humus and bacteria, both oull them being important to plant e. Crabgrass can be held in check in most cases by keeping the blue- grass growing thriftily. Set the cut- ter bar on the lawn mower as high as possible (at least 12 inches—2 inches is better). An application of fertilizer is also beneficial—use any good brand with an analysis of 6-6-5 to 10-8-5 at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet. Orange Blossom Jelly Place 3 ounces freshly gathered blossoms in an earthen jar. Pour over them 1 quart of boiling thin sirup and let steep for two hours. Strain, add gelatin and place in cool place to mold. For rhododendrons or rose tree blossoms it might be well to add a H&t{: lemon juice, as they are sub- [ Remove Dandelions Now-is a good time to spot and remove dandelions from the lawn. ‘To spot place a teaspoon of sulphate of ammonia upon the center of the crown of each plant. This burns out the plant and later stimulates the surrounding grass. Screening Vines Annual vines, such as morning glories, will cover up an ugly spot in your landscape in rapid-fire time. They climb up to 20 feet in a single Summer. om Found in Old Favorites | The Fuchsia Goes Modern Roundup of Garden Club Activities Flower and Table Arrangements of Interest on Tour By BETSY CASWELL. Prepnnzt‘wm for the garden tour on May 24, sponsored by the Gar- den Club of Chevy Chase, Md., for the benefit of the Montgomery County Hospital, are going forward at & great pace. Mrs, Egbert Clark, Flower and Table Arrangement Committee chairman, announces the following: Mrs. Robert Ash will do her own arrangement for a table for supper in the garden, Mrs. William 8. Corby’s flower arrangement will be on display in her music room. Mrs. Chester Wells’ tea table decoration will be placed on her porch, and on Mrs, Arthur Sturgis’ veranda will be placed the flower arrangements which she is offering, while a lunch- eon table will be arranged by Mrs. Paul Sleman and Mrs. Willlam 8. Stein on the porch of Mrs. Alfred E. Fowler, overlooking the formal rose garden. Mrs. Rudolph Max Kauffmann’s arrangement will be done in her garden house. Mrs. Frank P. Wilcox plans to do the arrangement in her dining room and the rest of her house will be done by Mrs. Whitman Cross, Mrs. John Vance, Mrs. Conway P. Coe and Mrs. Arthur Defenderfer. Ar- rangements in Mrs. John Selby’s house will be done by Mrs. John Barr and Mrs. V. L. Ellicott, while those at the residence of Mrs. Her- bert H. Moffitt will be undertaken by Mrs. Richard Fay Jackson, Mrs. James W. Murphy, Mrs. Robert F. Fleming and Mrs. Egbert Clark. At the information booth at Chevy Chase Circle, Mrs. Prederick Stohl- man will have as her assistants Mrs. Robert F. Fleming, Mrs. Richard B. Winder, Mrs. Prederick Connolly. Mrs. Pred N. Oliver and Mrs. Mar- Jorie R. Rankin. The club is giving prizes to the pupils of the Rosemary Street School who do the best posters to be used at the garden entrances; the judges for this will be Mrs. Rudolph Max Kauffmann, Mrs. Rid- ley McLean and Mrs. Perry T. Singles. ‘The tour will commence at 11 am., continuing until 6 pm. and a $1 ticket, which covers admittance to all gardens, may be purchased at the entrance of any garden included in the tour. ‘The Garden Club of Leesburg, Va., is making plans for its 15th annual flower show for the benefit of the vegetable garden and grounds of the Loudoun County Hospital. The show will be held at Belmont, the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Hurley, on Wednesday, June 5, from 2:30 to 5 pm. For 23 years the Leesburg club has provided the hos- pital with its vegetable garden, and cared for its lawn and grounds. Flower arrangements, especially selected to harmonize with the im- posing rooms of Belmong, will be in- cluded among the many attractions in the show. The Chevy Chase, D. C., Garden Club will meet on Monday, May 13, at the residence of Miss Emma T. Hahm, 6036 Oregon avenue N.W. On the program will be a tour of members’ gardens, exhibition sug- mflons and an informal spring w. Vegetable Patch Where space is available real landscape planning may go into the vegetable patch. A fence with an arbor gate for vines and climbing roses will segregate this part of your garden from the ornamental garden and at the same time frame it in such a manner that it may be built into a picture in its own way. The vegetables may be divided into four sections, with paths bordered by alyssum, lobelia, petunias, dwarf marigolds or other annuals. A bird bath or sundial in the center where the paths meet makes a good focal point. The back of the lot may have a lattice fence or shrubs or a border of tall annuals, such as African marigolds, cosmos or sunflowers, Fragrant Flowers Select a few flowers for fragrance. Stocks, nasturtiums, sweet alyssum, mignonette and the balcony petun- ias will bring new charm to your summer picture. §Elioy Your Garden $ <At Night” Artistic Lighting in your i garden gives you an extra outdoor evening pleasure. “Estimates Cheerfully Given.” Landscape & Garden Lighting Co. Met. 5180 Protect your children - :lnl;e yox‘; yar:i :le layground with stu; good-looking fence, lbvz'eou terms. Phone for free estimate. CYCLONE FENCE COMPANY Reom 609 GARDEN NEWS, Fuchsias have By BERTHA E. BOYD. Many of us remember the pride our grandmothers took in their pot- ted plants. Usually these were ar- ranged on sturdy wire stands that were most artistically devised, one tier above another, and surmounted with an arch on which vines were trained. On these stands were gera- niums and other favorites. Grand- mother’s greatest pride, however, was vested in the gay jewel-like fuchsias, which adorned the top tier of this arrangement that stood in her bay window. We, too, were fascinated by their pendulous beauty and fancied them as eardrops for milady! Imagine the thrill and joy it would give grandmother today if she could walk into her garden and behold & border of hardy fuchsia shrubs filled with glowing blooms—hun- dreds of them! And even lovelier than the delicate plants she raised and cherished! That is just what she would have in this extraordinary fuchsia ric- cartoni Scartlet Beauty. It is gen- uinely new and supremely interest- ing in the world of ever-blooming shrubs. This plant at maturity has upright wiry stems, 3 feet in height | —clothed with lustrous foliage. The dainty pendulous blooms are about 11, inches long, of rose-red, with NOW! Window Boxes Now that the da is over, get your plents estel lished . before warm weather Plant This Week Visit our North Chevy Chase Nursery, which is open all day Sunday, or our Garden Supply De- partment at Dupont Circle for suggestions and complete service. Window Boxes, Prepared Soil, Flowering Plants and Vines SMALL'S To Reach Nursery: See Di- rection sign at 8400 Conn. Ave. PLANT FOOD ‘Trade Mark Reg. your watering can and pour it TN emerged from their delicate old-jfashioned Jragility and gone sturdy, in keeping with the trend of 1940.: The newest version of the old favorite is a hardy border shrud that should do well in this locality. £ corolla of mulberry purple, with golden stamens. This shrub produces hundreds of beautiful flowers every year. It starts to bloom the middle of June and continues until frost. One plant during the blooming season of 1939. actually produced over 5,000 blooms. This is truly a jewel of the plant kingdom and will lure the scintillant humming bird to your garden. . While the fuchsia is of American origin and the tender varieties have long been known to flower fanciers, now for the first time a herbaceous- shrub type of sufficient hardiness to withstand the rigors of our northern winters hase been introduced. Puchsia Scarlet Beauty is notable for its hardiness and extraordinary quantity of gorgeous blooms over a long season. During the late spring and early summer nature is lavish with her flowers; but during the long period from July until early fall, there has been a long-felt need for something to brighten the border. Hardy fuchsia Scarlet Beauty completely fills this need. It can be used effectively in bor- ders or in front of shrub plantings. Its foliage is superior to most plants in the border, retaining its glossy, holly-like appearance from spring until late frost. . Mother’s Day (Tomorrow) We respectfully wonder if || you would enjoy taking your Mother to SMALL'S ANNUAL TULIP SHOW &t their Norbeck Show Gardens, where several hundred varieties of Tulips and Narcissus are now in bloom. Open All Dey Sundey Te Reach: Drive out Georgls Avenue extended 8 miles beyond Silver Spring and 2 miles this side of Olney. No Admission Charge The New Concentrated Liquid Fertilizer Vitamin B. Added Plant lovers feed your ferns, potted plants and favorite flowers this safe, economical and easy to,use plant food. No tedious mixing fertilizer is necessary. Just add a few drops of concentrated food to of on. A little goes a long way. VthollllnwonulenBolghno’ ‘Woodward & Lothrop and Small’s l"lu‘-in b Dealers can obtain VITA SOIL from Bolgiane Seed Co. VITA SOIL CHEMICAL CO., 1602 L ST. N.W.