Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 25 March 1911, page 5


The lilac flowering buddleia (B. veitchiana) has been, and is still, blooming profusely In some gardens. It is a vigorous shrub, produc-ing at the apex of every shoot flowering stems from 12 to 15 inches long, covered with small bright lilac blooms. The fragrance of these flowers resembles that of the English lilac (Syringa vulgaris).

One of the beautiful flowering sages (Salvia furnaces) is now in full bloom in the borders. This charming, dwarf plant produces a profu-sion of white and violet flowers, on stalks well above the foliage, making a very attractive display. It is worth a good position amongst plants of similar height, on account of the uncommon

colour of Its flowers.

A very fine and handsome herbaceous stone crop (Sedum spectable) is now in full bloom In some gardens on the eastern side of the Dividing Range. It is sometimes grown in rockeries, but unless the soil is deep and rich It does much better in the borders. Its stout stems, about 15in high, are clothed with broad, pale-green leaves, and surmounted with very large heads of pink flowers, produc-ing a pretty effect.

It is a good time to prepare cuttings of any soft wooded plants It is desired to increase, such, for instance, as penstemons, pinks, ivyleaved, and zonal pelargoniums, verbenas, wallflower, etc. As soon as the cuttings are prepared, insert them in a bed composed of sandy soil in a rather shady position. In dry weather they must be regularly and efficiently watered until sufficiently rooted to bear trans-planting.

The late summer flowering dahlias should receive attention. All superfluous and weakly growths should be removed, and the flowering shoots neatly but firmly tied to stakes. Flower-ing plants will be benefited by receiving an occasional watering of weak liquid manure.

Chrysanthemums will also repay attention now, especially those grown to produce large blooms. Where the buds are too numerous they should be liberally thinned out, taking care always to preserve the central or crown ones, from which the finest blooms are usually developed. The thinning out can be expeditiously done with a pair of fine-pointed scissors.

In the coast districts the first sowing of seed of the taller growing varieties of sweet pea may now be made, and if seed is sown at intervals from now till late winter, a continuous display of flowers can be maintained from early spring until summer is well advanced. in the colder districts the seed should not be sown before July or August. Sweet peas do well and Bower profusely in any good garden soil, but they thrive in deep, rich sandy loam. The seed should be sown very thinly and evenly in a row in a sheltered but open position, and if the seedlings grow too thickly the weaker ones should be removed. Wide mesh wire-netting is the best and most easily-fixed support on which to train the stems of the sweet pea. ".^^¡JUilai