In the Garden
During the recent freeze-up I remarked how, in the ornamental pond, leaves of the water-lily were set like bronze plates, dessert size, just below the ice. Little bubbles of air from time to time ran across them as they were disturbed from beneath by the imprisoned golden carp. When the thaw came, I fed these survivors from a vanished currency with corn- flakes, a procedure which was followed with inquisitive, turning to acquisitive, curiosity by the blue-tits who were holding an indignation meeting in the weeping willow to protest against the lopping of its lower branches. But garden trees need a cut-and-trim al much as a well- groomed man needs it. Skilful care in this matter helps to give a sense of harmony in a garden. For example, a short avenue of Irish yews can be made to look twice as long by keeping the further trees diminished in comparison with those at the opening of the avenue. The false perspective works wonders, like a stage set.
Writing about walnuts a few weeks ago- I was surprised by the variety of views on the best way of storing them. One would think that this should be already a settled problem, for nuts have long been a feature of our English gardens. In Kent the cobnut is, of course, ubiquitous. It borders the Kentish lanes, and bears copiously in spite of being hacked back every year. It is to be distinguished from the filbert by its short husk. The filbert is covered completely by the husk, which meets over the top of the nut with a sweep as of false eyelashes. Cobs can be grown to advantage in-a vegetable garden ; such varieties as the Cosford and the Duke of Edinburgh arc the best known. A good filbert is the Garibaldi. To plant a walnut tree is said to be a gesture towards posterity, the theory being that it will be thirty years before there is any fruit. I doubt this, just as I doubt the slowness of the growth of yews. A yew hedge that I planted ten years ago is now a square, living wall, two feet thick and five feet high. It has a most manorial look. From time to time yew hedges are attacked by a parasite that sticks to the twig and underside of the leaves, like half a millet seed. It powders away if you rub it. It sucks the life from the foliage, and leaves a filthy powder, like soot, that precedes the death of the shoot. The spray against this is composed of
nicotine II. oz.) to 10 gallons of water. RIC.HARD CHURCH.
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