Garden cuttings : a monthly newsletter for the discerning gardener

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a monthly newsletter for the discerning gardener

Vol. 1: No.3

Managing Editor: TIM NORTH

| BY=Yox=¥ 00] el-) am he ys |

Production Editor: KEVA NORTH

Editorial Office: C/o P.O. Box 279, EDGECLIFF, N.S.W. 2027 - Tel: (02) 326-1519
Sold by subscription only $10.00 per year

Plants - Places & People

One fact has emerged very early from the correspondence
we have received, that there is a large, and largely unsatisfied,
demand among keen gardeners for what may be described,
rather loosely, as ‘unusual’ plants, unusual in the sense that
they are not normally found in commercial nurseries and
garden centres.

In the United Kingdom there are quite a number of small,
privately owned specialist nurseries with all sorts of ‘unusual’
plants to offer. Beth Chatto’s marvellous nursery near
Colchester in Essex is a supreme example. She issues a sixty-
four page catalogue! But where are the counterparts in
Australia? Do they exist? One or two certainly do, but clearly
gardeners who wish to aquire plants a little out of the general
run of mass produced garden centre lines face a problem. We
will endeavour to track down sources of supply, either within
the trade or from private gardens, and are making a start this
month with a ‘Plants Wanted’ column.

Perhaps not all those who are looking for unusual plants
are aware of one of the benefits to be derived from membership
of the Royal Horticultural Society of England, namely the

right, as an overseas member, to receive up to fifty packets of
seeds each year from the Society’s gardens at Wisley. A
separate note on this appears in this issue.

On a quite different theme, we are featuring this month,
two separate and necessary brief accounts of two noteworthy
land reclamation projects. One was completed in Vienna,
several years ago, and involved transforming a former
gigantic rubbish tip into a fine public park. The other, much
nearer home, is taking place at this moment on the foreshore
of Botany Bay. It is indeed encouraging to find that such far-
sighted and imaginative reconstructions, as opposed to
destruction, of our natural environment can still take place.
We believe that, so far as the Botany Bay project is concerned,
the Maritime Services Board of N.S.W. and everyone else
who is, or has been connected with this work, deserve our
thanks, and our congratulations. We hope to bring further
news of this when it is completed.

Now it’s time to say ‘Happy Christmas’ to all those reading
this newsletter, and to thank you for your support so far. We'll
be back in January 1982, and have some especially interesting
features to come.

TIM NORTH

- The traditions of
Christmas

The tradition of decorating a tree at Christmas goes back even
to the pre-Christian era. In the Germano-Celtic Yuletide rites,
which celebrated the winter solstice, evergreen trees were
symbolic of eternal life; Yule logs, Yule cakes, gifts and greetings
also played a part in these pagan rites.

When St. Boniface completed the Christianization of Germany
in the 8th century A.D. he dedicated a fir tree to the Holy Child.
Because it so happened that the Nativity of Christ coincided with
the pagan agricultural and solar observancies of mid-winter the
tradition of the tree was perpetuated.

The Christmas tree of modern times, however, really dates
from the medieval German mystery plays. In these plays a tree
(the Paradisebaum or Tree of Paradise) was used to symbolize
the Garden of Eden: so the Germans used to set up a decorated
tree, either at the entrances to their homes or inside, on the 24th
December, the religious feast day of Adam ‘and Eve. When the
mystery plays were eventually suppressed the tradition of
decorating a tree with cakes and fruit, and later with candles,
continued and spread to most of the countries of Northern
Europe. Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria,
is credited with introducing the Christmas tree into England, and
German immigrants introduced it to the U.S. where it was
adopted with enthusiasm. The trees most commonly used were
firs, either the Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) or the Douglas Fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii).

Mistletoe is also traditionally associated with Christmas, but
it’s religious symbolism dates back to the time of the British
Druids, who believed it had miraculous powers: it was supposed
to be a cure forsterility and a remedy for poisoning. The Romans
held it to be a token of peace, and believed that when enemies
met under it they discarded their arms and declared a truce.
From this grew the custom of kissing under the mistletoe.

Holly, another traditional Christmas decoration was also
endowed with unusual powers. According to one legend Christ’s
crown of thorns was made of holly.

These traditions handed down over many centuries are now
an integral part of our celebrations of Christmas. Let us hope
they continue to be for many years to come.

17

w

Flowers and fruit -
too few or too many?

Flowering trees that produce too few or too many flowers may
need help, according to Dr. Sydnol, of the Ohio Agricultural
Research and Development Centre.

Too few flowers may be due to excessive shade from
surrounding trees, so pruning of these trees in order to admit
more light may help. A more common reason, however, is
excessive nitrogenous fertilizing of the lawn underneath the
trees. Phosphorus is essential for flower production and is best
incorporated into the soil in holes made with an augur. Use a
slow-release phosphatic fertilizer such as Mag-amp or K-mag.

On the other hand a tree that flowers far more heavily than
usual may be in trouble. Flowering plants respond to a life-
threatening stress by increasing flower production so as to
produce seeds to reproduce themselves. The stress could be
caused by borers, fungus diseases such as canker, improper
feeding, inadequate water or other cultural factors, or mechanical
injury. Maintaining the vigour of the tree is the best preventative
against troubles of this kind.

Fruiting trees respond in the same way. They need to be
planted in full sun, with good air circulation around them, and as
soon as they have a framework large enough to carry fruit,
should be given a high-phosphate fertilizer once a year, preferably
in summer. The following additional tip for increasing the
quantity of fruit comes from an American fruit-growers journal,
the North American Pomona:- rapid growing upright branches
should be pulled down until their tips are level with the point at
which they come out of the tree, if necessary the branches can be
held down with plastic bottles filled with water tied to them; this
can be done after the first year and must be done within ten days
of blossoms opening, or alternatively, before the first buds for the
following year are formed in winter or early spring.

Contents

Plants, Places and People

The Traditions. of Christmas .... Page 17
Flowers & Fruit - ‘too few or too many . . . Page 18
Book Review

Amaryllis

The Royal Horticultural Society

The Port Botany Open Space Project
Garden Gear

Aerosols for the Home Gardener

Rubbish Tip reclamation

Grafting Native plants

A novel way of reproducing

Mycorrhizal fungi

The Pyramid Appeal Art Union Winners
Quick Tips

Quote of the month

Typesetting and printing by:
3 Shepson Printing (Letterpress & Offset) Pty. Ltd.
Registered by Australia Post:
Publication No. NBQ 4824

BOOK REVIEW:

‘The Gardens of Edna Walling’
by Peter Watts

Not one name in the history of garden design in Australia
stands outas that of Edna Walling. She introduced, to quote from
this book ‘a totally new concept’ into the art, and insofar as a
national style of garden design has evolved, the credit for this
belongs to her. One cannot help but compare her with Gertrude
Jekyll, more than fifty years her senior, and certainly there are
many similarities in their styles, and Edna Walling clearly derived
many of her ideas from Jekyll’s work. But the comparison must
not be taken too far, for the two were quite dissimilar in their
personalities. Gertrude Jekyll was artistic, literary, refined; Edna
Walling was uncompromising, demanding, sometimes eccentric,
considered by some to be aggressively masculine. She loved
building with her own hands more than anything else, but she
was a skilful and perceptive horticulturist, and at times a brilliant
designer.

Peter Watts in his preface, says that this was not really the
book he wanted to write: given the time he would have written a
full length biography. But what he has written is a gem. He paints
a clear picture of what this remarkable woman was really like and
how she worked; and he speaks with authority and discernment
of the elements of her style, and the influence this has had. He is
well qualified to do this: an architect by training, he took a post-
graduate diploma in landscape architecture at the Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology, and more recently undertook
a two year survey of the historic gardens of Victoria on behalf of
the National Trust and the State Government. He is now Director
of the Historic Houses Trust of N.S.W. and honorary secretary of
the Australian Garden History Society.

Joan Law Smith contributes a beautifully written forward of
great sensitivity. Mark Strizic’s coloured photographs of some of
Edna Walling’s extant gardens are superb, and the book is also
illustrated with reproductions - for the first time in colour - of
many of her remarkably lucid water colour plans, complete with
detailed planting notes.

This is indeed a delightful book, and will appeal not only to
those who are interested in the history of garden design in
Australia, but also to all those who derive pleasure from beautiful
gardens.

‘The Gardens of Edna Walling’ is published by the National
Trust of Australia (Victoria) Women’s Committee at a recomm-
ended retail price of $19.95 plus $2.00 for postage. Profits from
the sale of the book will go to the National Trust. This book is
available from National Trust shops.

Plants wanted

Anyone having plants of the following is invited to write to:
Mrs. Ann Gordon,
Box 129, Irymple,
Victoria, 3498.

Ruta graveolens - ‘Jackman’s Blue’
Salvia officinalis - ‘Tricolor’

Amaryllis

Louis XIII of France once composed a gavotte which he called
‘Amaryllis’, because, he said, these flowers reminded him of
dignified ladies courtseying. In less complimentary fashion they
have been christened ‘Naked Ladies’, because of their habit of
sending up long ‘naked’ flower stems after all the foliage has died
away.

It is generally believed that there is only species in the genus,
Amaryllis belladonna, but in it’s native South Africa it produces
different varietal forms, and also hybridizes readily with certain
other genera of the Amaryllidaceae, particularly Brunsvigia and
Crinum. A further complication is it’s ability to produce large
quantities of parthenogenetic seed - that is seed produced by
spontaneous growth of the female germ cell without fertilization
by the male organs: this results, in the case of hybrids, in a
perpetuation of the maternal line.

Many of these Amaryllis hybrids have been produced in
Australia, notably the so-called ‘multiflora’ hybrids, and the
climate of the temperate eastern states seems to be especially
favourable.

The best known of the early hybrids was the so-called ‘Kew
Belladonna’, orA. x parkeri. It was given to Kew Gardensin 1889
bya Miss Arbuckle, of Stanwell House, Richmond, near London.
Miss Arbuckle had acquired this house from Sir Henry Parker,
who had been Premier of New South Wales from 1856 to 1857.
This particular hybrid, however, had been shown to the Royal
Horticultural Society fourteen years earlier by Sir Henry’s
gardener, Mr. Boivell. It was then described as a seedling raised
in Australia by Lady Parker from A. belladonna and Brunsvigia
josephinae. However, itis likely that this cross was first made, not
by Lady Parker, but by Mr. Bidwell, the Director of the Botanic
Gardens in Sydney. It has also been attributed to Mr. Bradley, a
Sydney nurseryman. Mr. Bidwell, writing in the English
‘Gardeners’ Chronicle’ in 1850 describes how Dean Herbert, in
1843, gave him some bulbs raised from ‘A. blanda x A.
josephinae’ (sic). A. blanda had been collected by Banks at the
Cape of Good Hope, and had flowered at Chelsea as early as
1754, after which it seems to have disappeared for a time; both
Dean Herbert and Elwes believed it to be a separate species.
Elwes had also collected a tall, early-flowering form of Amaryllis
from an undisclosed source, which he called A. elata.

John Baptist was another Sydney nurseryman who, around
the middle of the nineteenth century, was hybridizing Amaryllis
and Brunsvigia. One hybrid he produced he called B. x multiflora,
but it was questioned at the time whether this was, in fact, a
hybrid, as it displayed no marked Brunsvigia characteristics, nor
was a pronounced Brunsvigia throwback reported.

Going back to Mr. Bidwell, we know that he raised a large
number of seedlings, but it is not clear whether he used the A.
belladonna type to produce parkeri, or whether he used blanda
or €lata; it may also be that parkeri contains something of both
Brunsvigia josephinae and B. x multiflora. It is known, however,
that a chance pollination of A. x parkeri with A. x multiflora
(another of Mr. Bidwell’s hybrids) resulted in the first white
Amaryllis, which was called ‘Hathor’. It seems that this cross
broke down a number of genetic barriers, because it was followed
bya whole range of hybrids, from broad-petalled types not unlike
some of the Hippeastrums to some very unusual Brunsvigia
types - the Brunsvigia characteristics, however, being almost
wholly recessive.

At Kew the A. belladonna and B. josephinae cross was
repeated and in 1909 Mr. van Tubergen described the reverse
cross. In 1911 Sanders and Son of St. Albans showed
‘Brunsdonna Sanderae alba’, which received an Award of Merit,
and Mr. Lionel de Rothschild also received an Award of Merit
with A. x parkeri alba.

As already mentioned, Australia is the home of the multiflora
hybrids, the direct descendents of Bidwell’s plants. A. x Glory is
one of the best of these, a very large plant with thirty or more
blooms on each of it’s umbels: some seedlings produce flowers
with a ruffled edge. A x multiflora alba is the sole source of white
forms, the lack of pigmentation being recessive.

It is clear that, under favourable climatic conditions, as exist in
South Africa and the temperate eastern part of Australia, A.
belladonna is inclined to produce varietal forms, and blanda is
probably the best of these. Many crosses have no doubt occured
naturally, though many too are the result of deliberate hybridization.
Particularly unusual hybrids result when B. josephinae is used as
the male parent and A. belladonna as the female - this may be
due to partial parthenogenesis. The late Sir Frederick Stern once
described a hybrid B. josephinae he had seen in Adelaide: the
bulb, he said, was 6-8 ins. in diameter and weighed nearly 10 lbs:
the leaves were larger than those of Amaryllis, and the blooms
double the size of the type, and of a deep apricot-pink colour.
Apparantly it was self-sterile. Sir Frederick also described a wine-
red Brunsvigia he saw in Melbourne.

We would welcome information on any unusual Amaryllis or
Brunsvigia types readers may have growing in their gardens..

The Royal Horticultural Society

The Royal Horticultural Society of England is one of the
oldest and most prestigious horticultural societies in the world.
Membership is open to all keen gardeners wherever they may
live.

Membership entitles one to -

— free admission to all the Society's shows at Vincent Square,
London, and to the Chelsea Show, held in the last week of May
each year (2 tickets).

— free admission for up to three people to the Society's gardens
at Wisley, in Surrey.

— a copy each month of the Society’s journal ‘The Garden’,
which contains many authoritative and interesting articles on
plants and gardens.

For overseas members, however, one of the most important
entitlements is that of receiving, free of charge each year, up to
fifty packets of seeds from Wisley Gardens. These can be
selected from a list which is sent to all overseas members at the
end of each year. Some seeds are available only in very small
quantities, so there is no guarantee of receiving the whole of
one’s first choice. To give some idea of the variety of seeds
offered the last list issued included seeds of 1,236 species; there
were, for example, 15 species of Allium, 18 species of Campanula,

14 of Iris, 19 of Primula and no fewer than 123 Rhododendron

species. :

These seeds are normally distributed in March or April. The
annual subscription covering these entitlements is £14 (about
$23.00) per year, and cheques on Australian banks in Australian
currency are accepted. Further details can be obtained from -
The Secretary, The Royal Horticultural Society, Vincent Square,
London, SWIP 2PE, England.

19

The Maritime Services Board of New South Wales, in it’s
initial planning of the Port Botany Development in 1975,
adopted a policy that significant areas of the foreshore to be
reclaimed should be set aside for development as a public open
space. The reasoning behind this policy was that this open space
would provide a buffer between the new port areas and the
developed residential zone, and would soften the appearance of
what would otherwise be purely functional port facilities. It would
also afford some compensation for the changes in the former
environment that the port development would bring. Furthermore,
there wasa relative sparsity of open green spaces in the area, due
in part to urban and industrial development, and in part to the
denudation of the natural environment by the severe sea coast
conditions.

The alignment of the proposed foreshore roadway was fixed
at some considerable distance from the former northern foreshore
of Botany Bay, so as to enclose a fairly large area for development
as a public space. Botany Municipal Council stipulated that a
continuous mound, not less than 4-5 metres in height, should be
formed north of the roadway to screen the port area from the
new parkland and from the residential area: covered with grass
and vegetation, this mound would reduce the noise from traffic
using the roadway. Using sand dredged from the Bay during the
construction of the new container berths, the area along the
foreshore was reclaimed and the mound was roughly formed.
The Department of Main Roads then constructed the foreshore
road.

There was thus created, between the road and the existing
residential area, a space some 2.5km long by an average 200
metres wide. With the addition of the contiguous existing areas of
Sir Joseph Banks Park, the Banksmeadow Golf course and the
former Esplanade Reserve, this offered and eventual total of
46.3 hectares of public open space.

The Port Botany open space project

The Maritime Services Board then retained Bruce Mackenzie
and Associates, the Sydney based firm of consulting landscape
architects, to prepare a design for the landscaping of the new
parkland area.

The design that was decided on was based ona simulation of
the natural bayshore environment of an earlier age - the scene, in
fact, that Captain Cook might have encountered. The various
parts of this design included a grassed sand dune system, a
chain of ponds, lagoons and reedbeds, native heath shrubbery
and woodland and paperbark swamps.

The sand dune system in this design was, in fact, rather larger
than that which might have formed naturally, butit’s exaggerated
size would provide a strong enclosure for the parkland, sheltering it
from the southerly winds that sweep across the bay.

The parkland itself was designed to provide carparks and path
systems, picnic and recreational areas, ponds for paddling in,
and reedbeds and swamps to attract water birds. It would also
include such novel features as a 4km long cycle-way, meandering
around the dunes and hollows, timber structures utilizing heavy
poles and beams, to provide observation decks gaining
panoramas of the Bay and port areas, log-walled billabongs and
passages through the dune system, achildren’s adventure land, a
boardwalk elevated on piles just clear of the water surface in an
area of paperbark and reed swampland, and a whole section
given over to a look of wild, unspoilt nature.

The first stage of the development, which was basically an
earth-moving project, involved the reshaping of the sand-fill
reclamation to form dune-shaped ridges and undulations, as well
as flat areas for the future parkland, and the excavation below the
natural watertable to form the chain of ponds. This work was
performed by Leighton Contractors and was completed early in
1980. The Soil Conservation Service of New South Wales was
then engaged to plant Spinifex and Marram Grass on the
seaward side of the main dune bank.

A view of part of
= the parkland under
neal re +2" 4 construction.
Watt, Ray! ie oy Photograph by
ee 2 Ebi: aa "David Whitworth of

Sects pe te Sata on WE a _ Whitworth-Laurie P/L

20°

; Cer
et

w Thaw ®
esta 5,
uh Sais rin SEEN

ge at

Perspective drawing of the parkland’
showing one of the log-walled billabongs. on
Reproduced by permission of Bruce MacKenzie and Associates."

The contract for the landscaping of the 32.4 hectare park,
worth 2.6 million dollars, is the largest landscaping contract ever
awarded in Australia. It was given to the Sydney firm of
landscape contractors Whitworth-Laurie Pty. Ltd. This work,
which was started about eleven months ago, is scheduled to be
completed in early 1982. After that there will be a two year
maintenance period, during which parts of the park will
progressively be opened to the public, with the entire area being
open early in 1984.

‘This landscaping has involved covering the areas to be
planted with 15cm of soil and humus - a total volume of 40,000
cu.m. of material - and rotavating this in; the construction of the
various bridges, billabongs etc; the installation of a permanent
automatic watering system for some grassed areas and of a
complex irrigation system for hand watering of all tree and shrub
areas during the maintenance period.

Plant groupings have been carefully worked out to accord
with the varying land profiles - for example, low profile dune,
taller profile dune, low profile heath, taller profile heath, upper
canopy drier zone and upper canopy moister zone, and humid
forest mixture. In addition differing grass mixtures have been
specified for different areas. Over fifty species of native shrubs
and trees will be represented, the most important ones being
Leptospermum laevigatum (12700 plants), Melaleuca armillaris

(10600 plants), Banksia integrifolia (2670 plants), Acacia
sophorae (5400 plants), and Angophora costata (2475 plants).
Three Casuarina species, C. distyla, C. glauca and C. littoralis,
between them account for 4500 plants. Eight Eucalyptus species
(mainly E. botryoides) are included, and five Acacia species. Less
common plants include Acacia browni, and A. Uulicifolia,
Leptospermum rotundifolium and Melaleuca nodosa.

In all some 60,000 tube sized plants will be used plus about
8,000 aquatics. In addition to this 28,000 sq.m. will be direct
seeded with seeds of similar species. The process that has been
developed for this involves covering the seed with a 1cm thick
layer of humus and spraying this area with Curasol, a plastic
emulsion which has the effect of stabilizing the surface, but which

‘ breaks down after quite a short period of time.

All the plants for this project are now being grown under
contract by Tharwa Propagation Nursery, of Terry Hills. Planting
is expected to start in the very near future.

Oncompletion of the project itis expected that the land will be
transferred to the Department of Lands, who will place it under
the care of Botany Municipal Council.

This is a bold and imaginative plan for the public utilization of
an area which otherwise would have remained a barren wind-
swept and thoroughly degraded length of foreshore, with the
new port facilities as the only dominant feature.

Another view of the work under construction.
Photograph by David Whitworth. 5

21

GARDEN GEAR
Capillary Mats

House plant and green house growers have been using
capillary mats for several years with increasingly better results.
Numerous absorbent materiais have been used from felt and
fake fur to carpeting.

Fibreglass is one material with an added advantage in that it
‘bounces’ light upwards to help plant growth.

The elimination of moisture stress through the use of capillary
mats results in faster growth and improved plant quality: it also
stimulates root growth, with vigorous roots reaching right out to
the pot wall, which, because of the constant moisture, is
prevented from becoming hot and dry.

Capillary watering is preferable to wick watering because the
mat also adds humidity to the growing area. Algal growth on the
mats can be prevented by using a slow-release fertilizer, such as
Osmocote. Plants that require a dry period should, of course, be
removed from the mat during that period, and in cool weather it
may be necessary to discontinue using the mat to avoid too high
humidity. It is essential that pots have a flat base, with no raised
edges or ridges.

Colan Products Pty. Ltd., of Guildford N.S.W., market a
capillary matting made of a chemically bonded, non-woven,
natural fibre. This matting is about 1.5cm thick and holds about 7
litres of water per square metre. A sheet of black polythene under
the matting ensures maximum water retention. This material is
available in a special home gardener one square metre pack
which includes the black polythene and which sells for about
$5.00 per pack. ‘

Erica Vale Australia Pty. Ltd., of Jannali, N.S.W. market an
English made capillary mat called a ‘Plant Caretaker’, made of
fibre, and measuring 60cm x 45cm. It too, comes with a sheet of
black polythene and sells for about $5.00.

Capillary mats are one answer to the problem of what to do
with pot plants while you go on holiday.

Aerosols for the home gardener

The main advantage of the aerosol is its convenience. The
product comes ready to use, there is no need for mixing and
nothing to clean up. No extra attachments are needed to apply
it, and as the aerosol can is effectively sealed there is no
contamination of the product, which leads to a longer shelf life.
Aerosols are especially convenient to people who live in units or
who have tiny gardens, since there is very little wasting of the
product.

But this does not mean that aerosol sprays can be used
indiscriminately or carelessly. Most aerosol insecticidal sprays
are based on relatively harmless pyrethrins or pyrethroids which
have a very low residual effect. Some, however, particularly
some of those which are used against crawling insects like
cockroaches, and which, therefore, are likely to be used more in
the house than in the garden, contain carbamates or organ-
ophosphorus compounds. These are ‘anti-cholinesterase’
compounds- that is they inhibit the production of cholinesterase,
which is an enzyme essential for the transmission of nerve
impulses. Although they are used in household and garden
sprays only in very small quantities, well below what has been
accepted as permissible limits, they can be absorbed through the
skin and are in fact, more toxic when absorbed or inhaled than
when swallowed. The greatest danger lies in low-level exposure
over a long period.

One of these organo-phosphorus compounds used is
dichlorvos, which is unusual in that it has a short residual life, and
may, therefore, be considered to be relatively safe. However,
Professor Lofroth at the Radiobiology Department of the
Biochemistry Institute at the University of Stockholm, has
suggested that dichlorvos may be mutagenic. This has by no
means been proved, but nor has it been disaproved, so for the
moment doubts must exist about the safety of dichlorvos. In any
case, all aerosol sprays which contain either carbamates or
organo-phosphorus compounds should be treated with exactly
the same degree of care as any spray containing the same
compounds, in other words rubber gloves and mask should be
worn. :

Back in 1974 another controversy broke out over aerosols -
over the widespread use of fluorocarbons as propellants. The
controversy started when two scientists at the University of
California showed that fluorocarbons could damage the earth’s
ozone layer, which shields us from harmful ultra-violet radiation.
In 1979 the use of fluorocarbons in most types of aerosol was
prohibited in the U.S. and similar restrictions were imposed in
some other countries. In Australia no restrictions were imposed,
but in fact fluorocarbons have come to be used less and less in
aerosols. Whether or not they do harm the ozone layer is still
unclear and there is much conflicting evidence on the subject.
The U.S. National Academy of Science, for example, has
calculated that the ozone layer will be reduced by 16% over the
next twenty years, and have recommended even stricter measures
over fluorocarbons, while N.A.S.A. claim that the ozone layer has
actually increased. The balance of scientific opinion at present
seems to be that while fluorocarbons may be harmful in the long
term, no harm will be done by waiting for a few more years while
more evidence is collected.

Unfortunately, the main alternative to fluorocarbons as an
aerosol propellant, that is the hydrocarbons such as butane, are
highly inflammable, which is another reason for using them
carefully.

These are some of the aerosol products now available for
garden use:- Hortico ‘Leaf Shine’ and Lane ‘Leaf Gloss’ make
leaves of indoor plants shine; the spray doesn’t clog leaf pores or
interfere with the growth of the plant. Clean the leaves with a
damp cloth before spraying and use only on hard-leaved plants.

Samuel Taylor ‘Leaf Plus’ is a balanced foliar fertilizer in a
water-based system, which allows an even distribution of
nutrients over the exposed parts of the plant. ‘Leaf Plus’ should
be used regularly and at the same time as you water your plants.
Mortein ‘House and Garden’ is a water-based insecticide with a
wide range of pest-control applications. Other insecticides are
Lane ‘House Plant Spray Insecticide’ and Rentokil ‘For Home
and Garden’, both based on pyrethroids and natural pyrethrins.
Regular spraying (about every four or five days) is recommended.
Lane ‘Spot Weeder can be used outdoors on small weeds. The
spray can be directed accurately onto the weed and so is ideal for
getting at isolated weeds in lawns, paths, near fences and in
rockeries. Rentokil ‘Snail Shooter can be sprayed direct onto the
plant rather than on the ground, because most snails do not
come down to feed on ordinary bait until the plant has been
eaten. This snail killer is harmless to pets.

Lane ‘Spider Killer kills all spiders, including funnel webs and
redbacks. Lane ‘Clear White Oil Garden Insecticide’ is a
convenient way to control most scale insects, as well as white fly,
citrus thrips, mealy bugs and aphids.

Hortico ‘Stop Rot’ pruning spray protects grafts and pruning
cuts. It provides a watertight seal which prevents the entry of
disease organisms and insects.

22

Rubbish tip reclamation

One of the great problems of an urban society is the disposal
of refuse. Giant rubbish tips are to be found on the perimeter of
every major city, but what happens to these tips when finally they
can take no more rubbish?

One of the most notable achievements in modern times is the
reclamation of the 250 acre Donau Park in Vienna. Once the
centre of an island in the Danube, it was a real river forest. All
traces of the forest have long since disappeared, and over a
period of years it became a gigantic city rubbish tip, covered with
refuse of every kind and a myriad of shanty huts.

Reclaiming this area involved the massive application of
horticultural measures. 560,000 cubic metres of specially
enriched soil together with 26,000 cubic metres of leaf mould
and compost were brought in. Two million flowering shrubs,
eight hundred and fifty thousand trees, one and a half million
tulips and three thousand kg. of daffodil bulbs were planted - as
well as many other bulbs, including eighteen thousand iris. As
well as this vast planting, playgrounds, sports grounds, amuse-
ment centres and other installations were provided.

More recently, other areas on the outskirts of Vienna have

been reclaimed and turned into attractive municipal parks.
Characteristics of these areas are extremely close planting of
shrubs - much closer than would normally be advocated in this
country, and the skilful association of flowering trees and shrubs.
One particularly effective combination is Silver Birch with
flowering cherries.

Vienna is not alone itit’s record of reclaiming rubbish tips. For
Example, the South Coast Botanic Gardens in Pales Verdes,
California, is built on one, and now boasts an internationally
known collection of sub-tropical plants.

Is it too much to expect that one day all our municipal rubbish
tips will become parks - or botanic gardens?

Grafting native plants

The University of New England recently held two Seminars
on Grafting Native Plants as part of its Ecofest activities. The
Seminars were conducted by Don Burke who has spent some
years grafting a large number of Grevilleas as well as Brachychitons,
Hakeas, Agonis and other genera. Recent work on cutting grafts
was highlighted and students practiced this promising method.

This method of grafting involves joining two pieces of plant
material together and striking the result as a cutting. It is cheap,
easy and fast.

This is probably the first really commercial method of grafting
and it has already been used to graft Prostanthera spp onto
Westringia and various Grevilleas onto one another.

A cutting-graft costs about twice as much as a cutting to strike,
but thereafter its cost is the same. That is, the wholesale price of
say a grafted Mint Bush in an ‘advanced’ container would be
about $3.00 as against $2.60 for a cutting grown plant. Many
previously hard-to-grow natives will probably become available
in the future, grafted by this method.

Don Burke has successfully grown ‘impossible’ plants such as
Grevillea dryandrii by grafting them onto Silky Oaks (G. dryandrii
has 0.5m or 18” long red, pink or white flower spikes carried
above the foliage).

A novel way of reproducing

It is known that cytokinins, which are growth-regulating
substances, produce ‘Keikis’ or plantlets when applied to
dormant buds on certain types of orchids as well as other tropical
plants. Phalaenopsis, which form numerous dormant buds on
flower spikes, respond especially well, and the technique has
been described in the American Orchid Society Bulletin: the
bract around the bud is carefully cut with a sharp sterilized knife,
then removed with tweezers; a small amount of the cytokinin
preparation is then applied with a flat toothpick to the bud and
the tissue immediately around it. A ‘Keiki’ will normally be
produced on each bud treated in this way: it can be separated
and potted up when it has three or four roots about 1.5cm long. It
is recommended that the plant receives a high nitrogen fertilizer
while ‘Keikis’ are forming.

Bob Kundtz, of the Florida Cypress Gardens in the U.S.,
however, has developed a slightly different technique. He
reports that soaking pandanus, bromeliads and ferns in a
solution of one birth control pill in one quart of water makes them
sprout new plantlets complete with root systems. He believes the
oestrogen in the pills is responsible, and is now testing it on fruit
trees and vegetables to see if it will give increased yields.

Mycorrhizal fungi

Mycorhizae live in a symbiotic - that is mutually beneficial -
partnership on plant roots. In return for certain photosynthetic
products they send out hyphal stands into the soil which act like
an extended root system.

According to Dr. Fred T. Davies jnr. of Texas A. & M.
University, these mycorrhizal fungi ‘reduce transplant shock and
increase plant growth through improved water retention, more
efficient use of low nutrient levels, better disease resistance,
increased plant growth regulator production, and enhanced
growth of woody cuttings’. One American company is now
producing mycorrhizal inoculum for experimental purposes,
with a view to selecting high performance strains and re-
evaluating fertilizing, watering and pest control practices, because
the use of mycorrhizae makes possible greater conservation of
these materials.

Until soil inoculation is a practical proposition for home
gardeners, mycorrhizal activity can be encouraged by adding
organic matter to the soil, and mulching to prevent high soil
temperatures which are harmful to them. When putting in new
plants it’s a good idea to mix in some soil from an area where you
have similar plants growing to assure a supply of mycorrhizae.

The great pyramid appeal art union

Prizes in the Art Union (see Vol. 1 - page 4) have now been
drawn. The winners are:- 1st: (return trip for 2 to Egypt) to Mrs.
Schicht of Normanhurst — 2nd: (return trip for 2 to Mexico) to W.
Marks of Kings Cross — 3rd: (return trip to Thailand) to Mr.
Barrington of Bellevue Hill.

Though the Art Union has closed, the appeal for funds to
build the two new pyramid glass houses still has a long way to go
before the target of $1.2 million dollars is reached. Donations
may be sent to the Great Pyramid Appeal, Mrs. Macquarie’s
Road, Sydney, 2000 - (02) 27 4347.

23

Quick tips

Luffa sponges make good nozzles for gently watering garden
beds. Cut off one end of a sponge, insert the hose end about half
way into it and secure with string or a rubber band.

(from the U.S. publication ‘Organic Gardening)

Foam rubber carpet underlay cut into small squares and placed
around young cabbage plants will give 100% control of the
cabbage root fly.

(from the U.K. National Vegetable Research Station)

Incorporate shredded garlic plants in the compost heap. Ground
on which the resultant compost is applied will be free of
nematodes.

(from Mr. M. Morrison of Dubbo, N.S.W.)

Quote of the month

(from a Chinese Proverb) eee (7) ee
If you want to be happy for an hour, get drunk.
If you want to be happy for three days, get married.
If you want to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it.
If you want to be happy for ever, make a garden.

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Up to September 1982, we are offering a year’s subscription -
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Just send the names and addresses of the ten or more people,
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$25.00.

GARDEN CUTTINGS,
P.O. Box 279, Edgecliff,
N.S.W. 2027.

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