In spite of the vast number of plants which are much more attractive in appearance a surprising number of green-leaved ivies still retain their popularity. The fact that there are so many other colourful plants on the market is in all probability a very good reason for the continued appeal of the green varieties, as they are useful for toning down the colouring when planted arrangements are being prepared. H. Chicago has simple-shaped green leaves with no frills whatsoever. Green Ripple has slightly larger green leaves with prominent veins which are the main attraction.

Red spider is often responsible for leaves gradually turning brown and shrivelling from the outer edge; inspection of the undersides should be made when such leaves are noticed. II. canariensis (II. Claire de Marengo), H. maculara and H. Goldleaf are the larger sorts that one is most likely to meet. These are essentially more upright plants and should be grown on canes or against a wall for support.

Of these. Glacier is easily the toughest and is an excellent subject for finishing off the front of borders indoors and out, and in particular for use along the edge of outdoor window boxes.

Surprisingly enough anthuriums are, on the whole, not too difficult to raise from seed provided it is fresh and sown in a temperature approaching 27C. (80F.). When large enough to handle the seedlings should be potted not into soil, but into a mixture of coarse pear and rough sphagnum moss; to help things along try soaking-the moss in liquid fertiliser at standard strength for 24 hours before using.

In fact, the hotter the conditions the better, provided a moist atmosphere can be maintained by regular damping of the greenhouse or garden room. The plant grower who can spare the greenhouse only a few minutes’ attention befbre departing for work in the morning should not expect the sort of results that can be achieved by the man who can devote his time to their care. Nevertheless, much can he done with the enlistment of a willing wife who is at home all day and can be entrusted with the task of providing the essential humidity by damping around heating pipes, paths and such like.

There have been many hybrids of Hibiscus rosasinensis produced in recent years, many of them really excellent plants that ought to become popular as they become more generally available. There are single and double forms in shades of red, pink, lemon and yellow. Individual flowers last for little more than one day and this, to some, is a disappointment when plants are first purchased. But the disappointment is soon forgotten when it is realised that what flowers may lack in staying power they more than make up for in numbers, as on healthy plants flowers are produced continuously throughout the summer.

In good growing conditions plants can be very invasive, so will need hard pruning any time after flowering. Mealy bugs can be troublesome pests should they find their way in between the twining stems of the plant, so a careful watch must be kept in order to eradicate them before they have a chance to get established.

During the winter one can continue to water plants and they will retain their leaves (most of them, anyway!) or they can be dried mkt and kept in a warm room or garden room until the following early spring, when they can be watered and started into growth again.

Before you begin any garden, you have to make sure you have the right supplies. If you start digging up your yard and find out that you need a garden hoe to do this and a trowel to do that and you dont have those tools, you will be stuck with an ugly yard and nothing to do. Before you start anything, you need to be prepared.

In order to figure out what you need, go through the steps of the gardening process and figure out what is necessary for each step. First, you need to cultivate the plot and prepare the soil. In order to do this, you will need a tiller. A tiller is motorized and easily breaks up the ground before you. They are very efficient and easy to use, but can be expensive.

If a tiller is just too expensive for you, you can use several other cheaper tools instead. A shovel is an absolute necessity. Especially if you have tough land, you will need a pickax to help you break up the grass and get through the large clumps. A garden hoe will help you with the remaining smaller clumps.

The only pruning necessary is light trimming of longer shoots. Cuttings made from these trimmings will not be difficult to root in warm, close conditions, but they will take a long time to make plants of any size. Given good heat and moist conditions it is also reasonably easy to germinate seed. The fruits are about the size of small tangerine oranges, but rather bitter tasting if you have sufficient oranges to spare they do make excellent marmalade.

To give some idea of the amount of fruit that is possible on one plant, one recent writer claimed that his C. mitis had over two hundred oranges on the branches, a spectacular result considering that it was the plant’s third year in a living-room window position. Scale insects can he a messy and troublesome pest on this plant, so keep a watchful eye for their presence, particularly along the main stem.

The common name gives a clue to Codiaeum; and it is indeed a plant of many colours that outshines every other species in foliage colouring. For years now we have been advised that codiacum is the proper name, but the old one of croton is still favourite with both nurseryman and general public.

Not particularly important plants, the iresines are interesting because of their foliage which is often a deep, blood-red colour. Given reasonable light and standard house plant treatment they are not difficult, and are better grown as fresh plants from cuttings each year - cuttings can be taken at almost any time. The heavier John lnnes type compost will be more suitable than the lighter compost advised for the majority of indoor plants.

However one should go about caring for them it is essential that they enjoy a light and cool position, moist compost while in active growth, and regular feeding.

Cuttings of non-flowering shoots, or shoots that have had the flowers removed, may he rooted at almost any time; firm cuttings in peaty compost will present no problems if the standard propagating suggestions are followed. keep a watchful eve for red spider on the underside of leaves and treat accordingly.

Laurus Nobilis hardy, evergreen shrubs are much sought after as terrace plants when grown as pyramids, or mop-headed standards. By the time they have reached standard size the plants will be well established in stout tubs and will need regular watering and feeding during the summer months.

All over the world there must be millions of liens grown annually for indoor decoration, ranging from the tiny creeping fig, Ficus pumila, to majestic trees of F. benjamina and F. benghalensis. None of them flower when grown in pots, so the attraction is entirely in the foliage. Ficus elastica robusta is the now greatly improved ordinary rubber plant which is produced in vast quantities annually.

All three will require a moist, warm, shaded environment in which to grow, and even then will not be easy to manage. Indoors they would be best suited to the atmosphere created in a bottle garden; or enclosed glass case. (In Victorian times these were referred to as Ward ian Cases, named after Nathaniel Ward who invented them in effect they were miniature indoor greenhouses where one could grow plants of a delicate nature).

February is a time of excited anticipation. This month a gradual heralding of early spring begins in the lower parts of the region and steadily advances through the entire area.

Planning

Detailed planning of areas of general development should be completed by the middle of the month. In fact, any plan work not well in hand by now may very easily be crowded out entirely by more pressing programs. Detail planning means the actual decision necessary as to placement, quantities, and space allotments for the various plants to be used this season.

Planting

This is the last call for planting of dormant trees and shrubs. Growth activity will begin by the end of the month and later planting will hamper the ideal development of these plants. Give the plants a chance to reward you with their season’s growth without being stunted by late planting.

Rose planting should begin about the 15th of the month. Great expectations are kindled in a gardener when he receives his order of rose bushes for the season, and one can easily dream of the warm days ahead when the lush foliage, beautiful blooms and perfume will fill the garden.

These supremely beautiful plants are not for the beginner. Many of them will test the skill of the most accomplished expert, and should he succeed the amateur grower may well feel he has advanced some way towards earning the enviable title of `greenfingers’.

When new growth is evident, usually in February, the amount of water should be gradually increased and thereafter the compost should be kept moist but never permanently saturated until the plants begin to shed their leaves naturally towards the end of the summer.

Richly coloured bracts will give a much more effective show if growth is trained to a trellis or wire support in the shape of a fan. Plants should be hard pruned in February, the previous year’s growth being cut hack to an inch or two in length. Good light is all important as results are invariably poor in shaded conditions. Pests are not too troublesome, though mealy bug can he a problem, particularly when growth becomes matted and there is difficulty in making contact with the hugs when spraying.

She just bought a bamboo compost pail one month or so ago and I have to say, I am filled with envy. I always thought that having a compost bucket in your kitchen was a sure recipe for fruit flies, mold and bad smells, but I had to take it all back when I witnessed this thing.

She can put all the kitchen scraps generated by her family of five in there and she only has to take it out once per week or so. It looks absolutely beautiful, and best of all, it has redundant filters so there is absolutely no stench!

Not only does the bamboo look great in her kitchen but the bamboo plant is a fast growing, easy to feed, non-resource intensive renewable resource. Unlike hardwood trees that take decades to grow, bamboo for wood can be grown in just a season, making it one of the most ecological materials in existence.

The compost pail is also very resilient, making it a far superior material over, say, ceramic, when it comes to things falling off the counter (hey, it happens) and unlike some of the stainless steel ones out there, it doesn’t show off every single spot and fingerprint.