98 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Arboricultural Society is already deep in the 

 subject, and the last issue of their journal is 

 full of interesting matter both from private 

 estate owners and from professional foresters. 



This journal is largely devoted to Horti- 

 culture and Arboriculture,, but we shall be glad 

 at all times to assist the allied industry of 

 Sylviculture (forestry) as far as lies in our 

 power. 



Everj^one of us should have always in the 

 mind's eye the bare hillsides of Ireland clothed 

 with Larch, and our boglands with Pine, where 

 long ago it flourished. We need not enlarge on 

 this, as there are competent men who know 

 well what to plant and where to plant it. 



The Arboretum. 



Although many losses have occurred among the 

 more tender shrubs, it is truly wonderful the fine 

 display most of our old and well-tried favourites 

 have made and are still making Many plants 

 are flowering later than usual this season, yet. 

 compared with last year, there 7s less difference 

 now than there was a month ago. I.a^^.t year at 

 this time we had to deplore a spell of bitterly 

 cold weather in early June, as reference to Iri.sh 

 G.AEDENTNG for July, I9]i?, will show ; this year 

 eai'ly June has been comparatively warm and 

 genial. Similarly last year I remarked that 

 Chestnuts and Thorns were the chief flowering 

 trees in June, and apparently they are just in 

 the same position this year. Nothing could be 

 lovelier than the pink Chestnuts and the white 

 and pink Thorns at the present time — viz., 

 the nth June. 



Roses strike one as being the latest of all 

 shrubs to come into flower this year, and as yet 

 none of the garden hybrids are in flower, and only 

 a few of the Avild species. A year ago the 

 beautiful Rosa Moyesii was blooming finely in 

 June, but as yet only the fat buds are noticeable, 

 though they will be open ere these notes appear 

 in print. 



Diervillas are most reliable flowering shrub?, 

 and are lovely about tie grounds now, every 

 last j^ear's shoot wreathed with flowers varying 

 through shades of pink to deep rod and white. 

 A very fine Broom not often met with is Gen\sta 

 rumelica, its long slender shoots at j^resent 

 smothered in l^iright yellow flowers, it • is 

 apparently not a tall grower, the shoots tending 

 to arch over towards the ground as they lengthen 

 and especially when furnished with flowers. It 

 makes a lovely mound on a bold promontory 

 of the rock garden, and would make a lovely 

 display clothing a sunny bank : from JJulgaria, 



G. rumelica is apparently perfectly hard_>', 

 having come through the late winter unscathed. 

 Of somewhat similar habit, but rather stiffer, is 

 Genista spathulata, from the same country; both 

 make useful dwarf shrubs for sunny positions. 

 Mr. T. Smith, of Newry, has another pretty 

 plant, near, if not identical with, G. spathulata, 

 and which he calls G. depressa ; it, too, is 

 flowering now, and is equally valuable for the 

 rock garden and for clothing sunny banks. 



Despite the many fatalities resulting from the 

 severity of the past winter there are many 

 consolations. Deutzias, with a few exceptions, 

 survived grandly, and are now making a fine 

 display. I), gracilis and its varieties are among 

 the jtrettiest of deciduous flowering shrubs in 

 districts where they do A\e]l ; the pink and rose- 

 coloured varieties are decidedly attractive and 

 the large-flowered white variety, venusta, is a 

 great acquisition. 



D. kalmiseflora is a beautiful hybrid between 

 D. purpurascens and D. parviflora ; the flowers 

 rather resemble those of Kalmia in shape, as the 

 specific name implies, and are rose-coloured. 



D. longifolia and its fine variety Veitchii are 

 beautiful shrubs with rich rose-coloured flowers, 

 while D. Vilmorinse and D. Wilsoni are both 

 very flne with large white flowers. In the 

 Deutzias therefore we have a fine set of flowering 

 shrubs well suited to Irish gardens. 



One of the most promising of the new Py ruses 

 from China is P. theifera, which, though still 

 young, flowered with remarkable freedom in 

 May. Judging from its rate of growth from the 

 seed up till now it promises to grow into a fairly 

 large tree, when it should make a striking 

 object in the grounds. The flowers, produced 

 in clusters, as usual in the Pyruses, are pure 

 white and large, attracting attention at once 

 when seen among other species. 



The Lilacs, botanically called Syringas, were 

 surely never finer than this year ; all the well- 

 known garden varieties were laden with flowers, 

 especially noticeable being the fine dark-coloured 

 Reaumur, with magnificent panicles of dark 

 reddish purple flowers. Of new sjiecies from 

 China S. Wilsoni gives promise of being of 

 decorative merit. A strong grower, it is not 

 unlike the common Lilac in habit, and bears 

 loose panicles of soft pink flowers. S. pinnati- 

 folia, though of no great value as regards its 

 flowers, which are produced in very short 

 panicles, whitish in colour, is nevertheless 

 interesting on account of its pinnate leaves, a 

 unique occurrence among I-ilacs. The most 

 attractive Spiraea in flower at the time of 

 writing is the Himalayan Sp. bella ; from its 

 long wiry branches it is now producing many 



