View from Ballynahinch Castle. 



Ballynahinch, Co^ Galway 



Ballynahinch is probably the most westerly 

 large garden in Ireland. It is further west than 

 Lissadell. but it is not so close to the sea, and 

 lacks Lissadell's shelter from N.E. winds ; but, 

 despite the fact that the house and gardens 

 stand high and are consequently somewhat 

 exposed to the terrific Atlantic gales of winter, 

 an astonishing number of tender and semi -tender 

 plants and shrubs are doing well there. The 

 past exceptional winter has taken its toll ; but 

 here, as elsewhere, the connexion between wind 

 shelter and hardiness is strongly marked. 



Hydrangea hortensis is possibly the most 

 wonderful sight, it is grown in masses, and the 

 individual plants attain four to five feet in 

 height, from early summer to late autumn they 

 make a wonderful show — banks of them, j'ards 

 wide — a riot of pink and blue. 



On the south side Camellia japonica flowers 

 Avell, and is already making good sized bushes, 

 Magnoha grandiflora and stellata are also doing 

 well. 



Of less hardy plants, Mimosa, Asters. 

 Ceanothus in variety, Crinodendron Hookeri, 

 Metrosideros, Ozothamnus and Veronicas all 

 seem to have survived the trying winter. Full 

 advantage has been taken of the height upon 

 which the house is built, and the river level is 

 reached by a series of terraces, mostly stone 

 paved. In these pavements rock plants are 

 utilised — Dianthus, Saxifraga^, Campanulas, 

 Thymus, &c. — and the natural outcrop of lime- 

 stone has been worked into the garden scheme 

 with excellent effect — here a descending strata 

 forms a natural rock garden, its cracks and 

 crevices being planted with creeping rock 

 plants — there the outcrags form a sheer cliff 



festooned with mossy iSaxifragas, Sun Kofces and 

 dwarf Cotoneasters. It is interesting to note 

 on this cliff face seedlings of Buddleia variabilis 

 sprouting strongl}^, and — wonder of wonders — 

 seedling Rhododendrons, self-sown from the peat 

 banks above, are struggling manfully in lime- 

 stone cracks ! It will be most interesting to note 

 their future behaviour, at present some of them 

 are nine to twelve inches high and, although 

 their growth is naturally stunted, they do not 

 appear unhealthy. 



On the pergolas Pol^^antha Roses, Vitis, 

 Solanum, Polygonum baldschuanicinn grow 

 vigorously, and on a small island in the river 

 Cord^'lmes and Ferns can be seen thriving. 



Of Conifers, Picea sitchensis is the most 

 satisfactory, but most of those already tried do 

 well. Young trees of Pinus pinaster are showing 

 great promise, and Mr. and Mrs. Berridge are 

 carrying out some interesting exjjeriments with 

 seedling trees, amongst which Black Walnut and 

 Hickory are doing well, Pinus canariensis is also 

 being tried, but I fear it is too much to hojje 

 that this beautiful Conifer will succeed. P. 

 Montezumae I did not note, it might succeed in 

 similar conditions, and P. Hartwegii would, I 

 think, be perfectly safe. 



Of smaller things noted, Iris Koempferi is 

 growing strongly by the waterside, and Primulas 

 of the japonica type are naturalising themselves 

 freely in the moist, peaty soil. In the rougher 

 parts of the demesne New Zealand flax has been 

 largely planted and is doing very well. Almost 

 all bulbs thrive, Crinum Powellii being especially 

 effective, and the thick belts of hybrid Rhodo- 

 dendrons and Escallonias give masses of colour 

 and grateful shelter from the strong winds 

 although it is interesting to note that Cistus 

 florentinus came through the winter untouched 



