IRISH GARDENING. 



/ 



Never, I think, waie the early-flo\vering hardy 

 heaths so Avelcome with their bright colours and 

 hapj)}' look, though in open beds some forms of 

 mediterranea, as well as arborea, jusitanica and 

 Witchii, have suffered de])lorably. On the 

 rocker^^ however, on a northern slope, Carnea, 

 medit. alba and a lively-coloured form sent out 

 by Mr. T. Smith and called Brightness are 

 really beaiitiful, but the deepest coloured and 

 most striking form is medit. coccinea, a really 

 fine hardy plant. 



Gentians are promising very well this year, 

 and already G. verna angulosa has been opening 

 daily for some time and is very beautiful in the 

 morning sun. Slender buds are showing on 

 G. verna alba and stout ones on acaulis and 

 excisa ; G. Freyniana is well up with a dense 

 mass of thick strong shoots, as also is septeni- 

 fida. G. ornata has survived admirably" the 

 rigours of winter, and one hopes it may likewise 

 escape the destructive and all -devouring slug. 



Daffodils 



Rarely have these delightful spring flowers 

 been so tardy in making their ajipearance. If 

 milder weather should supervene soon we shall 

 have early summer flowers with us almost 

 before those of spring have faded. One of the 

 earliest and best of the yellow tnunpet varieties 

 is Sir Horace Plunkett sent out some years ago 

 by the Lissadel firm, to whom A\e owe a number 

 of other good things among Daffodils. The 

 variety alluded to has all the attributes of a 

 good doer, being early and of fine constitution. 

 The large bold flowers are carried well above 

 the leaves, Avhich are broad, of good substance, 

 with the glaucous green hue of ]ierfect health. 

 When more plentiful, this should prove a fine 

 subject for naturalising in grass, the only way 

 in which Daffodils reallj" look well. t> 



Daphne Mezereum flore albo and 

 Erica carnea 



These two effective plants suggest themselves 

 as very suitable for planting in combination for 

 spring effect. Despite the cold, wretched 

 weather of the last few weeks both have been 

 flowering freely. The Erica grows quite freely 

 in loam even though some lime be present, and 

 the Daphne rejoices in cool damp soil and seeds 

 freely, the resultant seedlings invariably coming 

 pure white, A\hich seems to suggest that it has 

 as much right to specific rank as the purple 

 form. Position or aspect does not seem to affect 

 the well-being of either, as they are equally good 

 in full sun or in a shady northern exposure. 



Such associations have been frequently advo- 

 cated in this Journal and can be carried out in a 

 A-ariety of ways and with many different jjlants. 

 Forsythias, for instance, are now opening their 

 flowers, and if F. intermedia or some of its new 

 varieties be under planted with Chionodoxas or 

 Scillas a pretty effect is produced. It is only 

 necessary to walk round a well-stocked garden 

 in springtime noting the various jolants as they 

 come into flower to discover many hajjpy ways 

 of associating plants of different habit and 

 thereby creating many pretty pictures as well as 

 economising space. 



Daphne. 



Primula Winteri 



If there were any doubts as to the hardiness of 

 this species the winter we have just passed 

 through must have dispelled them. The plant 

 herewith illustrated has been out for two 

 winters, with only the protection of a slightly 

 overhanging rock and a zinc collar for protection 

 from slugs. When the flowers commenced to 

 ojien a sheet of glass was laid over them as a 

 protection from frost at night or during heavy 

 rain or snow. The flowers began to open in 

 January and continued until early April — surely 

 a testimony to its value in the rock garden. 

 The aspect is a northern one, and the soil a 

 mixture of loam and peat, with good drainage. 

 As a pot plant P.Winteri is equally satisfactory, 

 and rejoices in a good rich mixture of loam, 

 leaf soil and sand. Seeds are produced if 

 pf)llination is attended to, but they germinate 

 erratically, and no disappointment need be felt 

 if no seedlings appear for many months after 

 sowing. 



B., Dublin. 



Saxifraga apiculata alba 



This is one of the most satisfactory of the early 

 flowering varieties, in ordinary seasons flowering 

 freely early in March. This year, in common 

 with many other plants, it was much later, but 

 bloomed profusely, almost hiding the leaves in 

 a wealth of pure white flowers. If anything it is 

 more free flowering than the type itself, still one 

 of our most cherished early-flowering alpines. 

 Propagation is quite simple ; cuttings root 

 readily, and a good stock is easily acquired by 

 simjily dividing established plants into small 

 pieces and potting up in gritty soil. It appears 

 indifferent to position, flowering well in sun or 

 shade. So desirable a plant might be used in 

 various aspects so as to have a succession of 



bloom. 



B, 



