40 



IRISH GARDENING 



Planting Evergreens. 



Experienced i)l;uitfis usually choose siiiluble 

 weather in (_)ctolier or April for moving evergreen 

 trees or slirubs. When the work is carefully done 

 at either season tliero is generally very little check 

 to the plants. The great aim is to retain the leaves 

 as long as possible, and this is best achieved by 

 transplanting when the groiuid is moist and warm 

 and in a state to encourage immediate root action. 

 Many planters prefer April with its " growing 

 atmosphere," and with the whole summer to com- 

 plete and consolidate the growth before winter sets 

 in again. I'here is just a" danger, when planting 

 is done in April, that a dry spell may come on 

 before the plants become established, and in the 

 ease of valuable sijecimens this should be guarded 

 against by timely mulching of the surface soil 

 over the roots with rotten manure or leaves; it 

 will even be necessary in some cases to syringe the 

 specimens daily to retain a more or less moist at- 

 mosphere about the plants, and so prevent as much 

 as possible, evaporation from the leaves. Many 

 Conifers succeed splendidly from spring planting, 

 and the fine species of Abies, Picea and Pinus may 

 still be i^lanted early in the month, also the many 

 species and varieties of Cupiessus, Taxus, Prum- 

 nopitys, Podocarpus, Cepluilotaxus. and in mild 

 districts, Dacryduim, Fitzroya, Athrotaxis, Saxe- 

 gothea, Keteleeria, and others. In many cases the 

 rarer kinds are grown in pots by nurserymen, so 

 that they can be moved at almost any season, and 

 for these April will be found an excellent month 

 to procure plants for immediate planting. Healthy 

 young Hollies do well as a rule wiien planted in 

 spring, and whether tor hedge purpo.;es or for 

 single specimens, the present month is a good one 

 for planting. 



Many other evergreens can also be planted this 

 month — for instance. Rhododendrons in great 

 variety, and surely there are no more beautiful 

 evergreens than many of the species and varieties 

 of this marvellous genus, ranging from liny plants 

 of a few inches high to giants of 15 to "20 feet. 

 Others are Osmantlnis Vnrtuvni, 0. iKiiiifoViiiiii, 0. 

 (irrnata, and the beautifid (>. Vehtvayi, now in 

 flower; PhiUi/rrdiis, Enoityinus japoiiicus, E. radi- 

 cans, the better kinds of Privet such as Ligustnnii 

 luckluiii, L. Jiinryi, L. I'ratiii, Myrtles, such as 

 the common Myrtle, Myitus communia, and its 

 variety inrint'tna, M. Luina better known as 

 Eur/enia apiruJiifii, Ulinmniis alateriius rdriegatiis 

 with charming silver variegated leaves, liaphiu- 

 lepis Delacouri, I'liotiitids of several species. Azaran 

 and many others. Needless to say, well prepared 

 soil is essential to success and no efforts should 

 be spared to make the soil suitable for the plants. 

 Rhododendrons, and most plants of that family, re- 

 quire peat or leaf-mould, and if the soil contains 

 lime, as so much of it does in Ireland, then avoid 

 the mistake of digging out the staple soil and filling 

 in with peat, form the beds on the surface, and 

 topdress the plants when they show signs of 

 poverty. In other cases pulverise the soil 

 thoroughly and enrich with leaf soil or rotten 

 manure if necessary. Plant firmly, but take care 

 not to bury the roots too deeply; if the soil is dry 

 water thoroughly, for there is no better way of 

 settling the soil about the roots. Finally, watch 

 the plants carefully all sunmier, and guard against 

 any appearance of suffering from lack of water. 

 Large specimens should be secured against swaying 

 by wind. 



B. 



Anlirrhinums : A, Wealth of Beauty 

 tor every Garden. 



I'KW subjects have been appreciated more for tluir 

 value for beautifying a garden, or marked with so 

 many imijrovements during this last twenty years, 

 as have Antirrhinums — the Snapdiagons. When 

 one comes to consider their all round capabilities, 

 it is not after all a matter for surprise that they 

 should be so often met with, and when we bear in 

 mind how easily they may be raised and perpetu- 

 ated, and how few indeed are their needs, we should 

 be surprised w'ere they not popular. Those who ar(; 

 able to go back " in their mind's eye," say forty 

 or fifty years, and call to recollection the limited 

 sorts then in cultivation, and compare them with 

 the legacy of beauty which is ours to-day, may be 

 able to appreciate more fully the work of the 

 raisers of new varieties during the years. We know 

 of no plant which may be grown as an annual, or 

 biennial, and to some extent almost as a per- 

 ennial, that is so lavish with its flowers, or that 

 will bloom for such a lengthened period, provided 

 seed pods are not allowed to form, and deter them 

 in their mission of beauty. That Antirrhinums 

 will grow in soil that cannot by any means be 

 termed rich, is common knowledge, hence their 

 great worth to the town gardener. We know, too, 

 that plants raised from seed sown in heat will 

 bloom in the summer, we also know that they are 

 not dependent on heat for their raising, but may 

 be reared from seed sown in the open ground in 

 May, and in addition to this may be propagated 

 from cuttings taken in late autunni and inserted 

 in a cold frame in sandy soil. 



Present D.w Sorts. — As varieties to-day differ 

 in point of haliit, some being tall and suitable for 

 the back of a border; otiiers of medium height of 

 service for beds, etc., whilst some are so dwarf that 

 they are frequently to be seen in window boxes, and 

 used as edging plants in a garden, so, too, are 

 they diverse in colour from pure white and yellow, 

 to salmon and crimson and gold; from richest pink 

 and apricot to deepest flame, as represented by 

 Bonfire and Sunset, two varieties that marked a 

 new departure in Antirrhinums. 



Culture. — As we have hinted, the cultivation of 

 these very charming plants in a garden is not 

 difficult at all, and whilst they will give splendid 

 results if planted in soil of a loamy character, 

 helped w-ith a little rotted or artificial manure, they 

 will give a good account of themselves it planted 

 out in ordinary garden soil well dug and fairly 

 well drained. Sunlight is essential for their well- 

 being, and in all other respects they present no 

 real obstacles, often to be foinid blooming almost 

 as well in a closed in garden of a town, as in that 

 in the open country. For massing in beds in colour 

 scheme, we know of no plant that serves us so 

 well, so long as they are continuously relieved of 

 theii s))ent blossoms. 



AV. TilNOETiS IjEA. 



*^f t^^ ^* 



Primroses and Polyanthus. 



A Correction. 

 In the second last paragraph, last sentence, " pure 

 white " should read " pine white." This is a Jack- 

 in-the-Green single with white flowers, yellow in 

 the centre. 



AjlAR.lNTHE. 



