IRISH GARDENING 



Rock-edged Borders. 



In ciniiUry gaixlens neatness in the inattei- of 

 making borders is not always considered; straight 

 lines, with plants set out at equal distances, are 

 little known, but. instead of geometrical exacti- 

 tvide, you see borders edged with rough pieces of 

 stone, not infrequently obtained from a local 

 quarry, where limestone or sandstone is to be 

 found. Now and again one comes across such 

 borders, raised above ground level, and it gives 

 those partictdarly interested in plants of lowly 

 and prociunhent growth an opportunity to show 

 what ran l)e done in growing subjects, that once 

 planted and established will go for years w'ith- 

 out requiring much attention. One such garden 

 is in my mind as I write; it is situated on a 

 hill side, so that the borders have had to be 

 banked up with stone to prevent the soil falling 

 away. The edges of these borders are fringed 

 with boulders and sandstone, and to-day the 

 whole presents solidity and security. It is a few- 

 years since this garden was first made, and must 

 have involved a deal of labour at the time, Init 

 the plants have softened down the rough places, 

 with the beauty of foliage and blossoms. In a dry 

 summer like last it suffered not a little from the 

 fact that the soil is of a sandy nature, but being 

 situated in a south aspect, this garden is a ]iii'- 

 ture in its early spring and summer beauty. In 

 the retaining walls of the little terraces opportu- 

 nity has been taken to make use of crevices and 

 odd corners to plant bulbs. May finds it all aglow 

 with Aidjrietias and Aralns, and the old Candy- 

 tuft — I he lis semperfiicns. Helianthemums — the 

 Sun Roses — find a home in many corners, and 

 overhang the ledges with their myriad blossoms. 

 Rosy Gem. Golden Queen, Fireball, and Appeni- 

 nuiu are well represented, and it would be diffi- 

 cult tc conceive a greater show of blossoms day 

 after day for so many weeks' duration as these 

 plants furnish. Ceiasfhim t(/mentosum ("Snow in 

 Summer "), with white foliage and even whiter 

 flowers, is to be seen blooming side by side with 

 the smoky blue flowers of Nepeta mussini. 

 Another plant in this garden, common enough on 

 old walls in villages, is the Valerian. V. ruber is 

 the true perennial species, and, like the " Snap- 

 dragon," will grow on dry banks and between 

 stones, w-here other plants would scarcely exist. 

 Thrifts, too, find a home (Armerias), and their 

 crimson, red and white flowers from out their 

 cushion-like growth are very pleasing in May and 

 June. On a corner of one of the raised lieds, 

 Qeranium (rrandifiuium (Crane's Bill), with its 

 violet-blue flowers, never fails to give a good 

 account of itself. It is an old-fashioned plant, 

 and the less it is disturbed the better. It is to be 

 feared that some of us are losing sight of plants 

 that once were " old-tiiue favourites." One such 

 is to be found in Sedum siKithvlifohum — a trailing 

 subject, with yellow flowers, profusely borne in 

 summer. For planting about rocks and stones 

 the various forms of dwarf Campanulas are most 

 useful, and sorts like pusilla and pulla protrude 

 their innumerable miniature bells from out their 

 compact growths of tender stems. And wild 

 flowers have taken possession in a portion of this 

 hill-side rock garden. Peering out of the flag 

 stones which form the steps on the approach. 

 Primroses and Forget-iue-Nots bring the spring 

 days nearer. Trailing Veronicas, with flowers of 

 brightest blue, wind their shoots round oak stumps 

 driven in the ground to help to retain the walls. 

 I was merely a, visitor Id the home, but the 



garden entranced me, and deiuonstrated how 

 much beauty may be derived, when patience is 

 exercised and where trouble is not counted 

 very nnicli. 



One thing struc-k me ])articularly, and it 

 was that tall-grow'ing subjects luvd for the most 

 part been excluded, those of a dwarf and trailing 

 habit being planted, so as not to interfere with 

 each (jther, or to obscure the view, and I also 

 noted the wide range of subjects employed, so 

 that from spring's earliest days to the close of 

 autiuim there is something to charm, something 

 to be admired. It is a garden in which time has 

 been willingly given, and to-day it is an exempli- 

 fication of the old adage, " nothing withoiu 

 labour," for every stone had to be carried and 

 wedged into i)lace before soil could be brought or 

 planting thought of. 



.\lKTir.\STON. 



Putting out Ne-w Plants. 



A VERY large number of enthusiastic gardeners 

 derive no little part of their pleasure in trying 

 new plants. Few people nowadays are content 

 to go on growing the same plants year after year, 

 ancl the rapidity with which new species are in- 

 troduced from temperate coinitries makes it im- 

 perative to test their suitability for our gardens 

 at once. Many that are suspected of being 

 tender are grown for a year or so in pots, and 

 kept as cool as possible in order to acclimatise 

 them. Ultimately it becomes necessary to put 

 them to the final test by planting outside. 



May, with its warm sun and growing atmo- 

 sphere, is usually suitable for putting out any 

 plant with pretensions to hardiness. Conditions 

 then are such as to encourage innnediate growth, 

 and, with the summer in front of them, plants 

 have a fair chance of establishing themselves and 

 lipening their growth before w-inter returns. 

 There is a natural disposition to choose sunny 

 positions for plants thought to be tender, but that 

 is not always a correct conclusion. Many plants 

 may establish themselves in such a position only 

 to ije coaxed into precocious growth the following 

 spring, perishing by a sudden spring frost. Many 

 evergreens of reputed tenderness do much better 

 in shaded positions, facing east or north. Here, 

 in North County Dublin, Clematis Aitiuindii 

 failed miserably until transferred to a north w'all, 

 where it has flourished ever since. In like posi- 

 tion, several tender Pittosporums have estab- 

 lished, and the tender Vilninnnn riKjosiim. 

 (^^onsider well, then, before finally deciding on the 

 trial position for a doubtfully hardy plant. No 

 Tides can be given, as so much depends on the 

 .soil, situation, and aspect of a garden, but fre- 

 quently the decision between sun and shade 

 makes" the difference betw-een failure and success, 

 and even the proximity of a sheltering shrub or 

 overhanging branch may give the new addition a 

 chance of establishing and becoiuing hardy and 

 able to do without protection. The nurse plant, 

 if a duplicate or of no value, can be removed 

 later. B. 



Gladioli — An Appreciation. 



I TRUST that the iiiactical article from the pen 

 of " B.." on page 41 of Irish G.4rdening, may be 

 the means of inspiritig some who, up to now, have 

 never regarded Gladioli very seriously. As the 

 writer tritely puts it, " the Gladiolus is a plant for 

 overvlxidy. and adorns the villa garden equally 



