70 



IRISH GARDENING 



Brasenia pellata, the North American 

 Water .Shield, has roundish floating leaves 

 and dull coloured flowers. It is useful for 

 variety. 



Elisnia natans, a rare native plant, has 

 ellijitical, hhnit leaves and white flowers, Avhich 

 are produced singU^ on slender stalks. 



Azolla pinnata, a tiny aquatic with small 

 closely set leaves and roots which hang free in 

 the water, is worth trying to establish, as the 

 leaves turn a warm reddish-brown in autumn, 

 a large colony creating quite a unique effect on 

 the surface of the pond. It thrives well in the 

 south of Ireland, notably in Mr. Beamish's 

 garden. 



Hottonia palustris, the Water Violet, is 

 another comparatively rare native plant and one 

 of much beauty. The finely divided leaves are 

 wholly submerged, and from the crown the spike 

 of light blue or blue and white flowers is pro- 

 duced above the water. This plant sometimes 

 moves about freely in the water and at other 

 times seems to root in the mud. A large colony 

 is very pretty when in flower. 



Hydrocharis Morsus-ranse, the Frogbit, is an 

 interesting and pretty little floating aquatic 

 found here and there in ponds and ditches. It 

 is well worth growing in ponds and pools with 

 other choice things. The leaves are rather 

 heart-shaped and stalked, while the flowers, 

 which are fairly large in comj)arison to the size 

 of the whole plant, are white or yellowish white. 

 It sinks to the bottom in winter, reajij^earing 

 again in spring. 



Limnanthemum peltatum also has floating 

 leaves, and soon forms a wide colony, rooting 

 freely in the mud. The flowers, produced freely 

 in summer and onwards into autumn, are yellow. 



Stratiotes aloides, the Water Soldier, is a very 

 remarkable aquatic meriting inclusion wherever 

 aquatics are grown. It increases very rapidly, 

 and for this reason some may hesitate to intro- 

 duce it to small ponds, yet it is easily reduced 

 and need hardly be allowed to injure less 

 vigorous plants. The tufts of leaves, arranged 

 somewhat like an American Aloe, are wholly 

 submerged, the whole plant — roots and all — 

 floating freely in the water. During summer 

 the flowers, which are not remarkable, float on 

 the surface. 



Kerner (Nat. Hist, of Plants) gives a good 

 account of the Water Soldier. There he de- 

 scribes how during winter the plant rests at the 

 bottom, rising towards the surface in spring. 

 After producing new leaves and flowers it again 

 seeks the bottom to mature the seeds and form 

 buds which ultimately produce young plants. 

 In early autumn it once more seeks the 



surface, and yomig plants from the buds 

 just mentioned are produced. On the approach 

 of winter the M'hole family migrates to the 

 mud. 



Erect Growing Aquatics. — These include 

 plants which produce stems and leaves to a 

 considerable height above the surface of the 

 water : the height varying^ however, according 

 to the genus. Here again we meet with some 

 native plants, all too seldom seen in artificial 

 M'aters, and whose presence \\ ould often dispel 

 that stiff formal appearance which so often mars 

 the beauty of a water garden. 



Butomus mnbellatus, often called the flower- 

 ing Rush, is one of our natives well worth 

 cultivating. The long triangular leaves rise 

 well out of the water, but are exceeded l)y the 

 smooth flower stem, which is surmounted by a 

 handsome cluster of pink floMers. This is a 

 deep water plant and beautiful when flowering 

 in a large grouj^ or colony. 



Orontium aquaticinn, the Golden Club of 

 North America, is interesting and succeeds in 

 water a foot or so deep. The interest lies 

 chiefly in the long yellow and white spadix, 

 bearing the minute flowers, which rises above 

 the water as also do the leaves. 



Pontcderia cordata is a handsome l^lue 

 flowered plant, a colour not common in hardy 

 aquatics. The tufts of somewhat arrow- shaj^jcd 

 leaves are striking and are accomj^anied in 

 summer by spikes of beautiful blue flowers. A 

 good plant for a sunny shallow pool. 



The Sagittarias are extremely pretty and 

 interesting, producing arrow-shaped leaves and 

 sjiikes of white flowers well above the water. 



S. sagittifolia and S. variabilis fl. pi. are the 

 two commonest sjiecies. 



Scirpus lacustris, the Bulrush, is useful in 

 giving diversity of form. The dark green 

 flower stems grow five or six feet above the 

 water, producing the inconspicuous flowers at 

 their extremities. 



The Typhas or Reed Maces are conspicuous 

 ornaments of our M'ater gardens, and always a 

 source of interest. From among the long strap- 

 shaped leaves rise the tall flower stems each 

 surmounted by a dense dark brown si)ike of 

 flowers. T. latifolia, T. angustifolia, T. minima 

 and T. Shuttleworthii are the species most 

 commonly cultivated. 



Zizania latifolia, the broad-leaved perennial 

 rice plant, is a handsome aquatic too seldom 

 met with in water gardens. The long flat leaves 

 are handsome, rising from the water in summer, 

 while the feathery flower panicles lend addi- 

 tional beauty and interest. May and June are 

 good months to plants aquatics. 



