92 



IRISH GARDENING 



R, H, S, Spring Show at 

 Chelsea. 



To convey an adequate description of the great 

 Chelsea Show of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 into the small space available is out of the 

 question. At best one can only roughly outline 

 the glorious display and briefly touch upon the 

 main points of interest which claimed one's 

 attention as they endeavoured to absorb the 

 glories of the whole. 



The chief feature which strikes the visitor to 

 Chelsea is the vastness of the exhibition and the 

 lileasing contrast which the aniple grounds afford 

 in comparison with, the cramped s])ace of the 

 Inner Temple groimds of years gone by. 



The " great tent " (of immense pro])ortions) 

 was this year given over to exhibits arranged on 

 the ground level, with the exception of the two 

 ends, which were given over entirely to liuge banks 

 of glorious Orchids most tastefully arranged. 



Instead of the more orthodox parallel paths 

 l>etween lines of exhibits, ample stretches of turf 

 had been arranged between the irregularly- 

 shaped groups, thus leaving plenty of room for 

 the myriads of visitors who flocked to enjoy the 

 gorgeous display. 



It was impossible to find a single exception to 

 the high level of contributions which made the 

 exhibition so great a success, and it seems 

 invidious to single out for comment any one where 

 all were so deserving of comment. 



Two of the most brilliant colour patches were 

 ]irovided by (1) Messrs. .T. Carter's splendid 

 collection of greenhouse ])lants — a central mound 

 of Cinerarias, surrounded by ^ pleasing design of 

 Stocks, Schizanthuses, Petunias, Clarkias. 

 Gloxinias and herbaceous Calceolarias ; and 

 (2) groups of fragrant, brilliantly-coloured 

 Azaleas in a variety of tone. 



As usual, Messrs. Veitch exhibited a unique 

 collection of stove plants, prominent among 

 which were two groups of splendidly grown 

 Caladiums, ranging in colour from cream to deep 

 red, the variety Rose Laing being especially 

 beautiful. 



William Paul & Sons put up a very fine display 

 of Roses, the tall pillars being embowered with 

 flower trusses. 



In the centre of the tent Messrs. Sutton had 

 a novel and attractive exhibit of greenhouse 

 ])lants enclosed in an arcading of white lattice 

 pillars, giving a pleasing sense of privacy, while 

 inside this semi-seclusion were broad walks of 

 grass between beds of Salpiglossis. Schizanthus, 

 Stocks, Primula obconica. Hybrids, Calceolarias 

 and Cinerarias in dazzling profusion. 



Passing into the tent, to the east, under 

 arches of trained Fuchias, so many fine collections 

 crowded upon one's view that it was difficult to 

 know which to examine first. 



Sir Everard Hambro, of Hoye's Place, Kent, 

 contributed a magnificent exhibit of choice 

 Alpines, where the silvery Saxifrages displayed 

 their arching plumes of dainty flowers in the utmost 

 profusion, while among the more showy examples 

 such choice plants as Erinacea pungens in full 

 flower, Pentstemon Davidsonii, Asperulasuberosa, 

 Dianthus callizonus, Haberlea,] Ferdinandi- 

 Coburgi and Janksea Heldreichi dazzled the 

 observer. 



Here, too, were Roses grown by Alex. Dickson, 



foremost among wliich were Kil lariicy Brihiant, 

 a ri(Oi rose ])iiik : Mrs. Wemyss Quin, yellow, and 

 Chrissie Mackellar, a])ricot-salmon. 



Leaving the tents for the open air one came 

 upon a riotous display of formal gardens, banks 

 of Azaleas, to])iary work, garden furniture and 

 statuary, and, linally, the galaxy of rock 

 gardens. 



Of the former Messrs. J. Carter exhibited a 

 most pleasing design, composed of a rectangular 

 pool, centred by spouting dolpliins and sur- 

 rounded by decorative balustrading draped with 

 highly coloured Clematis in many varieties : 

 adjoining the pool, but separated by the balus- 

 trading, were ])aved walks bordered with Azaleas 

 and Tvilips, while the corners were reserved for 

 two attractively designed stone garden houses, 

 sundial and dovecote. 



A somewhat similarly treated space was 

 occupied by Messrs. Wallace, of Colchester, 

 wherein a quiet Lily pool was overlumg by 

 Wistarias, while Tulips in yellow and mauve 

 formed a border adjoining. 



Messrs. Notcutt exhibited, under the shade of 

 some fine old elms, a pretty paved Azalea garden, 

 the brilliancy of the sweetly-scented flowers being 

 intensified by the sombre colour of the dark 

 trunks and branches, between which the bright 

 May sunshine glinted. 



Good examples of topiary work were shown by 

 Messrs. Piper & Sons. They also showed some 

 fine Wistarias in decorative vases upon their 

 ornamental stone work and balustrading. 



Probably the ovit-door rock gardens created 

 more interest with the general i)ublic than any 

 other i)ortion of the exhibition, and certainly they 

 justified examination again and again. 



Undoubtedly, for artistic treatment and natural 

 arrangement, Mr. Woods (of Boston S])ar) easily 

 came first. Here beautifully selected i)ieces of 

 weathered mountain limestone were so tastefully 

 and skilfully arranged that one almost fancied 

 themselves " among the hills." 



An especially delightful feature was a miniature 

 trout stream lea])ing down between the moss and 

 fern-garnished rocks, while P. farinosa and Gen- 

 tiana verna spangled the grassy slopes, and glorious 

 plumes of Sax. Cotyledon nodded from the rocky 

 crevices, reminding one of happy bygone days in 

 the mountains 



Clarence Elliott showed a very fine colony of 

 Ramondia pyrenaica happily colonized between 

 the rocks, while the large, deep-coloiired form of 

 Cam])anula Allioni s])read its huge trumpets to 

 the eye, and Pentstemon Davidsonii and Oxalis 

 enneaphylla and rosea delighted the keen Alpinist. 

 The greatest niimber of treasures were perhaps 

 to be found in the i)retty Alpine garden of Maurice 

 Pritchard, in fact one has learned to look instinc- 

 tively for such in this direction, such plants as 

 Mimulus radicans and Scliizocodon being es- 

 pecially noticeable. 



Messrs. Wallace <& Co. put up a very attractive 

 rock garden exhibit, using particularly good stone, 

 in the crannies of which Sax. cochlearis or minor 

 gleamed, while in broader stretches were Onosmos, 

 Camp. Stevensii nana, Viola ]jedata. Sax. Cotyledon 

 and Dr. Ramsey and Ed. serp. major. 



Altogether the Council of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society are to be congratulated upon the 

 immense success of the exhibition, which, thanks 

 largely to the glorious weather, was attended by 

 a vast number of visitors, who expressed their 

 surprise and delight in unmeasured terms. 

 Reginald A. Malby, F.R.P.S., F.R.H.S. 



