IRISH GARDENING 



115 



between the " easies " and the " difficults," and 

 first of the latter is C. alpestris (C Allioni), a 

 1 me hater that will tolerate a limestone moraine, 

 but prefers granite. It has a long taproot and 

 throws up little stolons which do not appear to 

 root, but bear in their turn one large upturned 

 mauve bell. 



C cenisia is another ])lant which seems to 

 demand moraine and dislikes excess of winter 

 moisture. 



C. excisa eludes me. I grow it in every 

 possible situation and soil, and it flowers, dies 

 down for the winter, and never comes up again. 

 In places where it succeeds it romps like a weed. 

 I have heard 

 of success in 

 a granite mo- 

 raine with a 

 leaf-mould 

 subsoil, and 

 again in very 

 sandy leaf 

 soil, but 1 am 

 conscious of a 

 growing scep- 

 ticism I as to 

 the probabili- 

 ties of per- 

 manent suc- 

 cess with this 

 plant. One 

 occasionally 

 hears of it 

 growing like 

 a weed some- 

 where, and 

 when one 

 Writes one is 

 told " it Was 

 wonderful last 

 year, but this 



year it failed." Nevertheless, the plant is so 

 distinct and, in its way, attractive that one 

 feels bound to persevere. 



C. Elatines is difficult only in open soil ; if you 

 can plant it in a crack between rocks, or in the 

 face of a wall and protect its young gro\\-th from 

 slugs, it will rejoice you with its little pur])le star- 

 like bells, which smother the long tentacles it 

 throws out from its root stock to hug the face 

 of the rock in the hottest sun. 



C. Morettiana has never had a fair chance, as 

 I have never succeeded in obtaining pro]ierly 

 rooted specimens, but I believ'e it in any case to 

 be very difficult. C hypopolia and C flexuosa 

 are new here; the former, with its curious grass- 

 like foliage, looks most distinct, but although it 

 has thriven in very stony soil, in two seasons it 

 has never flowered. 



The true Campanula Kaineki in a granite moraine at Glasuevin. 



Bulbs for Early Planting. 



It is safe to say that all bulbs are better planted 

 as early as possible, but with some kinds it is 

 quite essential if they are to get a fair chance. 

 Fortunately the more up-to-date nurserymen 

 now issue lists in July containing those which 

 must be got in early, either for autumn or early 

 spring flowering. 



Generally those genera which have to be got 

 in thiis early are grown in special positions, or 

 at least do not come in amongst the ordinary 

 decorative plants which bloom in summer and 



autumn. It 

 Would be im- 

 possible, for 

 instance, to 

 indulge in any 

 extensive 

 bulb })lanting 

 operations in 

 the modern 

 herbaceous 

 border during 

 July, August 

 and early Sep- 

 tember, when 

 such borders 

 are at the 

 zenith of their 

 l)eauty and 

 must not be 

 m a r r e d b y 

 ])atches of 

 bare soil con- 

 taining bulbs. 

 P e r h a ]) s, 

 where the 

 front of a bor- 

 d e r is f u r- 

 nished with low-growing cree])ing plants, 

 it would be possible to dibble in small bid])s 

 through them, with coneiderable benefit to 

 the bulbs, during winter and again when in 

 flower. In the rock garden, where so many 

 modest mountain plants find a home, very good 

 Work may be done by associating Crocuses. 

 Snow-dro])s, dwarf Scillas, Ervthroniums and 

 such like with Thymus 8er])y]lum (red and 

 white), Arenarias, and lots of other cree])ing 

 ])lants, and the beauty of the bulbs in flower will 

 be greatly enhanced. There are, too, some 

 autiunn-flowering bulbs such as numerous 

 s])ecies of Crocuses and Colchicums, which must 

 of necessity be got in as early as jiossible. Where 

 Crocuses are to be planted in grass, whethei 

 for autumn or spring effect, they can generally 

 be got in quite early. 



