IRISH GARDENING 



157 



Dipelta floribunda. 



The genus Dipelta was founded by Maximowicz 

 in 1877, but it reniained unknown to cultivation 

 until Mr. E. H. Wilson collected seeds in Western 

 China for Messrs. Veitch. The seeds were sown 

 in 1905, and the plants flowered a few years 

 afterwards. 



This Dipelta is a deciduous shrub, growing 

 from S to 16 feet high, in general appearance 

 resembling a Diervilla or Weigelia, but it may 

 easily be distinguished by a pair of round wing- 

 like bracts, about half an inch across, attached 

 to the base of the ovary of the flower. 



The flowers are produced in clusters of three 

 to six from the leaf axils ; they are about IJ 

 inches long, tubular and two-lip])ed, pale rose in 

 colour, and veined with yellow in the throat. 



The leaves are ovate, from 2 to i inches long, 

 narrowing to a long point. 



During the 

 severe May 

 frost, when 

 many other 

 shrubs and 

 Chinese ])lants 

 were black- 

 ened and in- 

 jured, the 

 Dipelta was 

 untouched, 

 and up to the 

 present the 

 winters' frosts 

 have had no 

 effect. 



U n f o r tu- 

 na t e 1 y it 

 flowers in May 

 at the same 

 time as the 

 showy Dier- 

 villas, never- 

 theless it is a 

 free- growing 

 and profusely 

 flowered beau- 

 tiful shrub, 

 and will be a 

 welconae addi- 

 tion to the 

 garden. 



Dipelta ventricosa differs from the former in 

 having larger winged bracts, larger flowers of a 

 deeper colour, and the tube does not taper or 

 narrow to the base as in D. floribunda, but is 

 more inflated. 



These Dipeltas, like many other shrubs, will 

 root freely from short, half -ripened growths 

 taken in August, September or October, and in- 

 serted in sandy soil in a close frame or under a 

 shaded bell-glass. 



Three New Kniphofias. 



Towards the end of September the Kniphofias 

 (Red Hot Pokers) are always welcome for their 

 warm colours. Among the newer ones tried at 

 Glasnevin are three which seem desirable and 

 good plants. 



Kniphofia Marie Dirkin is a dainty little 

 variety about 2 feet high, freely bearing spikes of 



flowers, in colour a light tomato-red on a soft 

 yellow ground, and is very pleasing and attractive. 



K. Egy])t is a naoderate grower, sending up 

 flower s¥ems from 2 to 3 feet high, the long 

 tubular flowers open a clear lemon-yellow and 

 deepen in colour before they fade ; it is a charming 

 autumn plant. 



K. aloides erecta superba is a fairly strong 

 grower, from 3 to 4 feet high ; it differs from 

 other varieties in the flowers being erect and not 

 drooping on the stems. In colour the flowers are 

 warm orange-red, the lower ones last until the 

 top ones are open. This is a distinct and useful 

 plant for the border. 



Lysimachia Henryi. 



Dipelta fi.oribuxda. A new Chinese Shrub. 



A useful and pretty late flowering plant for the 

 rock garden, thriving in a somewhat peaty soil. 

 is the' above-named. It is quite a dwarf plant, 

 reaching a height of little more than 4 inches and 



forming in a 

 congenial situ- 

 ation tufts 

 alniost a foot 

 across. The 

 stout reddish 

 stems take 

 root at the 

 lower nodes, 

 and by this 

 ni e a n s it 

 s]) reads rapid- 

 ly, whilst the 

 habit also 

 renders pro- 

 pagation an 

 easy matter. 

 Each stem is 

 surnxounted 

 by a dense 

 head of flowers 

 borne in the 

 cent re of a tuft 

 of s na o o t li 

 ovate leaves, 

 each some 2 

 inches long by 

 half an inch 

 across. The 

 golden yellow 

 campanulate 

 flowers are 

 fully an inch in diameter, and as all the buds do not 

 open at once the flowering season extends over niany 

 weeks. In early August the first flowers open, and 

 it is not \intil late in October that the last has 

 faded, while, as the leaves are retained through the 

 winter, the i)lant is never really bare. Lysimachia 

 Ilem'yi is a native of C-hina, and the first plants 

 to flower in this country were raised from seeds 

 sent home by Mr. E. H. Wilson, who collected 

 it in its native haunts. S. Rose. 



6^* ^*' tfi^ 



Lavender and Rosemary. 

 This is a good time to take cuttings of these 

 sweet-scented shrubs, also Southernwood and 

 Santolina. Select short, stumpy cuttings which are 

 well ri])ened and pull them off with heels. Insert 

 the cuttings in a cold frame in .sandy soil or in a 

 sheltered border, and give a good watering to 

 settle the soil around the cuttings. 



