26 



IRISH GARDENING 



ratluT agri'St^ivt.' aiul iiuliiu-d (u ovtjrgruw K-ss 

 invasive plants. It spreads fn-i-ly l>y niuifi- 

 ground rimnors, from wliiiii llio Ivuvos and ll(i\vfi> 

 arise; tlu> latter are pale pink, while tlie leaves 

 are a pretty silvery grey tone. 



('. mituritauirus is of the habit of C. t(iii(<il>ii- 

 rus, hut has broader green leaves, and bears in 

 late smnnier and autumn handsome violet l)lue 

 (lowers; both species should have a well-drained 

 sunny position. 



C.'nitiihis is a ni'at i)lant keeping quite elose 

 to the surfaet- of tiie soil, forming a flat mat of 

 growth. The leaves are silvery while ami dis- 

 like winter damp, henee it is wise to cover with 

 a pane of glass in winter. 



('(inius (itiKidcusis is an inten-sting dwarf 

 I)lant for a bog. rejoicing in peat or h-af-moiild 

 The flowers aro not important, but the whit.' 

 bracts accompanying them are not unattractive 

 In autunui the leaves become l)ronzy red and arc 

 then very beautiful. 



Cifdiniiitlnis hilxifus is iiuile a good |)lan', for 

 moist, but free and well-drained soil. The trail- 

 ing stems are furnished with small-iobed leaves. 

 and the flowers, produced at llic end of the 

 shoots, are of a bright purplish I)liie. :.;,i. earing 

 in late summer. 



Among Brooms suitable for the rock garden 

 three are of outstanding merit; two of lliem aie 

 hybrids. 



(.'ytisus Ardoiii'K quite a low dwarf species, form- 

 ing a tuft of shoots about six inches high and 

 bearing .«mall hairy leaves composed of three 

 leaflets; the flowers. ])roduced towards tbe erds 

 of the branches, are bright yellow. 



('ytisus Jicani, a hybrid raised at Kew. is one 

 of tlie*, best Really dwarf shi|ubs for the roi-k 

 garden. It grows into a spreading mass of 

 shoots, of procumbent habit, reaching a height 

 of 9 inches to a foot, the loundish tranches 

 bearing small narrow leaves. The flowers, of 

 a rich golden yellow, are produced in hand- 

 some sprays on the previous year's growth. 



Cyti.sus Kcirt'usis must rank as one of the most 

 I>opular of early floAvering shrubs, forming a 

 much-branched bush, ultimately perhai)s 18 

 inches high, but spreading widely, it is a glorious 

 sight when smothered in its creamy white 

 flowers. To ensure an annual di.splay and to 

 keep tbe plants bushy and w(<ll furnished, all the 

 early flowering Brooms shovild l)e cut back after 

 flowering. 



Delphiniums are usually tliought of as border 

 ]jlants, but several are (juite desirable on the 

 rock garden. 



DelpJiinium Jinnioiiidintni . growing about a 

 foot liigh, is quite attractive when doing well. 

 The flowers are purplish blue with black centre, 

 while the leaves are comparatively large and 

 deeply cut. This species is said to have a strong 

 scent of mu.sk, a quality wiiich I have not par- 

 ticularly noticed in cultivated plants. 



T>. riislnniridiniin. gr()^^'m'^ about fifteen inches 

 high, produces blue flowers of fair size, and has 

 deepiy-lob(>d, broad leaves on long stalks. 



V. fii(iii(]ifl(iniin is perha])s the most showy of 

 the dwarf Delphiniums, but cannot always be 

 reckoned as a good ])erennial; seeds, therefore. 

 should be secured and sown annually. The 

 flowers, which are freely produced, vary some- 

 what in shade, but are usually of a good blue; 

 there is also a white variety. The leaves, are 

 much divided into narrow segments, adding to the 

 elegance of the plant. Several named forms of 



this species are on sale, notably " Cineraria," 

 Butterlly, eti-., Iiut there is nothing better than 

 saving seeds from good plants and sowing 

 arnnuiily as mentioned above. 



I). ii'iKliroiili is a fairly good perennial if 

 planlcti in gritty, well-drained soil, kept moist in 

 .vinumer. Tlie llowers are orange rcil and ycllo\\, 

 and a good group never fails to attract attt-ntion. 

 It forms a somewhat tuberous rootstock. from 

 which the rather fleshy, lobed leaves radiate, 

 surmounted by the l)ranching llnwcr stems. 



Balsams. 



Tin; value oi a plant to-day is largely dcter- 

 uiincd l>y the usi' its llowers are for cutting, no 

 matter how beautiful they may be, and it is be- 

 cause the Balsam is of no service for the i)ro- 

 duction.'' of blossoms, apart from the plant, that a 

 good nuuiy regard it with but scant favour. 

 Notwithstanding this disability — and it is one we 

 admit — these half-hardy annuals are very charm- 

 ing when grown as pot specimens for the de- 

 coration of conservatory or gree-jihouse; those 

 who have not hitherto cultivated them have 

 missed a wealth of colour and a degree of loveli- 

 ness unique and scarcely possessed by any other 

 subject. The florists of the old school took con- 

 siderable pains in the culture and improvement 

 oF Balsams, so much indeed that it was no un- 

 common thing for them to be grown to a noble 

 size in eight and even ten inch pots, stout bushy 

 specimens which carried an immense number of 

 waxy-like blossoms which earned for them a title 

 — not inaptly applied we think — of Camellia- 

 flowered. 



Ciiltuic. — Once miderstood, the culture of these 

 annuals under glass is not at all difficult, and 

 anyone prepared to sow seed in gentle beat in 

 March or Ai)ril can reckon on a display within a 

 few months. Shallow pans or boxes containing 

 a compost of good fibrous loam and leaf-moidd 

 with a little sharp silver sand should be prepared, 

 passing the whole through a fine sieve and 

 placing the rougher portions at the bottom. This 

 compost shoidd ,be made moderately firm and the 

 seeds sown thinly and just covered. If a little 

 i)ottom heat is available, as a propagating pit for 

 example, it will be an advantage to give the seed 

 the l>enefit of a start, but this is not a necessary 

 condition, and failing this a temperature of 55'^ 

 or .so will meet requirements. 



Sf(i(j)\s iif (hoirih. — In the early stages Balsams 

 should not be kept in a too dry or a too damp 

 state. There is a medium known to gardeners 

 as tlic " happy " one, which is acquired easily. No 

 delay ought to take place in getting seedlings out 

 of the seed pan. as soon as they have advanced 

 to the second leaf, into small pots, and it then be- 

 I'omes a question of following the work up until 

 the final pot is reached, wliich may be anything 

 from five inches, according to the fancy of tbe 

 eultivatoj-. It should, however, be borne in mnid 

 tiiat it is unwise to allow plants to get into a 

 l)Ot-bound stale before ren)Oving them. After the 

 first shift an addition can be made to the com- 

 l)ost of some form of manure, that which has 

 stood some months and become mellow or ob- 

 tained from a cucumber or mushroom bed. 



7'r/.-i/7((y/).— Balsams resent a close stuffy 



