40 



IRISH GARDENING 



Notes from Glasnevin. 



While the wouthir may l>i' c-old omninh oiitsulr in 

 March, iimlcr ylass tlu- coiiditions may l>t' sj)riiiy- 

 liki- and l.alniy ononyli. Tho Cam. 'Ilia Il()ns<> at 

 Cilnsuevin was* moiv tlian usually invitiM^,' tlnou},']!- 

 unt the past nu.nth t.wing to tho l)n-;lit display 

 therein. Camellias are rejiresented hy old plants 

 planted out in the eentre border, and they were 

 lU.werin^' freely, though somewhat lu'ar the r<K.f (<i 

 he easily seen. Very heauliful w.tc various 

 Ehododendrons grown in pots, notahiy /•'. Vcitchi. 

 anum, an Indian species with very beautiful, lar^-e 

 whit-e flowers, l>orne in clusters of three or four 

 together at the ends of tlie flowering' shoots, ("harm- 

 ing, tot>. is ]{. iiUiCHCcitx, with rather smaller flowers, 

 also whit<' and sweet-scented. An admirable plant 

 for indoor flowering in »>arly spring is R. riliinihi.r 

 X li- tilbcKiriia, a hybrid niLsed at Cilasnevin and 

 which has never lieen given a distinctive name; tlif 

 flowers are white, Ixi'll-shaped, borne in loose clusters. 

 li. Bcaufij of TrevwiKjh, carrying clusters of rich 

 piidx flowers, was conspicuous. AH these Rhodo- 

 dendrons are cultivated in pots, and are grown out 

 of dtMM-s during the summer months. 



An interesting and beautiful plant for early 

 flowering is Coluuiucd tiiagnifica, a member of a 

 genus now of some importance where collections of 

 plants have to be growm. It is an uimglit grower 

 bearing orange scarlet flowers and is useful among 

 other spring-flowering subjects or as an isolated 

 group. Several of the Cohnrmeas make fine basket 

 plants, notably C. tjloriosa, which forms pendant 

 shoots a couple of feet long, and C. Vedrensi.s, wliich 

 throws out more or less horizontal shoots, from tlic 

 underside of which the richly coloured flowers un- 

 well displayed. 



In addition to the foregoing there was the usual 

 display of Daffodils in pots, a good batch of blue 

 Cinerarias, which is an annual feature, the strain 

 being considered a good one. Primula ohconica and 

 Cyclamens, Avhich have been flowering for throe 

 nionths, were still making a fine show, and were 

 supplemented by good, batches of Primula siucusi><. 

 Hyacinths, ^Mignonette. Lily of the Valley, Primuht 

 mnlacoidc.t and the quaint Jiahiana rubra cyanru and 

 B. macrantha. 



Out of doors many interesting jilauts were 

 blooming, especially towards the end of the month. 

 Chief among shrubs A\eie tho Forsythias. and. 

 annually, that beautiful form introduced by Mr. 

 Wilson. F. suspcnsn alrocnuJia, is more and more 

 admired on account of its numerous large, clear, 

 yellow flowers borne on tlie dark, chocolate-brown 

 shoots of last year. 



Prunus tomentosa. a dwarf spreading shrub, was 

 full of flowers and half oi)en buds, and ])roniised a 

 glorious show at Eastor, and near by it P. suhhirlrUa 

 autumvnli.9. better known as P. mi<iur]innn. still 

 flowered mcII although it eonnnenced before 

 Christmas. 



Corylopnia Willmotli!C, can-ying many pendent 

 racemes of pale yellow flowers, is uncommon and 

 distinct, and worth growing on the chance of an 

 early display, although it may be " nipped in the 

 bud." 



Heaths continued to give a good account of them- 

 selves, and Erica Vritrhii. E. nrhorea and E. 

 lusiianica were in fine form. Rhododendron 



ciliulum was just opening on tlu' J^Wd ; R. flaridum 

 had many flowers oi^'n ; R. nirrmosum showing 

 colour, anil <ithers, like R. ravum, wen- bursting tho 

 buds. Should the weather keep favourable April 



promi^ 



■h of benutv 



Pruning Roses- 



Tni; pruning of l{os4's should be rmisbed this month 

 (April). Dwarf and Standard Hybrid IVrpetuals 

 and llvbrid Teas ought to be i)rune'd the third week 

 in March. All not yet finished should be attended to 

 immediately. Dwarf and Standard Teas and 

 Noisettes are best done this Tiionth as— their con- 

 stitution not being so robust as the former — they 

 are lialde to have the young, tender shoots, result- 

 ing from the pruning, cut by cold winds or frost. 

 Climl)ing varieties of all mentioned sho\dd also be 

 pruned now. Thimiing out of old and imsightly 

 \\()od on the latter should be done in late summer 

 after flowering; at this time all liamblers are pruned. 

 All dwarfs should be first cleand of dead wood 

 and very \\eak shoots cut right out, especially those 

 which crowd the centre of tho bush. Prune weaker 

 varieties harder than the stronger growing kinds, re- 

 membering that very strong shoots should not be 

 cut back as hard as the weaker ones. If very perfect 

 blossoms are required for exhibition or otherwise the 

 shoots may be pruned to three or four " eyes " 

 (buds), always taking care to cut to an outside bud. 

 If a larger quantity of less perfect Roses are wished 

 for, it is quite sufficient to prune to six or seven 

 " eyes," leaving very strong shoots from eight to 

 twelve " eyes," and any laterals on these stronger 

 sjioots can be cut to two or three "eyes." Soma 

 liybrid perpetual varieties, i.e., Hugh Dickson, pro- 

 duce shoots of exceptionally strong growth. One or 

 two of these strong growths can be pegged down. 

 This tends to distnbuto the sap, wdiich runs up- 

 wards, and causes the buds to break more evenly 

 along the branch. Standards are treated in much 

 the same way. The pruner must aim at keeping a 

 shapely head, and the centre well open, as in bushes. 

 Roses are like children — certain rules may be good 

 generally, but they cannot sometimes " be kept to 

 the letter," and varieties vary in the treatment they 

 require just as do individual children. However, 

 a great principle to bear in mind is — the weaker 

 the bush or tree, the harder the pruning shoidd 

 correspondingly be. Wlien Roses are grown for ex- 

 hibition purposes 110 trouble .should be spared to 

 give each variety individual treatment. For this 

 the " Handbook on Pruning Roses," issued by the 

 National Rose Society, will prove of great use to 

 the intending exhibitor, as the majority of good 

 varieties are mentioned with regard to special 

 treatment. 



All types of Roses above mentioned are those 

 which must be pruned to get good results. Other 

 types, such as Rugosa, Bourbons, Ayreshire, Pro- 

 vence, and all r)riars— usually growi\ to form large 

 bushes or hedges — should be thinned according 

 to their needs, and the removal of decayed wood in 

 all types is beneficial. 



If Rose trees have not been mamn-ed in the 

 autumn it is advisable to give the beds a mulching 

 of good, well-decayed farmyard manure, which can 

 be dug in later on. Fork tlie soil carefully before 

 manuring. I- F. Ryan. 



