IRISH GARDENING 



but has the merit of a much louger flowering seasion. 

 1. yiiraltarica is a choice aud beautiful rock plant, 

 although doubtfully hardy aud uot a reliable per- 

 ennial. It is most satiijfactory when planted in a 

 dry, sunny place, where the seeds can ripen and, so 

 to speak, sow themselves. Self-sown seedlings are 

 sturdy, short-jointed, and hardier than those sown 

 in pots; they usually survive the winter and flower 

 in early summer, bearing broad, fiat corymbs of de- 

 lightful rosy-lilac flowers. 



IncaroiUeas have enjoyed a deal of well-merited 

 popularity since the introduction of /. DcJavayi and 

 they are undoubtedly attractive when flowering 

 freely ; but they require a fair amount of space. The 

 more robust species, such as /. Dclucoyi, L (jiaiidi- 

 fiora, aud /. <j. bicviiies, have thick fleshy roots, aud 

 hke a deep, well-drained soil in a suuuy position. 

 They form rosettes of long leaves, and should be 

 planted at least a foot apart in some wide bay of the 

 rock garden. /. Dclacoiji throws up tall flower st-ems 

 18 inches to 2 feet high, sometimes more in well- 

 established plants, and bearing at the sununit large 

 open trumpet-shaped flowers of rich rose colour. 



liuurvillea grandiflora is a dwarfer species, in 

 many ways better suited for the rock garden. It 

 resembles I. Ddacayi in habit, but the flower scapes 

 do not attain to the same height, flowering at about 

 G inches high or thereabout, the flowers large but of 

 a richer rose than those of /. Delavayi. 1. ijrandi- 

 ftora brcripes is a robust variety of (jiandiflora, ap- 

 proximating in vigour I. Delavayi at its best. A 

 totally different section of the genus is represented 

 by /. Ohjac , sinetitsiii and cariahilis, which form 

 weakish bushes of wiry stems clothed with finely 

 divided leaves, and bearing rose or purplish-rose 

 tubular flowers. They are unsatisfactory unless 

 given very special attention in the way of root pro- 

 tection in winter. Constant damp they will not 

 stand, and a position facing full sun is essential, also 

 a well-drained sandy soil, the roots well under a rock 

 or low shrub secure fi-om winter rains and frost. 



luufaK are associated in iijost peoples' minds >.\ith 

 tall herbaceous plants of the " Elecampane " habit. 

 l)ut two at least are genuine dwarf rock plants of 

 more than ordinary interest and beauty. Inula 

 (tcaulis forms tufts of oblong leaves, clo.se to the soil, 

 and among them solitary heads of yellow flowers. 

 Iniihi )no}ifana raises its heads farther from the soil, 

 often inches or so, and there unfolds its golden 

 yellow florets. It is, however, not so unique as the 

 stomless species mentioned above. 



Iri.^cs are a host in themselves, and to mention 

 half of those whicii might be used on the rock garden 

 would occupy too nuich space, and a large genus 

 such as the Iris is l)ett-<'r dealt with by itself. 

 Briefly, it may be said that aU the dwarf rhi/omatous 

 kinds well kuown as /. puniila and /. rhama-iria are 

 suitable for rocjk gardens, and do quite well on dry, 

 sunny banks, where they flower in early spring, 

 giving beautiful effects in blue, yellow, and inter- 

 mediate shades difficult to describe. Special 

 mention should be made of 7 lufoiceuH, ntafeU<'v., 

 which, throws up flower scapes over a foot in lieight 

 bearing flowers of a charming combination of white 

 and pale yellow, .\nother little section, namely, the 

 crested Irises (Evausia), contains several dainty 

 gems of great beauty and interest, but certainly re- 

 quiring care to be successful with. Iris tectorum is 



the Iris reputed to be grown by the Chinese on the 

 roofs of their houses, and this gives a key to the 

 treatment. It must have a sunny, dry place, with 

 protection from damp in winter. Under the 

 branches of a low tree, where the sun has free access 

 suits it well, and in the Botanic Gardens at Glas- 

 nevin it does well under Yew trees where the 

 branches are high enough to allow the sun under 

 them. The leaves are about a foot long and slightly 

 glaucous aud the flowers lilac-coloured, the falls 

 somewhat variegated with a darker shade. Iris 

 cristata forms numerous slender rhizomes and grows 

 freely in light soil, giving rise to nan-ow leaves six 

 inches or so long, and bears small pale lilac flowers 

 with yellow crests. The great enenjy to this charm- 

 ing little plant is the slug, which devours everything 

 but the rhizomes, hence due precautions are 

 necessary. 



Iris (jracilipcs is another delightful dwarf, and 

 loves all the sun it can get, and is grateful for a little 

 protection in winter in all but the mildest parts of 

 the country. The rhizomes give rise to numerous 

 branches, forming quite a little clump in time. The 

 leaves are thin in texture and green, the slender 

 stems beai'ing one or several flowers of lilac and 

 ^^■hite. In Sir John Ross's garden at Eostrevor 

 House a beautiful tuft of this species was iuU of 

 flowers in early June ; it is growing in a sunny, warm 

 border in front of a greenhouse. 



Jll; A( IIVOLOTTIS l;i:i'ANL»A AT MolNT LsHEl!. 



