4^ 



IRISH GARDENING 



MARCH 



I). lloiiJa aial D. •^raiulilioiii liaxi- Ihcii iispoii 

 sibic lor most of the showy t,^arilcn lorins. 1 he 

 hybrids tlowor unvanls I he ciul o\ Ma\ aiit-i m 

 luiie, and thus kcop up a suc'c-cssion. Ono ol 

 tho best is I). \'.\.i Ratlike. wltieh bears Inauti 

 tul dark red tlowers. P. l,■•it,^•lntea tlora. larj^e pink 

 flowers; D. I'aseal. line deep red. and H. ni\ea. 

 while. Wlien pruning diervillas no severe 

 euttin}4 baek is re(.|uire(.l, a thinnini^ out ol t.lead 

 or exhausted wood beins^ all that is neeessar\. 



l''ors\ thia suspensa is periiaps the linest ol al! 

 early llowerini,'^ shrubs, blooiniu}; abundantix in 

 Mareh and April. It makes an admirable wall 

 plant, and forms a strikinj;- and beautit'nl i,'-roup 

 on a lawn. When j^riMipeil in a bed the ell'eet 

 will be intensified if a darker biekj^round ean 

 be arrans^-ed for. The tlowers are yellow, 

 and produced .on shoots o( the previous 

 summer's i,^rowth ; prunini^-, therefore, should 

 be done immediateh the tlowers ha\ e fadetl, 

 euttiui;- baek eaeh shoot to one or two buds. 

 KorsNlhia intermedia is c>\' more upri^^lit habit, 

 and t'orms a handsome siui^le specimen, often 

 reaehiui^ a iieii,^ht oi' eij^ht or ten feet, and as 

 much throu_i,^h. Pruning;-, in this ease, should 

 take the form of thinniui^- out onl\-, after 

 l1o\verin_i,f. 



One of the loxeliesl o\ late flowerini^ shrubs 

 is Hydrani^ea paniculata. The hujj-e panicles 

 of flowers are produced at the ends oi' the 

 current season's growth ; and, consequent l\, 

 pruning- should be done in spring, cutting the 

 shoots back quite two-thirds of their length. 

 Some prefer the variety grandiflora, which 

 bears large, white inflorescences, and all the 

 flowers being sterile it is, perhaps, more 

 showy than the type ; but being less up- 

 right in habit and the flower-heads heavier, 

 they are apt to be beaten down b\- heav\- 

 rains, and thus lose much ot their beautv. 

 Hvdrangea arborescens. fiom the l-lastern 

 .States o( .\merica, has latel\' become more 

 popidar, and is ver\- attractive when well grown. 

 It produces roundish heads of white flowers. 

 and makes a very beautiful specimen. In the 

 milder parts oi' the country the greenhouse 

 species Hydrangea hortensis make fine speci- 

 mens, but it cannot be recommended l\ir 

 general cultivation outside. 



.As a change from deciduous flowering shrubs 

 Pernettya mucronata may be highly recom- 

 mended for a bed. Though of the heath family, 

 peat is not essential to its cultivation, but a 



moist, cool, and lairh rich soil is imperative. 

 I he leaves are quite small .uid deep-green, and 

 the tlowers, which are white, are I'tl'ten suc- 

 ceeded by beautiful bei i ies. w hicli \ary in colour 

 iVom white ihrmigh pink to daik-red Where 

 it can be successl'ulb grown the pernettya is 

 sure to JH- greatl\ appreciated. 



.\ \er\ charming; spiiiig ilowering shiub is 

 Rubus deliciosus, wiiieh be.irs Ireely large, while 

 (lowers lescmbling ,i single lose. This species 

 is eminent l\ suitable dir griu\ ing as a specimen, 

 and will attain .i height ol six feet. 



Some o( the tam.irisks aie also beautilul in 

 beils or as single specimens. Thcx |-)roduce 

 long, willow like shoots, bearing \ er\ tin\ 

 lea\es, and should be |-)runed hartl back in 

 spring. I'erlia|is the best \ariet\ is Tamarix 

 Pallasii rosea, which beais numei\nis racemes 

 ol rose-pink tlowers in eaiK autumn. 



All |iruning o\' late summer ani.1 autumn, 

 flow ering shrubs should be completed without 

 delay, anil any planting still contemplated 

 should be finished this month if satisfactory 

 results are to be expected. .\n\- shrubs planted 

 earlier in the season should be examined, as 

 recent hea\ \ winds ma\ ha\e loosened the soil 

 about the stems ; tliis should be remedied, and 

 e\ervthing possible done to ensure satisfactory 

 growth. 



Hie Cyclamen and its Culture. 



By A. C.AMI'HKI.I., The CiMrdeiis, .St. .\nii's, Ciontarf. 



THI-! cyclamen belongs to a large and 

 \aried genus oC plants, belonging to 

 tb.c family o( primroses. Its ten 

 botanical species are mostly confined to the 

 moimtainous districts surrounding the Medi- 

 terranean, but all ol them can be cultivated 

 successfully at home if suflicient care be taken 

 to give them a favourable position and a soil 

 suitablv prepared to meet their special require- 

 ments. The varieties below referred to, once 

 established, will practicall\- take care of them- 

 selves, and form a delight lul feature in any 

 garden. The flowers o\' the cyclamen are 

 varied and beautiful, and appear at different 

 seasoiis of the year, while their abundant and 

 beautifully marked foliage enhance their value 

 as a decorative garden or greenhouse plant. 



The following are a few which have proved 

 themselves at home in this country : — Cyclamen 



