IRISH GARDENING. 



AUGUST 



SI 



iruhs in Autumn, 



The Month's Work, 



H> J. W. KisAM. 



Wl'l'H the acivenl ot Aut^ust the lirst 

 month ot" autumn is upon us. Spriiij^ 

 and oarly summer flowerinj^" sliruhs will 

 bo linishini^ their i^rowth for the season, while 

 later tlowers hke the Thiladelphuses will ix- 

 over, and should be pruned as detailed in prc- 

 \ ious notes. Should the weather continue hoi 

 and dry, several s^-ood soakini,^s oi' water will 

 help to plump up the flower buds for next year's 

 display, and established plants will benefit from 

 tlie application of weak liquid manure haivinj^ 

 been previously soaked with clear water. At- 

 tention should also be given to autumn tlow er- 

 ins^- shrubs, wliicli will now be in flower or fast 

 cominy on. Late flowering spirx^as, ceano- 

 thuses, buddleias, tamarisks, Clematis Jack- 

 mannii, &.C., should be well supplied with mois- 

 ture to ensure the flowers lasting over as long 

 a period as possible, as well as to strengthen 

 the buds at the base of the branches, from 

 which will arise the flowering shoots of next 

 year. 



Notes should now be made of alterations and 

 additions which seem desirable, so that there 

 may be no confusion when the autumn planting 

 season arrives. This is work w^hich should be 

 going on the season through, but which is often 

 left till the planting season arrives. In the 

 smallest as well as the largest gardens it is 

 absolutely necessary to be constantly making 

 notes if the most is to be made of the space and 

 material at command. 



It is an excellent plan, too, if at all convenient, 

 to visit any large public, private, or nursery 

 gardens with a view to the easier selection of 

 suitable specimens for certain positions. To 

 the amateur with limited means for purchasing 

 shrubs this will be found preferable to pouring 

 over catalogues without being able to decide 

 which of the many subjects off"ered will prove 

 most satisfactory. 



^lany evergreens succeed best when planted 

 in early autumn, and where the planting of such 

 is contemplated preparations should be made 

 towards the end of the month or early in Sep- 

 tember. Hollies particularly, whether for a 

 hedge or for single specimens, should be planted 

 early, and will thus get established before cold 

 weather sets in. 



i'^lowcr (Jardcii and Pleasure Grounds. 



I\\ W. rsiiiK. Till- Giirdeiis. Hivnunstown. L.iliintcely, 

 Co. Dublin. 



A 



tilSr is the month in which the 

 vj.irik'iK'i- may .see the full fruition 

 of lii.s hopes or console himself as 

 l)isi ho may for any disappointment (and 

 1 liiink they are many this year) by pre- 

 parations for the future. The flower beds 

 wiruli have not been starved for want of 

 wati'i will MOW be in full bloom, the foliag-e 

 ;it it^ best, and under the most perfect 

 arrangetnents a critical eye will see the 

 deficiencies and faults, and will profit 

 thereby if notes are made of them and 

 remedied in ne.\t year's plans, for now to a 

 g^reat extent is the time to decide on next 

 year's arrangements. The advantage of 

 decided colours in masses will now be 

 obvious and the taste of the designer be 

 apparent not only in the individual beds 

 but in the whole design. I think the taste 

 in gardening has changed very much 

 during the past decade or two. Fifteen or 

 twenty years ago distinctness or individu- 

 ality even to crudeness was the rule, as 

 witnessed b)' the amount of carpet-bedding, 

 straight lines of very often ill-assorted 

 colours, and individual plants standing 

 out in bold assertiveness with well-raked 

 soil showing between. Now that is changed 

 to a graceful and more natural massing of colours 

 where all angles are " rubbed " off by a nice interming- 

 ling of plants and colours. High keeping, however, is 

 above all the chief element in successful gardening ; no 

 combination or form or colour will please if neglect is 

 apparent. Cleanliness, nice graceful staking and tying 

 and removal of plants which are withered will keep our 

 herbaceous borders looking well. 



Propagate plants for next year ; no time must be lost 

 with the more delicate pelargoniums, so that they may 

 be well established before winter sets in. It will be 

 difficult in many places to get cuttings this year ; owing 

 to the continued drought the plants have made very 

 little growth. 



Plant out all recently struck cuttings of wallflowers, 

 pinks and pansies. This is a good time to sow Bromp- 

 ton and intermediate stocks for early flowering next 

 year, also lupins, delphiniums, snapdragons, corn- 

 flowers, and such like plants. Several herbaceous 

 plants which have done flowering may be easily propa- 

 gated towards the end of the month by careful divisions 

 of the roots and careful watering afterwards. 



Carnations should now be layered ; they will root 

 much quicker and move better if a compost of fresh 

 loam, eaf-mould and sand is provided for them, and 

 frequently watered. It is important to have the layers 

 well rooted and planted in their permanent quarters 



