SEPTEMBER 



IRISH GARDENING. 



133 



in which many peat-lovers will flourish and be 

 all the happier for some amount of shade. 



Prominent among shrubs for moist, peaty 

 soils are the Kalmias, which produce highly 

 ornamental'showy flowers in early summer. 



Kalmia angustifolia, the North America Sheep 

 Laurel, makes a handsome shrub bearing- rosy 

 flowers and evergreen leaves some two inches 

 long. K. glauca, also from North America, 

 grows about two feet high, is deciduous, and 

 bears red flowers in summer. K. latifolia, the 

 Calico Bush of Canada and Florida, &c., is 

 the largest growing of the genus and generally 

 considered the handsomest. The leaves are 

 comparatively large and the heads of rosy pink 

 flowers most attractive. 



Clethra alnifolia, a deciduous member of the 

 Erica family, comes from the States, and bears 

 racemes of white flowers in late summer. It 

 grows some three to four feet high. Other 

 hardy species are C. tomentosum, C. paniculata, 

 and C. acuminata, all bearing white flowers. 

 Cassandra calyculata, the North American 

 Leather Leaf, is a hardy, easily grown shrub, 

 bearing small leaves and producing quantities 

 o\i pure white, bell-shaped flowers in spring ; 

 the variety nana grows only about a foot high 

 and makes a useful shrub for the margins of 

 beds of such shrubs. Very beautiful, too, are 

 some of the species of Pieris, often called 

 Andromeda. P. floribunda is a compact grow- 

 ing evergreen, bearing short panicles of white 

 flowers in spring, while P. japonica, also ever- 

 green, bears larger handsome leaves and pen- 

 dulous racemes of beautiful, pure white flowers. 

 The Ledums are useful moisture-loving shrubs, 

 bearing narrow evergreen leaves, rusty coloured 

 on the underside, and white flowers in spring. 

 Ledum latifolium and L. palusire are two of 

 the best. The former is from North America, 

 and known as Labrador Tea, the latter is found 

 in northern and arctic regions. Kenobia 

 speciosa is a very beautiful shrub for moist 

 peaty soil. A native of the southern United 

 States, from whence it was introduced about 

 1800, this species is the only one in the genus. 

 The leaves are oval, and the pure white, waxy 

 flowers are produced in clusters mostly on 

 growths of the previous season. There is one 

 variety with glaucous leaves known as K. 

 speciosa pulverulenta, and is, if anything, more 

 decorative than the type. 



Leucothoe Catesbaei, from North America, 



represents a genus not too frequently met with 

 in private gardens. The leaves are ovate lance- 

 shaped and the flowers white, appearing in early 

 summer, the whole plant attaining a height of 

 three to four feet. There are several other 

 species in cultivation. 



The barberries are useful shrubs for peaty 

 soil, the best known being Arctostaphylos uva- 

 ursi, a shrub of trailing habit, bearing small 

 dark green leaves and pretty pink flowers, A. 

 alpina, a low-growing species is like the former 

 an evergreen, but with white blossoms ; both 

 are found wild in the highlands of Scotland. 



The Sand Myrtle, Leiophyllum buxifolium is 

 a charming little shrub for sandy peat, or even 

 loam. It will scarcely reach a foot in height, 

 and bears tiny leaves, and small pink and white 

 flowers in summer. 



An interesting dwarf shrub for moist peaty 

 soil is the Crowberry Empetrum nigrum, though 

 less conspicuous than some of the heaths ; the 

 crowberry is a useful dwarf evergreen for grow- 

 ing in association with other plants requiring 

 like conditions. The flowers are quite small 

 and pink, and are followed by black fruits in 

 autumn. The Gaultherias are first rate ever- 

 greens for peaty soils, the two best being 

 G. procumbens and G. Shallon. The former, 

 from North America, grows only four to five 

 inches high, bearing finely-toothed, ovate blunt 

 leaves. The small white fiowers are followed 

 in autumn by ornamental bright red berries. 

 G. Shallon, from North America, is a much 

 stronger grower, reaching a height of from two 

 to three feet, bearing racemes of pinkish 

 flowers, followed by purple berries. 



The Ericas or heaths have been dealt with by 

 writers in earlier numbers of Irish Gardening, 

 and need not be enlarged on further. Suffice 

 it to say, there is no more beautiful or useful 

 class of shrubs for light peaty soils, nor one 

 which gives greater value throughout the year. 

 It may be useful to note the flowering season 

 of the various species. Winter and spring — 

 E. arborea, E. australis, E. carnea, E. lusi- 

 tanica, E. mediterranea, E. med. hybrida and 

 E. med. Hibernica. Summer and autumn 

 bloomers — E. ciliaris, E. cinereo, E. stricta, 

 E. vagans, E. tetralix and E. multiflora. In 

 some districts E. arborea and E. lusitanica 

 may not prove quite hardy, but there is se- 

 lection enough for all. The common Ling 

 Calluna vulgaris which decorates the hillsides 



