IRISH GARDENING 



[07 



me when I say that his methods ([)ei'ha])S one 

 should say his' horticultural methods) are to nxe 

 reminiscent of those of Mr. Reginald Farrer. 

 The author of " My Shrubs " has the same happy 

 way of taking one round his garden, treating of 

 its inmates ; conversationally, giving us useful 

 hints and descriptions as we go round, and 

 avoiding technicalities. One can see his shrubs 

 as one reads his pages, and the very numerous 

 fiiU-pagf iilusti-ations (there are almost as many 

 illustrations as there are pages) familiarise one 

 with the many rare and beautiful shrubs with 

 wliich his garden must be packed. He is 

 evidentlv not only a keen collector, but one of 



cruel drying north-east winds with which 

 we in Ireland are annually cursed. Shelter 

 from wind is, I firmly believe, the secret of 

 whatever success we attain witli tender shrubs. 

 I have often brought shrubs such as Helichrysum 

 rosmarinifolia and ConvoUiiIus cn^orum (neither 

 of which are really hardy here) safely through 

 winters and 25 degrees of frost, only to lose them 

 in the cold biting winds of April and early 

 May. 



With Mr. Phillpotts' Calceolaria violacea and 

 Cliantlms are fairly hardly, also Diplaeus glutin- 

 osus. On the other hand, l!aphne odora is only 

 half liardy. Indigofcr decora needs protection. 



Ex()( II 



ACKMOSA Wll.SOXI 



rare discrimination ; he has avoided that pitfall 

 of the collector — growing x^lants for their rarity 

 irres])ertivt' of their merits ; and it would I think 

 l)e (litlicult to find a more representative collection 

 of interesting shrubs than those which he has got 

 together in the limited space at his disposal. Of 

 particular interest to the shrub grower are the 

 Muthor's notes on the growth and hardiness of 

 particular sjjecies in his garden. 



Mr. Phillpotts apparently lives in Devon near 

 the sea. Such a situation should be similar to 

 those one would expect to find on the east and 

 south-east coasts of Ireland, with their mild and 

 moist winters and summers and absence of severe 

 frost. Plants and shrubs, however, are fortunately 

 so incalculable that one need never despair of 

 sviccess with even those of douljtful hardiness in 

 less favoured climes, provided one can give 

 them adequate shelter in spring from the 



K X(>( H< )i; DA .MA( 1; A X'll 1 A . 



and Pentstemon scovileri a warm wall. Here in 

 central Ireland, with a winter alternating from 

 2.') degrees of frost to IS Fahr. and much rain, 

 Clianthus and ("alcrolaria vio'acea never .survive. 

 Diplaeus glutiuosus is uncertain. Indigofera, after 

 five winters, is api)arently hardy in loose peat, 

 and P(ntstemon scouleri and Dai)hne odora seem 

 as hardy as cabbages. Encouragetl by these in- 

 consistencies I shall attem])t to grow many more 

 of the delightful slirubs described in ^Nfr. Phill- 

 l)otts' book in the liope that some of them will 

 take a fancy to my garden and stay in it. 



The book is very well got up, and contains an 

 excellent index, this, however, is but an added 

 luxurv. since the author by placing his descrip- 

 tions in ali)habtti(al order has made an index 

 superfhu)us. This is not merely an interesting 

 book to read — it .should also be kei)t for reference. 

 Murray Hornibrook. 



