'14 



iiMsii (;ai;di:m.ng 



Some Northern Gardens. 



IvvKLV in .liiiu' I hiul an c.|.|H,iiiiirn.\ of \i>itiii.L' 

 srvenil ^'ivnU'iis in Antiini and Duun.and Innnd 

 there nuieli to julnuir and cnx \ . Tlic lii-^t wa^ 

 at SprinirtieUl. near IJshinn. wlicii- Mr. H 

 llieharilson enltiv.ites many plants well, and 

 does not eonfine his attention to one paitiiidar 

 class, hnt linds ])leasnre in alpincs. heil)ac('ons 

 plants, and those retpiirini: the jjroteetion <d 

 a gri-enhonse. 



Quite early 1 noted nice plants of (l-Jiothera 

 (i\ata. a dwarf low lm'ow in,u spccii-s ol the 

 l-lvcinnL' riinirosc family, with comparatively 

 lariie tlowers produii-d not mneh ahove the 

 leaves which fmni a i at rosette : near hy a 

 distinct form of Sax. cotyledon was tlowcrimi 

 freely, the distinet reddish tin^'e of the tlowvi 

 stems being noticeable. Pai)aver taurienia with 

 tawny yellow tlowers in the way of P. pilosum. 

 was effective in the herbaceous border, as also 

 was a prettily variegated variety of Rock Hose 

 or Helianthemum. Pentstemon Roezlii, a dwarf 

 shrubby sju'cies valuable for tlie rock garden, 

 was doing well, while in a sunny nuuaine gootl 

 l)lauts of Silene ])umilio were floiwishing and 

 hearing .several large i)ink tlowers. .Ethionema 

 anuvnum, which is hke a glorified A. pulciudlum. 

 was conspicuous iji several ])laces, and is a 

 tlecided acqui.sitiou. Mr. Ricluirdson succeeds 

 remarkably well with Gentiaua vema, and 

 l)elieves in growing it in firm loam ; he had 

 several hue colonies in good health. Another 

 lovely jdant was Mimulus radicans, which at 

 Springfield was flowering freely in good heavy 

 .soil. Perhaj^s the ]ilant which I admired most 

 was a gi-and tuft of Androsace laevigata, which 

 was fourishing in a granite moraine, and had 

 apparently Howered freely some time earlier. 

 Mesembryanthemum Brownii was, curiously 

 enough, flourishing outside, though it hails 

 from S. Africa, while the new grey-leaved 

 ("amjianula tomentosa was happy, though not 

 in flower. Most of the choicer dwarf plants 

 are grown in a series of moraines made com- 

 ])aratively flat in different parts of the flower 

 garden, and enjoying various aspects. Nothing 

 hi the nature of an elaborate rock garden is to 

 be seen, though many alpines are flourishing. 

 Herbaceous plants were numerous, and all in 

 robust health. Lu]Mns and Delphiniums at the 

 time of my visit were just coming in, while a 

 huge mass of Campanula lactiHcra gave promise 

 of a fine display. Primula cockburniana in 

 a shady bog bed was remarkable for the size and 

 intense colour of the flowers ; in the same bed 

 Meconopsis aculeata and other moisture lovers 

 were flourishing. Throughout the flower garden 

 Violas were prominent, their rude health testify- 



\uiS In ill., benclicial elh 



.f tl. 



noithe 



I'n.l.T L'lass .Mr. I tichanls.ui -n.u s Carnat ions 

 \ri\ Well, ni(»t iif ihe newer " perpct uals "' 

 hein'i in e\idence. and all slmwing the clean 

 urowlli and Ldaucous blue f.iliage. a sure sign of 



<s 1 cnlti\ation. Shrnbs aic not grown exte^n- 



si\cl\, tliinigli some line bushes of Olearia 

 stcllulata were evidciic.- cf the hardiness of this 

 excellent e\ (•luiccii lluwcrinL' slinib e\-en in t he 

 CO.. I n..rt.li. an.l a iiia-iiili.'i nt h.-.l ..f Pvhoch)- 

 .leiidron l'iid< Pearl was just on the wane, but 

 must ha\-e been superb. in the frames were 

 line stocks of .seedling Incarvilleas, Meeon(»psis, 

 Primidas. cK:c. ; but of these and man\- other 

 tilings, let ns li..pe .Mr. Pieliards..n will tell us 

 moi'e some day. 



The Bush, Antrim. 



'i'his, the residence of Mr. liartttn, in situated 

 within sight of Lough Neagh. and is by no means 

 a warm ])art of the country. Nevertheless, so 

 generous is the soil — a deej:). moist, ])eaty loam — 

 that the vigour of all kinds of jjlants was renuirk- 

 al)le. and something 1 h-ar which no nuule-uii 

 soil will ever ecpial. 



The rock and water garden is admirably 

 arianged for a bold disjilay, and consists of 

 a series of mounds and valleys so constructed 

 that comparatively few rocks are in evidence, 

 and demonstrating the fact that where soil and 

 aspect are right, innnense (piantities of largo 

 stones are C{uite unnecessary. Water is plenti- 

 ful, and forms little streams and ])ools here and 

 there, in and around which moisture loving 

 plants have established themseh^es quite 

 naturally. Primulas are a notable feature, 

 planted not in dozens, but frequently by the 

 hundred, judging from the size of the masses. 

 Never have I seen in any garden anything to 

 equal the glorious masses of Primula ja])onica 

 Primula pulverulenta, P. Unicpie and many 

 seedlings of a .similar nature, showing the most 

 delightful variations in colour : P. siberica, so 

 tall and strong as to be almost beyond recogni 

 tion ; P. rosea, long out of flower, but growing 

 vigoi'ously ; P. sikkimensis. just coming on, and 

 in fact all the old and new Primulas of the bog- 

 loving section, not omitting P. cockburniana, 

 were taller, stronger and more floriferous than 

 I have ever seen them before. In addition to 

 the Primulas, Meconoi)sis integrifolia showed 

 immense vigour, each sjjike carrying numerous 

 flowers and several seed capsules rapidly 

 swelling, and giving promise of a rich harvest 

 presently. 



Though the Primulas were the most striking 

 objects in that particular part of the garden 

 at the time of my visjit, there was no lack of 



