IRISH GARDENING 



133 



OEnotheras for the Rock Garden. 



The value of the dwarfer-trailiiig (Enotheras lies 

 ill the fact that most of them bloom from mid- 

 summer right into late autiumi ; in fact some of 

 the more spreading species are at their best 

 then, since having made a great deal of spreading 

 growth they of necessity carry many flowers. 



The genus is a large one. containing many 

 beautiful species, a large number of which come 

 from North America, and a few from Chili and 

 Mexico. 



The common and 

 beautiful name of 

 '' Evening Primrose "' 

 has been applied to 

 the (Enotheras gene- 

 rally, doubtless owing 

 to the fact that several 

 of the species open 

 their flowers in the 

 evening only, remain- 

 ing closed throughout 

 the day. This is no 

 drawback to the enjoy- 

 ment to be derived 

 from these lovely flow- 

 ers, since most people 

 who possess a garden, 

 or who have access to 

 one love to linger in 

 it during the evening 

 twilight, and surely 

 nothing could be more 

 charming or enjoyable 

 than to meet the large 

 luminous blossoms of 

 an '" Evening Prim- 

 rose " peering up from 

 the edge of a border or 

 dangling over a rock 

 in the rock garden. 



Most of the species 

 may be considered 



hardy, and if some are occasionally lost, the reason 

 is usually to be found in unsuitable soil. Heavy 

 retentive soil is fatal, and few will survive the 

 winter in such a medium. Porous sandy soil 

 through which the roots and running stems can 

 lamble freely will be foimd most satisfactory, 

 and rarely fails to ]ireserve the ])Iants through 

 the winter. 



(Enothera acaulis, a Chilian s])ecies, is one of 

 the best known, and is a handsome plant when 

 given an oi)en position with plenty of room to 

 develop. It has also been called Gi. taraxaci- 

 folia, from the resemblance of the leaves to those 

 of a Dandelion. The flowers are large and white, 



HOHERIA POPUI.NEA. 



opening during the day as well as being open in 

 the evenhig. 



(E. brachycarpa comes from Mexico, and 

 makes a pietty rockery subject, more tufted in 

 habit than (E. acauHs ; it bears narrower leaves 

 and yellow flowers. 



(E. csespitosa is one of the gems of the genus, 

 bearing enormous white flowers fading to pink 

 and opening beautifully in the evening. The 

 long lance -shaped leaves are deeply toothed and 

 rather hairy ; this species requires very sandy 

 soil, and spreads freely 

 by underground stems. 

 A native of North-west 

 America, and often 

 called (E. marginata. 



(E. missouriensis is 

 another North Ameri- 

 can species of great 

 value, and a really good 

 ])lant, opening its flow- 

 ers during the day as 

 well as in the evening. 

 The flowers are large 

 and yellow, and the 

 leaves are rather silky, 

 due to the presence 

 of whitish hairs. The 

 ])rostrate stems are 

 reddish, adding con- 

 siderably to the beauty 

 of the whole plant. 



CE. ovata is a pretty 

 dwarf Californian spe- 

 cies, bearing 3^ellow 

 flowers on very short 

 stems surrounded by 

 (lark green leaves. 



(E. pumila is a pretty 

 plant from North 

 America also, growing 

 about 6 to inches 

 high, branching con- 

 siderably and pro- 

 ducing much smaller leaves than any of the 

 foregoing, surmounted by bright yellow flowers. 

 (E. serrulata is also a low growing branching 

 species, bearing small narrow-toothed leaves and 

 vellow flowers. 



(E. fruticosa and its varieties are among the 

 best of dwarf border plants, and may be used 

 with good effect on large rock gardens, while 

 (E. speciosa, which grows about 2 feet high, is 

 a magniflcent species for a sunny position in 

 light soil, where the large pure white flowers are 

 very effective ; the variety rosea is equally 

 charming. 



B. 



