IRISH GARDENING 



H7 



are plants for special positions rather tliau for 

 inclusion in the herbaceous border. Some 

 particular point where a bold mass of foliage 

 and flower is wanted is just the place where one 

 of the larger growing kinds may be used with 

 fine effect. A sunny open bay in the front of a 

 shrubbery, an isolated bed on the lawn with 

 shelter from cold winds, a bold bed by the side 

 of a walk, or a clump in a sunny angle of the 

 tlwellinghouse will always be a source of joy 

 and satisfaction. There are, too^ great possibilities 

 in the wild garden where plants of noble pro- 

 portions may often be 

 used with great advan- 

 tage to themselves and 

 t h e garde n they 

 adorn. Of the hard_\' 

 species the following 

 are the more impor- 

 tant :— 



A. Caroli-Alexandri, 

 a native of Greece, 

 reaching about 2 feet 

 high when in flower. 

 The leaves are moder- 

 ately large and spiny, 

 surmounted by t h e 

 spikes of pink or rose- 

 coloured flowers. This 

 species is rather simi- 

 lar to A. spinosus, and 

 spreads very rapidly. 

 Care should be taken 

 to plant it where it 

 will not interfere with 

 choicer things, as ever\ 

 bit of underground 

 stem Avill grow. 



A. longifohus is a 

 native of Dalmatia 

 and a very handsome 

 plant. The flowers are 

 purplish rose-coloured, 

 borne in spikes 3 feet 

 or more high, and the 



large leaves, some 2 to 3 feet loug,arc e-\treiue]\' 

 handsome. 



A. mollis is a vei'y handsome Italian species 

 with long, broad leaves of handsome outlini" 

 and spikes of white and rose owers. 



A. mollis latifolius is similar to the last-named, 

 but larger in all its parts, producing enormous 

 leaves and handsome flower s])ikes sf)me 3 or -1 

 feet high, it is pei'hap.s the finest form grown 

 for a bold decorative effect. 



A. nigcr, a Poi'tuguese species, is distinct among 

 other species with less ample leaves than in some 

 of tlu- ah<)\(-nicnt ioncd. \-c1 handsome in onl 



line. The flo\\ers are purple and white on spike 

 about 3 feet high when fully developed. 



A. spinosus, alluded to above, forms rosettes 

 of deeply cut leaves of a very fine, shiny green 

 colour, the divisions furnished with spines. The 

 flowers are light purple, the sepals also being 

 spiny. 



A. spinosus spinosissimus is similar, but the 

 leaves are much more densely spiny. 



Acanthus hirsutus is one of the narrow-leaved 

 species, the leaves being furnished with hairs, 

 which give them a slightly grey appearance. 



A. Perringi has still 

 narrower and greyer 

 leaves, and grows only 

 about 15 inches high 

 when in flower ; the 

 flowers are of a very 

 1 ) r e 1 1 y pink shade . 

 This pretty species is 

 (piite suitable for the 

 rock garden. 



The Acanthus is 

 credited with being 

 the plant which 

 furnished the design 

 in much of the orna- 

 mentation which enters 

 into ancient Grecian 

 architecture, but 

 authorities differ as to 

 the specie s — s o m e 

 claiming the leaves of 

 A. mollis and others 

 those of A. spinosus. 

 B. 



Snowdrops. 



i-!vi:N in these late 

 autumn days the mere 

 mention of SiU)wdrops 

 conjures up a vision of 

 spring, the wind still 

 cold. l)ut with the sim 

 gaining strength tlaily. Snowdrops are popular 

 with everyona, and therefore no a]iology is needed 

 for reminding readers that early planting is ailvis- 

 al)le as the bulbs are very impatientof being 

 long out of their natural covering— the soil. 

 Snowdi-ops are essentially subjects for i)lanting 

 in natural masses where they can remain undis- 

 turbed for nuiny years. Only thus Avill they 

 llouiish and reveal their true beauty, bringing 

 hope and jjleasure to human beings every 

 spring witli unfailing regularity. 



.\ moist, cool soil is necessai'y, and not inlrc- 

 (|iienll\- the linest colonies are found under 



us ]<;i,\vi:sii 



