i^o 



IRISH GARDENING 



s])cci('s and of a Lilaiuims coldiii, willi wliitc 

 iiiaiLiiii--. Tile lldwcr rafciiic icaclics a ln'iLilit 

 of :{ or 4 feci, l.iit is not so ivuiilatly prodiiccl 

 as ill the ol tu-r spcfic's. 



ViK-c-a jjiloriosu is an old s|)c(ics not so connnon 

 in ffanli'iis as it oiu-c was. It is one of llic t.illci 

 Lirowers, f<)rniin,<r in time a stout stein (.f (i feet 

 or so, siinnounted !•> a crown of slilT ^|>iiiC" 

 ti|ipcd lra\cs aliout 2 fc( t in IcnL^lli wlicii iIk- 

 |ilanl i.s xiL^orinis. The inlltucsccncc i> \('i\ 

 liandsonu-. coiniiosi'tl of didopiim wliilc tlowci- 

 Imu'iu' in a ])aiiic'lt' sonic '\ or 4 led liiL:li. 'Tlic 

 \aricl\ known as N'. l-illacoinl'ci has Lilaiicoiis 

 lca\c^ and the pet als of t lie Towers tiiiiicd with 

 ivd on till' outer snrfai'i'. 'i'liere are also \ aiie- 

 gatccl forms. 



Yneea i-eenvvifolia is perha]^s the most 

 (•oininoiil\- urown species among those that make 

 distinct slt'ins. and is icadily recognised 1>\- the 

 lonu recuiN ing leaves which give to this s])e( ies 

 a raiher more graceful appearance than "N". 

 gloriosa. It is very liaiidsoiiie Avlicii in flowe]". 

 hearing a large ])aiiiele of creamy Avliito flowers 

 which look extremely W(dl in late siimmer 

 and autumn. 



The ])ropagalion of \'uccas may he done l>y 

 seeds when ohtainable. the dwarf kinds by 

 division of tlie offsets, and root cuttings made 

 of the thick fleshy roots cut into pieces aliout 

 ."{ inclies h)ng and laid in a box of sandy soil in 

 heat soon vegetate, and may he ])otted up 

 sei)aratcly. ' J.W. B 



Crocus Imperati albidus. 



This, as our illustration shows, is a very l)eau- 

 tiful flower, and makes a truly lovely display 

 in earl}^ spring. The flowers are wliite, and 

 open charmingly under the influence of the 

 sun. There are many of the wild Crocuses 

 which flower long before the flrst of the garden 

 vaiietie.s. and as many of them are quite cheap 

 they are deserving of attention. Of those 

 which flower so early as to merit the name of 

 winter-flowerers we have C. alexandri, white, 

 marked with purple : C. Ancyrensis, rich orange 

 yellow : (*. caspius. white ; C. chrysanthus. 

 yelloAV ; (*. Fleischeri, white, with dark lines ; 

 C. graveolens, yellow ; C. Sieheri, lilac blue ; 

 and many others. Of early spring kinds there 

 are C. aureus, golden yellow : 0. biflorus, white, 

 with dark lines ; C. etruscu.;, lilac and bufl^ ; 

 C tSusianus, yelloAv, &c. There is also an 

 autumn-flowering set, but as they must be 

 ])lanted by August at the latest, they may be 

 left for future consideration. The winter and 

 spring flowerers may be planted now in border, 

 rock garden, or short grass, and will well repay 

 the trifling outlay necessary to acquire a 

 stock. 



Trop.Teolum speciosum. 



Tmi; I''i,a.mk I''i.()\v i:h. 

 Tnis is OIK of (he most brdlianl of anliimn 

 llowering ha.rdy plants growing with remarkable 

 \iL;(tiir in some districts, uhik- in others it proV( s 

 almost impos-il,l.. to estal.hsh. The main 

 ess<Mitial seems to he a cool climati' and soil. 

 as in man\ pails of the north of Sc(,lland t he 

 I'l.'ine I'louer is such a remarkable h'atnre of 

 many -ardens as to excite the wonder and 

 .'dmirat ion of \isitors from waiiicr countries. 

 Ill districts natuialK suited to its <:rowth aii\- 

 kind .,f cool. m,,ist 'soil will grow the Flame 

 h'lower to I'erfection ; in fact it is dillicult to 

 restrain it within reasonable bounds. ])ut else- 

 where considc7'able effort is necessary to establish 

 a healthy colony. Obxiously. if in warmer 

 <lis1ricts with a light hot soil it is desired to grow 

 'l'ro])a'<)lnin speciosum, means must be adopted 

 to imitate as nearly as ])ossible the conditions 

 obtaining whcTc it does succeed. This can best 

 be done by choosing a shaded site whei'c the soil 

 is not likely to dry out antl l)y ])reparing a 

 moisture-retaining compost. In some ])laccs 

 where it has failed often, success has at last been 

 f<iund by planting among Ixbododendron.'^, 

 where the |.'eaty soil is cool and moist. This, 

 how(>^■er, is not altogether satisfactory if the 

 IJhododcndrons are good ones, as the Tropteolum 

 will smother them in autumn with its rampant 

 growths to their detriment. Jt is better to 

 prepare a deep border at the base of a north 

 wall, making the compost chiefly peat, with at 

 least a third of decayed cow-manure. A few 

 lengths of wide-meshed wire netting nailed to 

 the wall w\]\ provide support for the growths, 

 and if the plant is happy the wall will be a. 

 sheet of scarlet in autumn. 



Hybrid Eremuri. 



In addition to the species and varieties of 

 Eremmi mentioned in the August numbei'. 

 there are several hybrids equalling, if not sur- 

 passing, the species in beauty and stateliness. 

 Among the more important hybrids are — E. 

 Warei, in shades of pink and buff, very hand- 

 some, producing stately spikes, flowering freely. 



E. Shelford, ])r()ducing very lovely s[)ikes of 

 coppery yellow flowers in July, and E. Sir 

 ]^.lichael, an exceptionally vigorous tall grower 

 with tall spikes of charming buff yellow flowers. 



E. him. rob. is a hybrid between the two old 

 species E. himalaicus and E. robustus. 



E. robustus tardiflorus flowers some weeks later 

 than the type, and thus prolongs the season. 



Several other species, such as E, aurantiacus, E. 

 spectabilis and E. turkestanicus are cultivated 

 in Botanic Gardens, but are less decorative than 

 those enumerated above. 



