IRISH GARDENING 



169 



factory in the ordinary garden, since to be 

 effective a large number of plants must be 

 flowering at one and the same time, and will 

 consequently be out of flower at the same time ; 

 whereas if plants of the several seasons are 

 judicioush- mixed and the colours harmoniously 

 blended, a very beautiful effect is possible from 

 sjDring till autumn. 



In setting out the plants overcrowding must be 

 avoided, and the distance apart can be regulated 

 by the height to which the different subjects will 

 ultimately grow. The tallest kinds, which will 

 reach five or six feet, or more, should be planted 

 15 to 18 inches apart, the medium growers a foot, 

 and the dwarf est sorts six to nine inches. Much 

 depends, of course, on the habit of the plants and 

 the time they are to remain down. Some sub- 

 jects, such as Michaelmas Daisies, excepting the 

 Amellus section, benefit by annual division, 

 though this is not absolutely essential. The 

 amateur or employer who cannot afford un- 

 limited labour will find it impossible to lift a 

 large number of plants annuall}- , and will only do 

 those that are getting really poor. Much may be 

 done by thinning the 3'oung shoots when they are 

 a few inches high, an operation too often 

 neglected. It does not take long to run over a 

 few clumps every week as they advance and pull 

 out the weak and overcrowded shoots," leaving 

 only half a dozen or so of the best. Those left 

 will be more vigorous, and will flower more satis- 

 factorily than if a whole mass of weak growtlis 

 is allowed to develop. There is another 

 advantage in having strong sturdy growths — 

 they require less staking. It is a serious 

 matter to stake a large herbaceous border, 

 and the less we have of it the better. When 

 ordinary stakes and twine are used some skill is 

 required to prevent a stiff", unnatural appearance. 

 The natural habit of the plant should be pre- 

 served, as far as possible, by inserting the stakes 

 close to the roots and giving them an outward 

 tendency, concealing the stakes as much as 

 possible. For a great many plants of spreading 

 habit ordinary pea stakes are the best. They 

 may be of different heights to suit the plants, 

 and a few judicioush^ arranged round the various 

 groups afford all the support necessary, and are 

 soon hidden among the spreading shoots. 



The management of herbaceous plants subse- 

 quent to planting will therefore consist of 

 dividing such as are seen to be deteriorating, and 

 l)\' rigorously thinning out those that are formi:ig 

 dense masses of shoots. The soil in which they 

 are growing must also be kept rich by applica- 

 tions of rotten manure forked in between the 

 clumps cither in autumn or spring. The small 

 grower, ('si)ocially in suburban gardens, nuiy 

 have dillicult\ in ohtainin" a load of farmvard 



manure, but he may do much by applying a 

 dressing of basic slag in autunni, lightly pointing 

 it in at the rate of about three ounces to the 

 square yard, while superphosphate applied in the 

 same way in early spring, allowing two or three 

 ounces per square yard, is effective on soils 

 containing lime. These, as well as quick-acting 

 nitrogenous manures, can usually be obtained in 

 small quantities from seedsmen and nurserymen . 



It would be very difficult to mention all the I 

 herbaceous plants available nowadays, but it 1 

 may be helpful to the beginner if a brief list be 

 given of dwarf, medium and tall kinds. 



The front of the border maj- be made gay in 

 earh- spring with such low-growing subjects as 

 White Arabis, Aubrietias, Yellow Alyssum, 

 Polyanthuses, Myosotis, &c., which can be lifted 

 and replaced with annuals later if desired. 



A few good dwarf herbaceous plants Avould be 

 Campanula carpatica Isobel, C. glomerata, dark 

 blue ; Geranium grandiflorum, blue ; Geum Mrs. 

 Bradshaw, deep red ; Heuchera Flambeau, pink ; , 

 dwarf Irises, blue and yellow ; Linum perenne, 1 

 blue ; Meconopsis cambrica plena, orange ; 

 Oenothera fruticosa, yellow ; Polemonium 

 coeruleum, blue ; Thalictrum minus adianti- 

 folium, for its foliage, and Veronica spuria, blue. 



Medium height.— Achilha Perr} "s White ; 

 Aquilegias, long-sjourred hybrids of various 

 colours ; Aster acris, light blue ; Campanula 

 persicifolia varieties, blue and white ; Deli)hii)ium 

 Mrs. J. S. Brunt on, sky blue ; Gypsoi)hila pani- 

 culata plena, white ; Helenium autumnale i)umi- 

 lum, yellow ; Iris florentina, white, tinted 

 lavender ; Kniphotia corallina, coral red ; 

 Lupinus i3olyph3dlus, various colours ; Lychnis 

 chalcedonica, bright red ; Pyrethrum Queen 

 Mar}', pink. 



Tall growers. — Anchusa Dropmore variety, 

 blue ; Campanula lactiflora, pale blue : Chrys- 

 anthemum idiginosum, Avhite. late flowering ; I 

 Hehanthus rigidus Miss Mellish, rich yellow ; 1 

 Helenium autumnale rubrum, coppery red ; 1 

 Kniphofia Lord Roberts, scarlet ; Rudbeckia : 

 Golden Glow, yellow ; Solidago Shortii. >ellow ; 

 Galega officinalis, blue and white ; Delphinium, j 

 King of Delphiniums, gentian blue, and Ca])ri, | 

 sky blue : Aster Lil Fardel. i)ink ; and Aster i 

 Colwal Gem, double, pale l)lue. 



Useful sorts for cutting are.- Scabiosa j 

 caucasica, Achillea Perry's White, Gypso])hila j 

 paniculata plena, Camjjanula persicifolia and its 

 numerous varieties, Pyrethrums, single and j 

 double ; Chrysanthemum maximum Mrs. C. L. ! 

 Bell, Heucheras in variety. Aster amellus roseus | 

 and Rivers lea. Paeonia albiflora varieties, j 

 Doronicum ]3lantagineum, Gaillardias, and j 

 Hcliauthus rigidus. 



J. w. n. 



