62 



IRISH GARDENING. 



being established, it is important, to ensure success, 

 that care should be taken at the start to see that the 

 ground is dug through and cleared of roots and a 

 liberal supply of manure worked in. In poor and dry 

 soils the ground should be dug two spades deep. In 

 soils of a loamy nature one spade deep will suffice. The 

 best effects are produced by planting bold groups of a 

 good size, and also in having well-established strong 

 plants, as they have to make their way often under 

 adverse conditions. 



ScHiZANTHis WISETONENSIS. — This is a beautiful 

 annual, fitted either for pot or border culture. Large 

 plants for a summer display in the conservatory are 

 generally grown in seven and eight-inch pots. An 

 edging line for the front of the plant stages can also be 

 had by sowing schizanthus now and confining them 

 to four-inch pots. When pot-bound they commence 

 flowering, and with the aid of some liquid manure 

 growth will be sustained and a long season of bloom 

 kept up. In a warm, sheltered part of the garden try a 

 few outside at the end of May. They flower best where 

 the soil is poor and moderately dry. Rich soil only 

 encourages rank, soft growth with but little flower. 



The Pergola. — Perhaps it is not yet too late in the 

 year to draw attention to the making of a pergola in 

 the garden. A pergola is a delightful feature in a 

 garden of any size — even on the smallest suburban plot 

 between a front door and gate to public road — and one 

 of its many charms is the opportunity it aff'ords for 

 admiration and enjoyment of so many beautiful plants, 

 which otherwise would seldom be seen, owing to their 

 requiring to some extent artificial support. The pergola 

 may be elaborate and costly, but there is no necessity 

 for anything of the sort ; the simple rustic ones, which 

 can easily be made by an intelligent "handy" person, 

 being perhaps the most pleasing. A great saving in 

 timber may also be effected b)' a rather free use of wire, 

 especially at the top of the structure. Gardeners are 

 ever ready to impart information to others interested 

 in gardening, and a visit to a garden where a good per- 

 gola exists — and there given a few first-hand particulars 

 in reference to the building — will be far more helpful 

 than following written directions. When planting the 

 furnishing plants see that the drainage is good, and 

 give the roots an abundance of good soil to feed on. 



Pansies and Violas. — Few flowers are more general 

 favourites ; fairly heavy, rich soil suits them best. It 

 should be prepared by digging and the incorporation of 

 well-decayed cow or horse manure. The best position 

 is one not too sunny nor too shady. One generally sees 

 them planted as a front line to the ribbon border, or as 

 edgings round beds ; but the whole of a border devoted 

 to violas, with their diverse and rich tints, is something 

 to be remembered. At the Scottish National Exhibition 

 last year a wide border planted wholly of violas in 

 different colours was a novel and interesting exhibit. 

 Violas are true perennials, and keep growing after 

 starting to flower, and give a continuous succession of 

 bloom from the spring months to the autumn. Let the 

 planting be done early this month before the ground 

 gets too hot and dry. 



Standard Fuch.sl\s. — In the People's Gardens, 

 Phoenix Park, last year, quite a distinct feature was 

 made with standard fuchsias, and very beautiful they 



were. For "dotting " in large beds and mixing in a 

 border where flowering shrubs is desired, fuchsias are a 

 decided acquisition. Of course it takes time to grow 

 these from cuttings, but something may be done with 

 second year plants. Trim off the side branches, and 

 so form a clean stem, leaving only a few at the top, and 

 train these out to form a head. Keep growing on the 

 plants indoors in a light, airy structure to get them as 

 large as possible, and after being hardened oft finally 

 place in their summer quarters about the second week 

 in June. Pick off all flowers that appear till they go out 

 of doors, the object being to get all the strength into the 

 making of growth instead. 



Sweet Violets. — No one should neglect the culture 

 of these sweet flowers, and a place should be devoted 

 to them in the flower garden where ladies may conveni- 

 ently pick a few fresh blooms when they feel disposed. 

 When new growths are made in .April and May a piece 

 of ground for them should be well manured, working in 

 a good share of leaf-mould. The runners may then be 

 raised with a fork, and the best rooted selected and 

 planted nine inches apart each way. Give partial shade 

 in bright weather after planting, and throughout the 

 summer the\' ought not to be allowed to suffer for want 

 of water. Runners that appear during summer should 

 be picked off. In this way fine plants will be obtained 

 bv the end of September, and will bloom more or less 

 according to the weather, but, of course, more profusely 

 during the following spring. 



Planting. — A good deal of thought is necessary this 

 month to plant what will give a succession of flowers 

 through the summer and autumn. Herbaceous plants 

 are now so largely grown and found to be so satisfactory 

 that the perennial border has largely superseded the old- 

 time summer bedding-out arrangement. Towards the 

 middle of this month, if the weather keeps favourable. 

 Lobelia cardinalis in variety may be planted ; these 

 give valuable flowers for autumn effect. Hybrid gladioli 

 is unequalled when grown in masses or clumps in the 

 border. The bulbs should be planted four inches deep 

 and fifteen inches apart. If the soil is cold and heavy 

 a little coarse sand around each bulb when planting will 

 help the young roots. They may also get a preliminary 

 start in boxes placed in slight heat, and when three 

 inches high harden off and plant out. The taste 

 for autumn flowering chrysanthemums still increases, 

 and, in addition, to established favourites, which most 

 gardens have a few of, the single flowering sorts are 

 also available. It is now possible to have quite a 

 show of singles in the garden during September and 

 October. Good sorts that will be found useful are 

 Earlswood Beauty, Walton Bradbury, Dora Godfrey, 

 Ladysmith, Lorna Dando and Glads Hemsley. The 

 pentstemon has few equals for massing in beds 

 or borders. They are much larger and brighter in 

 colour than they were some years back, succeeding in 

 any good garden soil, and if enriched with some good, 

 decayed manure the flowering season will be prolonged. 

 The variety, Newbury Gem, is of a very free dwarf habit, 

 and is smothered with graceful spikes of a glowing 

 scarlet. It is excellent either in lines or beds, and also 

 a capital thing for cutting. Second year plants yield 

 the best supply of flower. Canterbury bells, choice 

 carnations, hollyhocks, antirrhinums and other plants 



