The Irish Spi rge, in Woods at Kenmare, Co. Kerry. 



(Arfe?msia tiian'fima), too, thoug-h seldom seen 

 in gardens, is to my mind a better plant than 

 any of the alpine silver-leaved species which are 

 freely advertised. It grows wild abundantly on 

 various parts of our coast. The samphire, too, 

 will be found an interesting feature in a dry 

 corner, while the lovely sea gromwell {Merlensia 

 maritima) is quite exquisite in the garden ; but, 

 unfortunately, slugs find it so, too. 



About Dublin, or elsewhere on the limestone 

 area, the calcifuge or lime-avoiding plants must 

 be grown in a special soil. If we have a peat- 

 bed sloping down into the water-garden we have 

 conditions suitable for the growth of many of 

 the most beautiful and interesting of our Irish 

 plants. Two of the Pyrenean heaths, whose 

 presence renders Connemara famous among 

 botanists, are already well known in gardens — 

 namely, Ei-ica mediterranea and Dubeocia 

 polifolia. Of the latter there is a white form in 

 cultivation, and also the curious bicolor variety 

 in which the flowers on the same plant are 

 purple, pinkish, or white. The third of the rare 

 heaths of Connemara, Erica Mackaii, is equally 

 easy to grow, but is not so conspicuous a plant 

 as either of the foregoing. E. Craivfordii, 

 which is now being offered by nurserymen, is a 

 curious double form of this, found in Connemara 



by Mr. F. C. Crawford of Edinburgh in 1891. 

 In the bog-garden we may, with a little care, 

 successfully grow the beautiful great butterwort 

 (yPinguicuUi grandiflofd), an Alpine and Pyrenean 

 plant, which is also found abundantlv on the 

 hills of Cork and Kerry. 



The interesting droseras or sundews must 

 have full exposure combined with constant 

 wet, and the grass of Parnassus {Parnassia 

 pahistris) is well deserving of a place here, and 

 gives no trouble. Several of our native orchids, 

 also, look really well in the bog-garden — for 

 instance. Orchis maciilata, O. incarmita, 

 Epipactis palustris, Listera ova/a, Habcnaria 

 chlorantha. Here, also, we may plant another 

 most interesting native, the little blue-eyed grass 

 {Sisyrinchiuni angustifoliuvi)^ one of those 

 American species found in Ireland which provide 

 so difficult a problem to the student of 

 geographical botany. 



If we are blessed — or cursed — with a water- 

 garden, few plants will give greater pleasure 

 than the water violet (Hoitouia pahistris), 

 which is found in Co. Down. Its pink blossoms, 

 rising tier above tier out of the water, are most 

 graceful. The frog-bit {Hydroc/uiris Morsiis- 

 Raiitr), also, is a delightful little aquatic ; the 

 bladderworts {Utricularia), with their innumer- 



