7- 



IRISH GARDENING 



rallior oversliadowi-ii by llu> rose, not a p,irtii.ularly 

 good plant, which oooupied the oentiv ; the third prize 

 (Mr. T. F. Lrozier. Slillorjfan) was awarded to a nice 

 table containinj,^ some j^ood cyclamen and schi/.an- 

 thus. thoii.uh the plants were if anything a liillc 

 crowded. Some tine antluuinms were the feature o( 

 llu- lourlh exhibit There were oni\ two entries 

 tor the amaryilis (six pots) class, the lirsl pii/i- 

 i^roiips containing six excellent specimens, very even 

 in quality, each plant having- four tlowers on the stalk. 

 Pelargoniums were aj^fain well shown. 



Competition was limited in the class for i^^loxinias, hut 

 the first prize jjronps well deserved the award. Tree 

 carnations should secure a larg-er entry, as they are a 

 popular and useful plant. .\ ifood display of deutzias 

 secured first prize for Mr. F. \'. Westby, and the class 

 was generally well filled with excellent specimens. 

 Cinerarias, and particularly the Stellata groups, were 

 well shown through the show, those staged by Mr. S. 

 H. Cochrane being especially noticeable, though on 

 some of these advertising labels were unnecessarily 

 obtrusive. 



Narcissi were, of course, a feature of the show ; it 

 anything the quality of the blooms was above the 

 average. Mr. C. M. Doyne secured the challenge cup for 

 collection of fifty varieties. The flowers were of fine 

 quality, and thoroughly representative of the various 

 sections. The use of the three tier-staging gave the 

 exhibitors a better opportunity for displaying their 

 blooms to advantage. 



In the class for roses (twenty-four bloomsj there was 

 keen competition. The first prize collection was a 

 really splendid display of blooms, among which Brides- 

 maid and Mrs. Edward Mawley were particularly 

 good. 



The St. Bridgid anemones were very fine, the flowers 

 shown were large, full, and distinct in colour, both in 

 the first and second prize collections. A special ex- 

 hibit of these popular plants from Miss White, of Gow- 

 ran, Kilkenny, was awarded a silver medal. 



Some good specimens of apples were shown, but 

 vegetables were moderate and somewhat even, with the 

 exception of broccoli and cucumbers, which were good. 

 Four silver and three gold medals and one cultural 

 certificate were awarded, and two trade exhibits were 

 highly commended. 



An exceptionally good trade exhibit of spraying ap- 

 pliances was shown at Mr. D. M. Watson's (Horticul- 

 tural Chemist) stand which apparently excited much 

 interest. Mr. Watson was kept very busy giving 

 technical instruction in the use of spraying fluids to 

 many enquirers. 



japan in Ireland. 



PLEASING as the Tully Japanese Garden was to 

 visitors of the Spring Show at Ballsbridge, it 

 would also be a joy to many to have the large 

 and varied collection of plants used in making that 

 garden of eastern beauty. But next to having them is 

 talking of them, so we propose to make a few cultural 

 notes on the most worthy of subjects. Primulas played 

 an important part in the Alpine flora, and several im- 



portant new species were shown. P. nuiscarioides — 

 which is very happily nametl, for its colour and form 

 .'ire iiulecd like the grape hyacinth — the pl.mts shown 

 have been grown in the shade of a golden Ketinispora, 

 anil when flowering the heads of the flowers made a nice 

 ilispl.iy, which shows the use of that plant when it 

 hi'conu's pliMitifui. This pl.int loves leaf soil and decayed 

 wood. P. I'orreslii- this plant comes into commerce 

 with ;i haiily name, and it is said to live as long as loo 

 yens in its Tintive home. It is not so wonderfully 

 licuilitul, yet it makes up for that by the leaves giving 

 tin- fragr.incc of ripe fruit, which is stronger when aided 

 i)y its flower. This new plant likes Ireland, for the black 

 hog soil with sand mixed through it seems its only need 

 with us. P. Lichiatigensis is in the way of P.Cortusoides. 

 but is larger and eaiiier to flower, and seen side by side 

 as at Dublin leaves little doubt that the former has 

 come to stay. We have this plant growing in our wild 

 garden, and it is getting no special treatment, and is 

 doing well. P. -f- Mrs. Hall Walker, shown for the 

 first time, is of the margurata tribe, but has a sweet 

 fragratice which is always pleasing, and the colour is a 

 soft lavender with a large flower and strong habit > 

 likes dry treatment. P. spectabilis — the form seen at 

 Japan in Ireland was generally stated to be finer than 

 the type, but that is only due to culture. This primula 

 succeeds best when top dressed very heavy with cow- 

 manure ; if it gets starved it does not flower, and even 

 if it does the flowers are small. P. Mrs. Wilson — in 

 this plant we have two forms, one being much larger 

 and better in colour than the other, but cultural points 

 may account for this. But our best form was grown on 

 the rocks in our Japanese Garden at Tully-, while the 

 smaller was in pots. This seems good to know, 

 and it is one of the best of primulas for Alpine 

 rock gardens. P. algida Siberica was shown, which 

 is not common and is in the way of P. farinosa, 

 but not so strong. The latter was seen in rare form, 

 it having been grown by the water side in peat. 

 This plant is generally treated too dry-, and it will pay- 

 to make a bog garden plant of it from our experience. 

 Primula Cashmiriana rub_y a fine dark form with a 

 golden eye was shown, but in this primula so many 

 forms are seen that to name one form as better than 

 another is rather out of the question ; to say the most it 

 is pleasing to have good shades in this useful primula. 

 P. capitata was also seen with its silver-like leaves and 

 violet-coloured flowers. This plant likes water so long 

 as it is not stagnant ; it is seen best when used in masses. 

 The well known P. Japonica was also seen in good 

 form, but one of the most beautiful was P. nivalis, which 

 is in fact a w-hite form of P. viscosa. This plant is not 

 often seen as good as at Ballsbridge, it had been 

 treated dry all the winter, and the crowns had got 

 quite hard and ripe. When the flower showed it was 

 given a plentiful supply of water, and the result was seen 

 by many stems carrying twenty flowers. P. denticulata 

 alba was also seen in good style. Other good plants 

 worthy of note were Sanquinaria canadensis, the Blood 

 root. This plant does well in Ireland, and with its 

 anemone star-like flowers gives a pleasing change to 

 other spring beauties. Saxifragas were seen in good 

 form, and our old friend Rhei is still one of the best, 

 also Lindesiana, which is always valued because of its 



