OCTOBER 



IRISH GARDENING. 



J53 



Switzerland of our bluebell ; it is tlien that the 

 anemones and primulas and gentians are at their best, 

 thoug^h, of course, in higher altitudes they linger on till 

 after mid-summer. Again, it is in April and May 

 that as soon as the melting snows expose the dull 

 brown-sward, it gets carpetted with millions of blue and 

 white crocus and the delicate mauve bells of the 

 Soldanella. Well may our author-painter say he knows 

 "no more dreamlike or inspiring sight than when in 

 early spring-time the mystic Alps, ridding themselves 

 of their superfluous snows, are thundering down 

 avalanches over their mighty crags anil cliffs, and yet 

 the while, in the tranquil, grassy foreground lies a 

 lovely new born wealth of Soldanella." All these April 

 scenes are wonderfully pourtrayed in a series of 

 exquisite views. Nor a:re the marsh marigolds for- 

 gotten, keeping company with the bright pink Primula 

 farinosa and the dull yellow P. elatior, with the Argen- 

 tine peak towering in the background. The drawing 

 of Gentiana verna and the Glacier de Plan Neve 

 reminds one of the unrivalled work of Edward Compton 

 both in its accuracy of detail, its atmosphere and 

 colouring. 



The series of views painted in simimer comprises 

 pictures of the Thomasia garden, the garden on the 

 summit of the Rochers des Naye, the second highest 

 in Europe, and the beautiful Jardin de la Linnea at 

 Bourg St. Pierre, that last quaint village on the Swiss 

 side of the Great St. Bernard Pass. We give a photo 

 of Mr. Flemwell painting in the Linnea Garden, where 

 three thousand kinds of plants from various parts of 

 the world can be seen flourishing in the midst of scenery 

 which itself is worth the long tramp up the dusty road 

 to see. 



Another beautiful drawing gives the combination of 

 blue gentians and pink .Silene acaulis. The scene of 

 this and several charming views of flower-bedecked 

 pastures ready for the scythe is laid at the Col de la' 

 Forciaz, between Chamonix and Martigny, a spot our 

 artist loves and knows so well. The last picture in the 

 book, a September idyll with Apollo butterfles hovering 

 over some tall, hillside thistles in front of the Aiguille 

 du Tour, is a gem of ethereal colouring, and it reminds 

 us that our friend is an ardent entomologist also. 



Space does not allow us to say more about the letter- 

 press, which is instructive and yet so readable. Those 

 who wish information about the colours of Alpine flowers, 

 their habits and characteristics, &c., cannot do better 

 than get this attractive volume for themselves. It is 

 not impossible that in reading it they may be led to 

 think of theories in regard to the remarkable distribu- 

 tion of certain Alpine plants in the west of Ireland, and 

 particularly to the fact that not a few in the Emerald 

 Isle descend to the level of the ocean, while they 

 reappear on the summits of the highest Scotch 

 mountains, and are often fouiul at more than twice 

 that height in the .Alps. 



e^* ^^ t^^ 



In rose-time or in berr\-time. 

 When ripe seeds fall or buds peep out. 



While green the turf or white the rime. 

 There's something to be glad about. 



Chrysanthemums at Clontarf. 



CLONTARF ! When the name is mentioned we 

 think of the eager curiosity of a boy seated 

 o\\ the sea-wall who shyly asks a friendly passer- 

 by if this is the place where the battle was fought. 

 Yes. Here the Gael overcame the Gaul. Out there 

 on the tide the Norse galleys rode on Good Friday, 

 1014. Here the Northern men made their last stand 

 before they broke to their ships. The hope of a 

 supreme dynasty for Ireland ended in that Irish victory. 

 Brian died here, his son and grandson having perished 

 in the battle. 



" And where are the Cliiefs with whom Brian went forth ? 

 The never vanquished sons of Erhi the brave ; 

 The great king of Onaght, renowned for his worth, 

 And the hosts of Uaskinn from the western wave." 



Ships are out on the tide to-day, but they are ships 

 of merchandise, not of war. The industrial side of the 

 city is seen from here, with its wharfs and warehouses, 

 its factories and tall chimneys, from which the grey 

 smoke streams lazily in the quiet air. Clontarf is now 

 a nexus of industrialism, the trains to and from the 

 north rumble past, and the whirr of electric cars beats 

 the air with ceaseless monotony. The promontory and 

 the hills are as of old. Before us is the outstanding 

 peak of the Golden Spears, now miscalled the Sugarloaf. 

 Beside us is Howth — Ben Edar of old — "Clear head 

 over sea of gulls," as the Ossianic poem described it. 

 Here on the margin of the bay and on the outskirts of 

 industrial Dublin the Messrs. Watson have established 

 a thriving nursery from which plants are distributed to 

 thousands of Irish homes. Surely the peace for which 

 Brian strove so bravely is symbolised in its broad acres 

 of carefully-tended beds, full of young plants destined 

 to meet the requirements of a people awakening to the 

 delights of gardening. 



Our attention was mainly directed to chr\santlu'munis 

 and carnations. The chrysanthemums here are interest- 

 ing not only with regard to varieties grown but also 

 because the\- are allowed to grow natiu-allv and as they 

 will. 



Amongst the old favourites Horace Martin was a 

 glow of yellow, and one could not fail to be struck with 

 the new F"rench kinds which are coming to the front in 

 a remarkable manner ; perhaps together with the 

 several Marie Masse varieties none are more hand- 

 some or useful. Specially noticeable are some lovely 

 new pink earl}- kinds with broad solid flowers, produced 

 erectly and plentifully on plants of compact and sturdy 

 habit. Few of these exceed a couple of feet in height, 

 and they are exquisite garden decorators as well 

 as being delightful for cutting in September and 

 October. 



Amongst the earliest pink kinds of outstanding merit 

 we must include Normandie, a charming soft pink of 

 dwarf habit, with broad petals and of great size ; 

 James Bateman, a deeper pink, capital in habit, 

 shape, and size ; Provence, a large, smooth, coral 

 pink, with gold centre, a lovely thing ; and Mignon, 

 a taller kind with large flowers of pale ro.se or mauve. 

 In white varieties few are superior to La Parisienne, 

 with elegant feathery flowers in wonderful profusion ; 



