94 



IRISH GARDENING 



Dwarf Hardy Rhododendrons. 



IN this large and g-eiierally beautiful genus, repre- 

 sentatives of whicii are found in India, China, 

 Japan, North America, Europe, iVc, there are 

 several dwarf species — some of quite recent introduc- 

 tion — which are useful in many ways in parks and 

 gardens. Moist, sandy peat, free from lime, and sheltered 

 from roug-h winds, provide the best conditions for llu- 

 successful cultivation of these and oilier Rhododen- 

 drons. 



For informal groups or beds neai- li\' oi" among pine 

 these dwarf species are 

 well suited, as it often 

 happens that a healthy 

 soil which suits many 

 pines pro\'ides. with 

 little trouble, iust the 

 right conditions for 

 Rhododendrons. On 

 the other hand, they 

 may be planted equally 

 well near to deciduous 

 trees in such a way thai 

 they will be screeneil 

 from the hot summer 

 sun and protected from 

 cold, hard winds. 



The shad}- side of 

 the rock-garden also 

 may be made l.eauliful 

 and interesting b}- 

 planting groups and 

 colonies c>f these dwarf 

 Rhododendrons in 

 association with hard)' 

 Heaths, Gaultherias, 

 Ledums. X'acciniums, 

 and other members oi' 

 the same family. 



Two of the better 

 known species are R. 

 ferrugineum and R. 

 hirsutum, both known 

 as " The.Mpine Rose" 



and both found wild on the European Alps. Those who 

 have seen them in their native habitat speak highly of 

 their beauty, and they prove equally charming under 

 cultivation. Of low, somewhat rambling habit, both 

 may be suitably used on the rock-garden and about the 

 approaches thereto. Both are evergreen, bearing small 

 leaves of a rusty or brownish colour on the under 

 surface, and dense heads of flowers rose-red with yellow 

 spots in the case of R. ferrugineum and bright red with 

 tiny brown spots in R. hirsutum. There is, in addition, a 

 rather pretty, white-flowered form of R. ferrugi- 

 neum. 



The "Indian Azalea" (R. indicum) is commonly 

 grown in gardens as a greenhouse shrub, but is repre- 

 sented in the outdoor garden by R. amitnum, a Chinese 

 form, classed by botanists as a form of R. indicum. It 

 forms a neat, low-growing shrub, two or three feel high 



when matin-c, bearing sniall, deep-green, ovate leii\es 

 unA clusters of bright magenta-coloured flowers, 



R. indicum 7'«;-. balsamin;eflorum, much belter known 

 as .\zalea ros^flora, is one of the most beautiful dwarf 

 shrubs imaginable. It is of a more trailing habit than 

 the last-named, well suited for hanging over a friendly- 

 stone. The plant is evergreen and bears attractive, 

 salmon-red, double blossoms in early summer. 



R. intricatum is quite a lecent introduction frcm 

 Yunnan. It is said to reach a height of three feel, but 

 plants a foot or so high flower frcel)-. The flowers are 

 violet-blue, nearlv the same shade .as those of Primula 



s marginala. The tiny leaves 



/•halo by] 



Rill iDODENDRO.N 1 RACF.MllSl'.M. 



are covered with small 

 whitish scales, giving 

 the plant a hoary 

 appearance quite uni- 

 tpie. Flowering in 



March antl .\pril. 



K. kamlschaticimii 

 from North .\sia and 

 -N o r 1 h - W e s t e r n 

 -Vmerica, forms a low, 

 procumbent shrub, 



some six or nine 

 inches high. The 



leaves ;ire deciduous, 

 more oi loss oval in 

 shape, aiul ihe solitary 

 flowers carmine pur- 

 ple. .\ useful rockery 

 subiect. 



R. I :\ p p o n i c u m, 

 foiuid in the .Arctic 

 regions, is a dwarf 

 species, growing some 

 six inches high, bear- 

 ing small, rather ovate 

 or elliptic, leaves, 

 which are furnished 

 with brownish scales. 

 Flowers bell-shaped 

 and r o s \- p u r p I e 

 in colour. 



R. racemosum, intro- 

 duced from Yunnan 

 over twenly years ago, 

 is an extremely prelly species, producing in April 

 abundance of lovely pink and white flowers. It is 

 a useful kind for beds antl makes a charming subject for 

 Ihe rock-garden. 



R. rubigiiKisum, which may reach a height of three 

 feet, is another Yunnanese species. It is evergreen, 

 bearing corymbs of rosy-red flowers in spring. 



^* e^* 5^^ 

 HO.N'OIR I'OK HOKTU ll.riKAL .SillCNTI.sr. 

 \Vk learn thai the King has been pleased to confer 

 the honour of knighthood on Mi-. Harry James X'eitch. 

 Mr. \'eilch was one of the oflicials who received the 

 King and Queen and other members of the Royal 

 Family when the}' visited the International Horticul- 

 tural Exhibition at Chelsea. He has done much for 

 the science of horticullure. 



