IRISH GARDENING 



119 



f.iirly li.irdy at niasiicvin in .< sin iibbery. A small 

 plant, pm oiil about lour yt-ars ayo, has flowcrird 

 nniiiially, and is now about six li-i:t liif;'' ^i' 'our 

 fool through, anil jjives promise of making a handsomo 

 speoinioii. Tho loa\es are rounill)' wodgo-shapod and 

 strongly loolhoil, and tho rich pinplo-bluo llowors iiro 

 froolv produootl in April and .Slay along tho previous 

 year's shoots. ('. thyr.sitloriis, tho (alilbrnian Lilac, 

 is a h.'iiulsoino, hanh- species, somotinios confused 

 with C div.iricatus. Il bears ov.ilo, glossy, green 

 leaves, the margins of uliiih .iro furnishod willi small 

 glands, as is the case with most (.'eanotluises. Tho 

 flowers, which are bright blue in colour, are freely 

 produced in May and Juno, and last for several weeks 

 in beauty. This species is a strong, vigorous grower. 



localities, but ni most districts they are quite bare by 

 spring. The two chief species are i*. amorii.'iiuis and 

 C azureus, the former with small, white (lowers and 

 the latter with pale blue flowers. The Ic.ivcs in both 

 species are much larger than most of the evergreen 

 kinds and are ov.itc, tapering to a point, finely toothed 

 with a soft grey down on the under surface. There is 

 a very beauliful variety of C. amorioanus, namely 

 opacus, which bo.irs lovely ihyrscs of pale pink (lowers. 

 Most of the popular garden varieties seem 10 have 

 boon derived from those two species, and resemble 

 thom in habit of growth, but many new and charming 

 shades have boon obtained. A great many forms have 

 been distributed from lime to lime, but no attempt will 

 be made to name Ihrm all. A few only which have 



L KANO I m > 1 }n K^U- IJ iKl 



I.N SiK Kn\\ARi> \'ek.\kks C'.akdk.n. 



suitable for either a shrubbery or for covering a wall. 

 Tho specimens illuslraled show ihe value of this species 

 for wall culture. Tlioy are growing in tho gardens ol 

 .Sir Kdward \erner, Bart., al CorUo Abbey, Kray, and 

 were planted out from small pots in .May, irjob. C 

 thvrsitiorus viir. griseus is a distinct plant with larger 

 loaves than the type and bearing thyrses of light grey, 

 blue flowers. It is sometimes distributed as C. 

 integerrimus. which is a different species. C. ih. 

 griseus is confined to the Monterey Peninsula. C. 

 V'eitchianus is likewise from California, from whence it 

 was introduced by Messrs. X'eilch many years ago. 

 Il is one of the best of all llie earlier flowering kinds, 

 covering itself with bright blue flowers annually. Th 

 leaves are somewhat rounded and rather wedge 



shaped, the margins slightly toothed. It grows well 

 with others in a shrubbery at Glasnevin, and is beautiful 

 when grown against a wall. 



Deciduois SpfxiKs. — .Some of the following kinds 

 retain their leaves well into winter, especiall)' in mild 



been grownal Cilasno\in will provide a fair selection : - 

 C. .\lborl I'ittot, a free-flowering variety, bearing fine 

 rosy, lilac blossoms ; C. aUnis plenus, with compact 

 thyrses of flesh-coloured flowers ; C. Ceres, good spikes 

 of rose flowers ; C. Charles Detriche, fine large m- 

 florescences of dark blue flow ers ; C. Croix du Sud, 

 intense blue : C. Georges Simon, rose lilac : C. Gloire 

 de riantieres, a lovelv form with beautiful azure blue 

 flowers ; C. Gloire deVersailles, one of the finest with 

 large spikes of lavender blue ; C. Indigo, one of the 

 best, with deep violet blue flowers: C. Le Gaulois, 

 rosv purple ; C. lustre, carmine rose ; C. Palymra, rosy 

 vioiet ; C. ringuet-Guindon, a very boautiiul sort, with 

 fine rose-coloured flowers ; C. Sirius. brilhanl blue 

 flowers. 



In addition to the species noted above there are 

 several others known to cultivation, but the true plants 

 are not commonly met with outside .1 verv few- Botanic 

 gardens. 



