2 4 



IRISH GARDENING 



Botanic Gardens. Its nearest relative is the 

 European P. corallina. In growth it is dwarf, 

 only about a foot and a half high. The stems 

 are' smooth and reddish, and bear handsome 

 divided foliage, green above and reddish on the 

 under surface. The flowers are solitary, prettily 

 crimped, a deep rose-pink in colour, cup-shaped, 

 and from 3^ to 4 inches across. The filaments 

 are purple, and bear yelkrw anthers, while the 



carpels are reddish-purple and quite s th. 



The flowers are produced in April, so that it is 

 one of the earliesl of the genus to flower. Must 

 IVouii's take a Ion 1 .! time to Mower when raised 

 from seeds, but P. Cambessedesi has (lowered in 

 about 2| years from the time of sowing. One 

 of the most striking points about the plant is 

 the brilliant crimson colour of the young stems 

 as they appear in spring ; many other hinds are 

 brighl in this way, yet none are quite so brilliant 

 as P. Cambessedesi. 



Beautiful effects can be obtained by beds of 

 Pa'onies with Daffodils planted between them. 

 The Daffodils flower when the Pseonies are 

 pushing up their growths, and the sofl yellows 

 form a pleasing combination with the browny- 

 red Paeony stems. 



There are other bulbs which could be planted 

 in Paeony beds to give a display in autumn, such 

 as the Gladiolus, while, if the Paeonies are 

 planted a fair distance apart, the foliage just 

 gives the needed protection to such Lilies as 

 L. Martagon, excelsum, candidum, an I L. tigri- 

 ninn. The common garden IVom (P. oflicinalis) 

 and other European species, although they do 

 best in an open position, yet are excellent 

 plants for a shady site, while for a grassy haul; 

 or naturalised in a meadow they are equally 

 suitable, and give fine bold effect s. 



The varieties ot the Chinese Paeony give us 

 the best garden plants, their satiny petals 

 ranging from snow white to blush pink crimson 

 and purple; some are almost as sweet scented 

 as the rose, and vary from double, semi double 

 to the beautiful single. They may be planted 

 up to the end of .March: large clumps can be 

 divided to about five or six crowns each, and 

 then need not be disturbed for many years to 

 come. Once planted in good soil all t hey require 



is to be left alone, lor they didike change. 



Paeonias rei el in a deep rich soil, and on the other 



hand soon show their resent menl to a poor 



hungry one by producing weak growth and few 



Hour,-. C. I'\ B. 



v^* e^* e^* 



( !( i\\ a U.\ r i.i g ( ' \\T \|:i;i. \. 



A silver's leaved species, with pretty pink 

 flowers; the stems are spreading only about 

 a foot high, so that it is well suited for the 

 rockery. Its home is in Southern Europe; 

 in Bulgaria it grows on <li> limestone hills. 



Plant Notes. 



[ris i;kti< ri.AT.v histrioides. 



A group of this charming Iris is indeed a most 

 welcome sight in the dark wintrj days of 

 January or February. The flowers, which are 

 produced before the leaves appear, arc from 

 i— 5 inches across, and of a beautiful violet blur 

 colour. The ridge of the fall is a bright golden 

 yellow, and the falls are tinged with white The 

 flowers possess a delicate fragrance which is mosl 

 pronounced when the plants are growing in a 

 sheltered position. I! gathered when in bud the 

 flowers lasl over a week in water. The base of 

 a south wall is an ideal position for this Iris. 



SCABK ISA ( All 'A-H A. 



This plant, a native <>r the Caucasus, was intro- 

 duced to this country in 1803. It is one of the 

 most useful subjects for the front of the herbaceous 

 border. It grows from 1 3 feel high, and the 

 flowers, which are of a beautiful suit lilac blue, 

 are borne continuouslj from .June to August, 

 being carried on stiff stalks about 1 foot long and 

 lasting well in water; they arc much prized for 

 cutting. The variety alba hears beautiful pure 

 white flowers. S. caucasioa perfecta is a vast 

 improvement on the type. The plant is readily 

 propagated by division of the root stock in earlj 

 autumn or spring, or seeds may be -own when 

 ripe in the open border or in boxes — S. R . 



< '( INYOLVl'l.lS \ I.TII ] ( u DES. 



The correct name of the plant usually grown 

 in gardens under this name is Convolvulus 

 tenuissimus ; it is a beautiful hardy climber, 

 with leave, digitately divided into lone- narrow 

 segments of a lovely silver colour, and hears 

 brighl pink (lowers. When established it is 

 inclined to spread quickly by underground 

 stems. The true Convolvulus alt haoides. 

 although rarer, is not such a good garden 

 plant : it is more hairy, with leaves not so 

 deeply divided or so silvery: the flowers are 

 larger, but of a duller pink. The radical leaves 



of both species are usually entire. The plant 



figured in the Botanical Magazine T. 359 as 



('. althaoides is really ('. tenuissimus. 



I > M'UM'S. 



Three beautiful ami strongly-scented Daphnes 

 are now iii flower at the end of January nam el \ . 

 I). Mezercum, I >. blagayana and D. Dauphini. 

 I), blagayana, a native of Carniolia, is a dwarf 

 spreading i vergreen with clustered white flowers, 

 well suited for the rockery. Daphne Dauphini 



is a hybrid of I ». serieea and odora : its sweet - 



scented reddish flowers are usuallj produced 

 in February; being both evergreen and hardy, 

 it is ;i shrub which ought to be more extensivelj 



planted ill gardens. Both white and red forms 



of tic beautiful Daphne Mezercum ate largely 

 grown, but care is required where children are 

 about, a- the berries are poisonous. Linnaeus 

 in his Flora Lapponica writes: " I have seen 

 the peasantry in Scania give one of the berries 

 to their companions bj way of a joke. After 

 it has been a time ingested, it produces a burning 

 heal in the throat, which the sufferer endeavours 

 to extinguish bj copious draughts of ale: but 



this is like pouring oil u] the fire ; hence they 



• •all the plant Sorbypeppar and Kcellerhals— 

 i.e., cellar-opener." 



