54 



IRISH GARDENING 



As mentioned earlier in these notes, the 

 nature of the staple soil must be considered in 

 deciding whether much peat will have to be used 

 or not. Many of the herbaceous plants quoted 

 as thriving in a peat mixture would probably 

 do quite as well in some kinds of rich, moist 

 loam. Peat in itself contains very little nutri- 

 ment, but acts as a sponge to retain water, 

 hence the necessity for mixing it with loam and 

 rotten manure for the herbaceous plants. 



With regard to the shrubs noted above, they 

 mostly belong to the Heath or Erica family, 

 and live naturally on peaty soils, and are 

 apparently able to extract therefrom sufficient 

 nourishment bo sustain them, and anything in 

 the way of rank manure is to them fatal. 



Auriculas. 



How these erstwhile garden favourites seem to 

 have dropped from public favour ! We remem- 

 ber when the small cottage garden was not 

 considered complete without them (perhaps not 

 so much in Ireland as in England), yet they are 

 quite seldom seen nowadays. Some of the older 

 and commoner sorts, beautiful and easily culti- 

 vated as they were, are to-day almost rare in 

 comparison. 



As with many others of our grandsires' 

 favourites, they are. however, we are glad to 

 note, returning somewhat to favour again, and 

 it is well that this is so. for few spring flowers 

 equal them in beauty, none in delicious fragrance, 

 and there is no easier flower to cultivate. 



The original Auricula is said to have been of a 

 pale primrose colour, with very powdered leaves. 

 From this parent came the leu old favourites 

 we used to know, but there was not, in our 

 younger days, the enormous variety of colours 

 that hybridists have now succeeded in producing. 



There are two varieties of Auricula, viz., the 

 •"Show" and the "Alpine." and it is parti 

 cularly with the latter we would treat to-dav. 

 as this is the hardy and more useful sort, and 

 the more likely to be popular on account of 

 their adaptability for rock gardens or borders, 

 as they are perfectly hardy, mind winter frosts 

 very little, and recuperate in early spring in a 

 really marvellous way. >ven alter the most 

 severe winter. They are easily raised from 



seed, sown for preference, under protection in 

 early spring pricked out when lit to handle into 

 "nursery" beds of nice, light rich soil (leaf 

 mould should form a big percentage of this 

 compost), and finally planted out in autumn 

 where desired to (lower. Seed, however, can be 

 sown on almost any day of the year, if the 

 extra time and trouble can be expended on 

 them to carry them through their first winter. 



The seed, being quite small, should be sown 

 on firm, level, fine soil, in shallow boxes rather 

 than in pots, and should on no account be 

 covered with^soil : treat similarly to Begonia 

 seed in thej^sowing. They come along but 

 slowly, but to the keen enthusiastic gardener 

 this perhaps but enhances their value. 



Really " good " strains of Alpine Auriculas are 

 not to be had for the asking, and it is worth 

 paying an extra shilling or two for a genuine 

 good strain as the variety of colouring, robust- 

 ness of constitution and floriferous habit are of 

 special value in Alpine "' Rics." 



For those who have not the patience or time 

 to spare in raising from seed, we would commend 

 the purchase of choice one-year-old seedlings, as 

 the immense variety of colouring attainable 

 even in a dozen or two of seedlings is truly 

 wonderful, and a great source of delight. 



For the ordinary amateur, who has often only 

 a limited sum to expend, it is hardly possible to 

 buy " named " varieties, owing to their cost, but 

 those who can afford to border with particular 

 shades of yellow, for instance, will find them 

 " extra " for that purpose. 



We have in our mind's eye a winding shrub 

 border, or rather a semi-wild border backed with 

 evergreen and flowering shrubs, and bordered 

 with a triple ribbon edge of Alpine Auriculas, 

 principally of two or three shades of yellow, and 

 some three or four purples and deep dark 

 crimsons. The bordering was perhaps 21 inches 

 wide — a perfectly glorious blending of colours, 

 and a sheet of bloom, which, once seen, was not 

 easily forgotten. Alas ! where those beauties 

 then flourished, now grow brambles and weeds ; 

 the spacious lawns and croquet grounds are the 

 habitat of cottagers' asses and goats, and a visit 

 after some twenty five years to this once charm- 

 ing spot was a thing to regret for long after. 

 Sic transit gloria mundi. 



Those, who boast a cool greenhouse, even an 

 indicated one. can revel in these charming 

 flowers, as they make excellent pot plants, and 

 are of the easiest culture. They like good drain 

 a<e. linn potting, moderately rich light soil : let 

 them not suffer from drought, yet do not allow 

 stagnant water at the root. They come in 

 under cold treatment, in March April, and in 

 the open border from the end of March to 

 middle of May. thus brightening our dark rooms. 

 or dreary borders, at a time they are particularly 



short of all but bulbous subjects. 



We are glad to see the Auricula, is being taken 

 up by some Irish nurserymen again, and have; 

 no doubt thai we shall soon be treated to a 

 feast of bloom at some of our spring shows, 

 where they have been conspicuous by their 

 absence for many years 



M. S. S. 



