Ii6 



IRISH GARDENING 



Although Roses are the chief culture there are 

 other interests. Perpetual flowering Carnations 

 are largely grown, also Liliums, kc, for the cut- 

 flower trade. Mr. M'Gredy is remarkably suc- 

 cessful in propagating the double white Gypso- 

 phila from cuttings, and has distributed many 

 thousands. 



" Hawleabk," Newtownaeds. 



Our next view of the Rose industry was at 

 Newtownards, where we had the privilege of 

 visiting tlif famous nurseries of Alex. Dickson & 

 Sons, Ltd., a name to conjure witli in the world 

 of Roses. Although Mr. Geo. Dickson. Junior, 

 had just returned from the National Rose 

 Society's Show, he at once gave us his best 

 attention, and subsequently placed us in charge 

 of Mr. Hugh Dickson, who presides over the seed 

 business, and the very capable nursery foreman. 



After a run through the enormous houses 

 devoted to seedling Roses and Carnations we 

 proceeded direct to the Rose tields. The par- 

 ticular one we were able to inspect contained 

 100,000 plants, the picture <>i' health and vigour, 

 and comprising all the leading varieties of the 

 day, and that is tantamount to saying that 

 home-raised varieties were numerous. Another 

 field some distance away contained, we were told, 

 150,000 plants, while the seedling trial Held we 

 could only glance at in passing. The vigorous 

 appearance of the plants was remarkable, and 

 bespoke a Rose soil and good cultivation, and the 

 long rows, mostly of one sort, provided a unique 

 opportunity of noting the habit and various 

 characteristics (if each variety. Naturally, the 

 " Hawlmark " novelties of recent years were 

 well represented, and a finer lot probably does not 

 exist. Where all are so line it is difficult t<> par- 

 ticularize. To attempt to describe this or that 

 variety as very line, superb, or magnificent 

 would convey nothing to the reader of what one 

 feels when looking at the actual plants or enjoy- 

 ing l he pleasure of freshly cut flowers freely 

 presented by our guides. 1 am not going to 

 write down a Long list of the varieties we saw, 

 since the linn's catalogue may lie had for asking, 

 and it is well worth a postcard; bul reference 

 must lie made to some recent novelties ere we 

 close. George Dickson is certainly one of the 

 most sensational Roses ever raised, am! well 

 calculated to do honour to the venerable rosarian 



whose name it bears. If is a Hybrid Tea with I he 

 vigour of a- Hybrid Perpetual, and of a dark, 



velvety crimson, shaded in a way which delies 



description, other new varieties of L912 are 



('. W. Cowan. Hybrid Tea. <a rinine-cerise ; 

 Duchess of Sutherland, Hybrid Tea. rose-pink 

 wilh lemon shading; G. Henslow, Hybrid Tea, 

 orange-crimson; .Mrs. I". Bray, Hybrid Tea. 



coppery-fawn, shaded shell-pink : .Mrs. (i. Sloaue. 



Hybrid Tea. a lovely combination of copper, 



salmon, pink and flesh-while: Mrs. II. Hawks- 

 worth, a- Tea colour, delicate ecru on a while 



ground : and Verna Mackay, Hybrid Tea. a lovely 

 Mower ol i\or\ sul | >hu r-lmlT. changing to lemon. 

 'I'h esc brief descriptions, which are adapted from 



those of the raisers, fail to convey a correcf idea 



of t he beauty of l he flowers. Other fine things are 



Queen Mary, which won the -did medal at I he 

 •• National " this year, and some I '.Ml varieties 

 notably, A. Hill (.ray. a vigorous Tea: Melody. 

 a charming saffron-yellow Hybrid Tea: Carine, 

 a delightful combination of carmine-buff and 

 salmon: Duchess ol' Westminster, Hybrid Tea. 

 rose-madder: Mabel Drew, deep cream, passing 

 to canary, and many others. 



The Newtownards firm is also famous for Sweet 

 Peas, and carry out extensive trials there of new 

 varieties side by side with older sorts. This year 

 the firm have seven miles of Sweet Peas growing 

 for seed, which will give some idea of the volume 

 of business clone. Mr. Hugh Dickson is an 

 acknowledged expert in Sweet Peas, and has 

 visited California in pursuit of information re- 

 garding his special (lower. We had the benefit 

 of his guidance through the trials. In the 

 " Hawlmark" collection nothing inferior is 

 tolerated, and Mr. I Hckson rigidly selects t he best . 

 Different stocks are carefully compared, ami too 

 muchalike varieties minutely examined only the 

 besl surviving the ordeal. Herewith is appended 

 a select few quoted by Mr- Dickson as in his 

 opinion the best of their colour: — Blues, Wedg- 

 wood Blue, and Blue King; King White (Hawl- 

 mark novelty). Max Campbell, streaked red: 

 yellows, Clara Curtis and Hobbies Queen; darks 

 in the way of Nubian, King Manuel, and Mr. E. 

 Cowdy ; pink, Mrs. Hugh Dickson. Doris Usher, 

 Margaret Attley ; and Barbara, a good grower. 

 not quite so deep as Stirling Stent. 



It should be stated in closing that although 

 mention of the awards to " Hawlmark " Roses 

 would occupy more space than the Editor might 

 care to allow, a few days after our visit the 

 Kill guineas challenge cup offered by the Northern 

 Counties Society at Saltaire was awarded to 

 A. Dickson & Sons, Ltd. 



The Hoyal Nurseries, Belfast. 



Here another branch of the family carries on 

 with equal success the fascinating business of 

 Rose growing and raising. Saturday found us 

 knocking at the door of Mr. Hugh Dickson's 

 handsome residence, and we were warmly 

 welcomed by him. A new feature here met our 

 view in a series of beds grouped near the house 

 and extending on down to the glass structures, 

 each bed planted with one variety of Hose. The 

 flowers were not fully expanded in man\ cases. 

 but sufficient were showing their colour and form 

 to give an idea of the exquisite effect soon to be 

 produced. It is an admirable way of showing t he 

 true garden value of a Hose, and one which 

 visitors must find enormously helpful in making 

 select ions for their own gardens. Incidentally 

 we were told some of the beds had been ten years 



planted, and were still in vigorous condition. 

 More recenl beds had been planted to do away 

 with I he necessity for annual bedding out, a 

 system not found satisfactory. One bed filled 

 wiih thai fine scarlet variety, General Mac- 

 Arthur, was a picture, and J, B. Clarke occupied 

 a corner posit ion which had proved too draughty 

 for most things, bul the Hoses were happy. 



Altera preliminary look al the beds we proce< ded 

 to the seedling trial Held. Here the plethora 

 of colour ami variety was at lirsl bewildering, 

 but soon, under the skilful guidance of Mr. 

 Dickson, we were admiring the thousands of 

 beautiful seedlings, many just opening and others 

 in lull bloom. This field contained something 



Like 24,000 plants in about I.IIIHI varieties, hut 



a very lew yet named. Thus we gain some idea 



of the extent of I he seed line,- raising carried on in 



Ireland. If was wiih pleasurable excitement we 



examined the new variety, " Brilliant," which 

 won tin- gold medal at the National Hose 

 Society's show and gained a host of admirers. 



It is a, lovely brilliant scarlet Hybrid Tea-, of fine 

 form and great vigour, and will soon he immensely 

 popular. Here too we were forlunale in seeing 

 the gold medal. National Hose Society, .Mrs. 



