IRISH GARDENING. 



5S 



purposes; Goaclier's, crimson; Jeinmie, large 

 purple; Normandie. a lovely shade of pink; and 

 Polly, deep orange. 



In, a short article of this description it is 

 impossible to enumerate all the good varieties 

 obtainable, neither would it be advisable to do 

 so for obvious reasons. And I am well aware 

 that some first-class varieties have been omitted, 

 also the higher priced novelties. 



I hope these few notes will be of some little 

 help to those who are in any way interested in 

 the culture of the very appropriately named 

 Queen of Autumn Flowers. G. A. H. 



The Alpine Garden* 



What a charming effect can be got by plant- 

 ing on sloping 

 ground Polygonum 

 Affine (Brunonis), 

 Muscari ' ' Heavenly 

 Blue," the beautiful 

 and restful red- 

 brown of the Poly- 

 gonum foliage mak- 

 ing a perfect 

 groundwork for the 

 blue Muscari, and in 

 summer its deep 

 green leaves and 

 spikes of rosy 

 flowers are most 

 attractive, and com- 

 pletely hide the 

 withering foliage of 

 the Muscari. 



The severe spell 

 of weather seems 

 to have done little 

 or no harm in the .n theuockoa-deu. ti. 



garden ; the precocious buds and tender young 

 shoots produced in mild January for the most 

 part have escaped damage. 



Some new rockwork was constructed during 

 the month, but has not been planted owing to 

 the cold, damp condition of the ground. A 

 few small shrubs, however, were planted amongst 

 the rocks — CrjqJtomeria globosa nana, Cup- 

 ressus nana argentea and Cupressus tamarisci- 

 folia, and others. 



By planting a few choice evergreen shrubs 

 in new rock work the crude effect is immediately 

 lost ; planting for immediate effect with shrubs 

 which in one or two seasons will have hopelessly 

 outgrown their positions and dwarfed the 

 surrounding stonework is never to be recom- 

 mended, and since there are so many suitable 

 subjects for the purpose on the market it is 

 quite unnecessary. 



Seeds have been sown during the month, and 



A X EMOXK X AR C In - J 



although propagation by cuttings is a quicker 

 and. T think, surer method, it is unwise to 

 neglect the seed sowing ; interesting natural 

 crosses often appear, and besides there are many 

 things needed in the Alpine garden every year 

 which come very freely from seed — for example, 

 Arenaria montana — and there are many biennials 

 like Thlaspi bulbosum and Erysimum linifolium 

 which germinate very freely. 



Primulas, like P. Mooreana, P. Cockburniana, 

 and the numerous others suitable for the bog 

 garden, are best propagated from seed. 



We sow in 5-inch jJots, filled to about half 

 way with pot crocks, a layer of fibre and then, 

 the compost suitable to the seed ; water the pot 

 before sowing, and cover the seed very lightly — 

 never more thaii the depth of the seed sown 

 is a good rule. The 

 pots are put in a seed 

 frame, which is kept 

 shaded, and when the 

 seedlings appear the 

 [)ots are removed to a 

 ight airy frame, and 

 when fit to handle 

 are pricked otit into 

 boxes or pans. 



A corner of the Al- 

 ])ine liouse is reserved 

 for a few very special 

 seeds, such as home 

 (To-^ses or rare col- 

 lected seeds, and 

 tlu^ ])ots are kept 

 ( ()\ered with a small 

 pane of glass and 

 watered by being 

 placed in a basin 

 iialf full of water 



moisture gradually work up. 



In the garden the prevailing colour is pink — 

 Erica carnea and Sax. oppositifolia being l)oth 

 in their hey-day. The early spring bulbs are 

 also giving good colour effects — Croci, Scillas, 

 and Chinodoxas in great profusion on the 

 " hills " are most effective, especially a hill slope 

 of purple and white Croci planted in dense 

 masses. 



Amongst the other bulbs noted in flower are 

 Scilla bifolia alba. Tulipa Kaufmanniana and 

 Tulipa pulchella, Chionodoxa Lucilige, Narcissus 

 cyclamineus, and in the moraine, Narcissus 

 triandrus albus. 



In the bog garden the Soldanellas, both purple 

 and white, have been a mass of flower for the 

 last month. It is the first time I have ever seen 

 Soldanellas flowering freely in the open ground ; 

 it would be interesting to know if they are 

 usuallv shv flowers. M. E. 



