134 



IRISH (lAKDKNIXG. 



lancc'-.sliapccl. Jt is not so rol)ust as tlir foie- 

 fjoing species, and the lilae-eolonred tlowers are 

 not very prominent, as they barely ap])ear alcove 

 the foliage. F. lancifolia albo-inarginati has 

 the leaves ])rettily edged with silvery wiiitc 

 and there is also a variegated foiin in wliicli 

 the leaves are blotched and streaked with 

 white. 



Besides their utility for outdoor decoiat i<ni. 

 FunUias are excellent i)laiits for the colil gicen- 

 house. and .some of tlie strong-growing varieties, 

 when grown in large pots or tubs, are excellent 

 decorative plants for the terrace or verandah. 



F. H..SK. 



Hypericum olympicum 

 citrinum. 



While Avalking through the rock gardoi at 

 Kew. in the end of July. I was struck by a jilant 

 of t his Hypericum w ith pale yellow flowers. Like 

 the well-known H. olympicum in all but the 

 colour of the floAvers, it formed a pretty object 

 quite distinct in colour from any other species. 

 One of the })est late flowering Hypericums is 

 H. empetrifolium, which now, near the middle 

 of August, is a mass of golden yellow ; com- 

 bine<l with the erect, compact habit and tiny 

 heath-like leaves, a very pretty effect is produced. 

 Coming from Greece and Asia Minor, H. empetri- 

 folium occasionally suffers in a severe winter, 

 but if planted in a s\niny aspect at the base of a 

 sheltering stone and in rather dry gritty soil, it 

 usually survives and grows away strongly in 

 spring. Cuttings of the young shoots root 

 readily. 



Hypericum cimeatum is a charming little 

 species with reddish stems and tiny glaucous 

 leaves, and bearing in June and July small 

 yellow flowers. It is rather a difficult plant to 

 handle, being very brittle, but cuttings root well 

 in sandy soil if carefully taken off before the 

 flowers appear. 



B. 



The Alpine Garden, 



Much can be done during September to make 

 the alpine garden neat and interesting during 

 the autumn and winter. Any plants which 

 have old flower spikes still remaining should be 

 trimmed over excepting any required for seed. 

 It is a good plan to keejD a basketful of flne 

 gritty soil handy, and as one goes over the vari- 

 ous plants and pockets add a little topdressing 

 wherever it seems necessary. Heavy rains not 

 infreciuently play havoc on the rockery, washing 



dcwu the tine >n\\ fioiii tin- higlici- plac(^s. and 

 sonu't inics coNciiug onci' plants of xcry low 

 >:ro\\th : licncc a tlioroiiLih cxaniinatiou sliould 

 lie made iiow . clearing: any that have \)rn\ loo 

 (|ccpl\ coscrcd and ^u^fal■ill^ any that haxc 

 liccoinc liaic. Tlic incxpcricnccl must Ix; 

 careful not to prune any of the low-growing 

 shrubs wiiieli bloom in I'ailx spring, as tlu\se 

 are now linishing growth and i)lumi)ing up their 

 llowcr buds for next year. I ikewise i^arly 

 tlowcis like Aubrietias.' Arabis, .\lyssiun ami 

 many otliers should not be further cut back 

 now, but toptlressed as advised above i.-' 

 necessary. A great many cuttings may be 

 put in during September, and any not rooted 

 siiflieiently to lift and i)ot before hard weather 

 (ensues will callus and root in spring. Seed 

 collecting requires attention every sunny da.\-. 

 and no opportunity should be k)st of obtaining 

 seeds of the species whenever possible. 

 Seedlings, as a rule, make better and stronger 

 plants than cuttings, but, of course, varieties of 

 garden origin cannot be relied on to come true. 

 Plants like Viola graciU'^ and Campanida Steveni 

 are better from seeds when they can be pro- 

 cured. Both are beautiful plants when in flower, 

 but have a habit of dying after flowering. Some 

 few plants of each, however, generally siu'vive 

 and set seeds, and they should be collected as 

 soon as ripe and sown at once. 



We are told very often that all seeds shoidd be 

 sown as soon as ripe — that that is Nature's 

 way — but I have a notion that late collected 

 seeds are better kept in a cool airy place till 

 February or March, and then sown and placed 

 in gentle heat or in a frame which would catch 

 the early sun. It would be useful to have the 

 experience of readers who collect and sow seeds, 

 particularly late ripening Saxifragas, &c. 



It is interesting now towards the end of 

 August to note which plants are most attractive. 

 I think the brightest patch here is of Acsena 

 microphylla, whose spiny bright red fruits can 

 be seen from a considerable distance ; some of 

 the Erodiums are still wonderfully good, and 

 Silene Schafta makes quite a show, and soon 

 autumn flowering Crocuses wiU begin to expand. 

 On the whole, however, the season of many 

 flowers is over, but there is a peculiar joy in 

 watching the various winter foliage effects, 

 replacing the showier flowers of spring and 

 summer. The silvery grey rosettes of the 

 encrusted Saxifragas are more silvery now than 

 earlier, and the grey and green tufts of the 

 Kabschias never cease to charm. The ever- 

 spreading mounds of '' mossy " Saxifragas are 

 refreshing to the eye, the mounds of grey and 

 green dwarf shrubs lend variety and sustain our 

 interest. 



