IRISH GARDENING. 



47 



pretty effects can be got by planting beds of 



one colour, or if planted in a border, broad 



irregular masses look well. Broad belts plantel 



in open places in the front of shrubberies have a 



fine effect, and they may also be planted between 



dwarf shrubs, where the}' succeed admirably. 



and seem to benefit by the shade from the 



shrubs. For bold masses in the herbaceous 



border they are very useful, as they can b3 



planted after 



early flowering 



bulbs, and make 



tine breaks of 



colour in the 



borders at a 



time when 



yellow flowers 



are inclined to 



preponderate. 



In all cases the 

 soil should be 

 enriched by the 

 addition of some 

 light thoroughly 

 decayed ma- 

 nure before 

 planting, and if 

 dry, should be 

 well soaked be- 

 fore the plants 

 are put in. 

 During dr y 

 weather the soil 

 should be kept 

 uniformly moist 

 by watering, as 

 best results are 

 got by keeping 

 the young 

 plants growing 

 freely 



In my exper- 

 ience the single 

 China Asters 

 rarely suffer 

 from diseases (jr 

 pests which fie- 

 quently afflict 

 the double 

 strains and 



cau.se grievous disappointment. It is advisable, 

 however, not to grow the plants in the same beds 

 year after year, but to change them annu'Uly 

 if possible. 



Several colours are obtainable as in the 

 doubles, the best in my opinion being dark 

 crimson, white, and pale blue. A good strain 

 has broad-j)etalled ray florets and a com- 

 paratively small ■■ centre."' 



The strain known as Southcote L^-.iutv I do 



the J lot; 



not admire, the narrow thread-like ray florets 

 detracting enormously from the colour effect of 

 the flowers, aird adding nothing to the elegance 

 of the plant as a whole. J. W. B. 



Hydrangea Sargentiana. 



This is perhaps the most remarkable of all the 

 Hydrangeas, and is in many respects a note- 

 worthy shrub. 

 In many of the 

 more favoured 

 parts of Ireland, 

 such asWicklow, 

 Cork and the 

 West, it should 

 develop into a 

 most striking 

 and interesting 

 specimen. Our 

 illustration of a 

 I )lant growing in 

 the collection at 

 Glasnevin shows 

 that in the by 

 no means fav- 

 oured cHmate of 

 that district it 

 has yet some 

 claim to atten- 

 tion from lovers 

 of shrubs. The 

 m o s t remark- 

 able feature of 

 the plant is the 

 huge size of the 

 leaves on the 

 barren or non- 

 tloweringshoots. 

 These are up to 

 10 or 12 inches 

 long and 7 or 8 

 inches wide, 

 dark green and 

 densely hairy 

 above and paler 

 and bristly 

 below. The 

 shoots too are 

 thickly furnish- 

 ed with hairs 

 plant altogether 

 On the ffower- 

 nrg shoots the leaves are smaller, but the 

 large flat corymb of flow'ers coin])ensates for 

 this. The fertile flowers are lilac-coloured and 

 occupy the centre of the corymb, while an 

 outer fringe is formed by the sterile flowers 

 compo.sed of large showy ])ctals of a pale 

 pink colour. 



HORTENSIS. 



S\i;.;i:XTl\\.\ [H- M l'ol/n,L- 

 Gaiclun.s, Cilasiifvin. 



and bristles, giving the 



a remarkable a])])earance. 



