82 



IRISH GARDENING. 



old specimens of Myrtus Luma, generally 

 known as Eugenia apiculata, are a feature here 

 also, not the least of their attractions being 

 the ornamental light reddish brown bark of 

 the trunks and branches. In autunm they often 

 carry a fine crop of black fruits. Across the 

 walk from the Myrtus is an old healthy speci- 

 men of the Iioquat,Eriobotrya japonic a, raised 

 from seeds sent home from AJalta by Capt. 

 Kiall when stationed there with his regiment 

 very many years ago. On a trellis Clematis 

 moiitana rosea was flowering well, though only 

 a young plant, and on a pergola near by 

 Wistaria multijuga was w-^ll furnished with 

 developing racemes which will shortly be a 

 beautiful sight. Eoses, of which a good col- 

 lection is grown, were looking very healthy. 

 The dwarfs are ])lantcd in beds of a sort to 

 give the best effect. 



Clearings have been made in the woods ad- 

 jacent to the gardens, and here Rhododendrons 

 and other shrubs are gradually being planted. 

 Among the newer Chinese Rhododendrons were 

 noted Eh. Augustini, Eh. lutescens, and Eh. 

 Davidsonianum, together with other unflowered 

 species raised from seeds got from India. Near 

 the house Euphorbia mellifera is like a small 

 tree sheltered by Osmanthus Fortunei, the 

 largest specimen I have seen. 



Under glass Cyclamens, Cinerarias, Carna- 

 tions, Primulas and Schizanthus were in fine 

 condition, testifying to the care and skill of 

 Mr. Webster, Capt. Eiall's head gardener. 



At Graigueconna, near by Old Conna Hill, 

 there is a delightful rock garden made by Capt. 

 Meredith, who is well known to lovers of 

 alpines tlu'ough his book, " Eock Gardens and 

 how to Maintain Them." Although Captain 

 ]\Ieredith has been absent on service for three 

 years, and to some extent the garden has 

 suffered thereby, there is still abundance of 

 colour and interest. Prominent of course were 

 masses of Aubrietia which give so fine an effect 

 where a display of colour is wanted, but many 

 other beautiful plants are thriving wonderfully. 

 The beautiful clumps of Daphne cneorum 

 raised a feeling of envy, while Lithospermum 

 prostratum, often difficult, there actually seeds 

 about the rockery, and comes up in unex- 

 pected places, ^thionema schistosum was in 

 fine flower, and a pretty carpet of Veronica 

 cinerea, with its bright blue flowers and grey 

 foliage, was a cheerful sight; while a low bush 

 of Prunus pi'ostrata, with its small rose-coloured 

 flowers, makes an interesting rockery shrub. 



Here, too, Dendromecon I'igidum was 

 flourishmg on a wall near the rock garden, and 

 Magnolias and Cherries of sorts were flowering 

 freely in the vicinity. 



Time did not permit of a leisurely examina- 

 tion of the whole garden, but it is abundantly 

 evident that when the war is over Captain 

 jNlereditli will have no difficulty in rapidly 

 nuiking good any deficiencies which have re- 

 sulted during his absence. 



Some Notes on Rhododendrons. 



Perhaps the best of all the Ehododendrons is E. 

 Griffithianum (often incorrectly called E. 

 Aucklandii), a native of Sikkim and Bhotan, 

 and in its full glory in the month of May. It 

 has been largely used for purposes of hybridi- 

 sation ; and it is one of the parents of the beau- 

 tiful and well-known E. "Pink Pearl," of E. 

 kewense (with E. Hookeri), of E. Manglesii 

 (with E. album-elegans), of E. "Irish Beauty" 

 (with E. arboreum), raised at Glasnevin, and 

 of many others. Nor should those hybrids be 

 omitted that have been produced by Sir 

 Edmund Loder, who has been very successful 

 in this interesting and useful branch of horti- 

 cultural science, the best of which is the true 

 E. Loderi (Grilfithianum-Fortunei), with a 

 splendid truss of large white flowers. He kindly 

 sent me some of his hybrids ; one has flowered 

 this year, and for colour (a delicate shade of 

 light rosy pink), for elegance of shape, and for 

 profusion of bloom, I have seldom seen any- 

 thing more lovely. Nevertheless, striking as all 

 these numerous hybrids are, I do not think 

 that any of them surpass the magnificence of 

 the type — the real E. Griffithianum of nature. 

 Unfortunately it is not hardy everywhere, and 

 it is probably due to that fact that it is not 

 more extensively planted ; but here at Eos- 

 trevor at least, it grows remarkably well m 

 a sheltered dell, and it is now from 14 to 15 

 feet high, and about the same through. W^e 

 had some difficulty with it at first, as when 

 young it is liable to injury from the effects of 

 our harsh Irish spring ; but by stretching a 

 sort of light linen screen over it in the early 

 months of the year it soon began to develop 

 and to become more hardy. It seems now to 

 be thoroughly acclimatised, and for man_y 

 years it has been altogether unprotected in all 

 weathers; it increases normally, flowers regu- 

 larly, and then ripens its seed. I am sure it 

 can be established in the milder districts of 

 Ireland, and the attempt to do so is well worth 

 making. The trusses are formed of loose clus- 

 ters of very large bell-shaped flowers of good 

 substance, looking like great lilies, 6 to 7 

 inches across, faintly fragrant, and pure white 

 slightly suffused with pink, and delicately 

 tinged with a green shade at the base inside — 

 which seems to be the result of the reflection 



