IRISH GARDENING. 



89 



rubble mixed in the soil is a decided advantage. 

 A-t'ter liowering it is advisable to shorten back 

 the shoots, leaving only sufficient to produce 

 seeds. There are many species known to 

 botanists and gardeners, but a tew are x*are and 

 cannot be called common. The following, how- 

 ever, are fairly well known in cultivation, and 

 well repay a little attention. ^■Ethionema 

 anuenum is in the way of the better known 

 \. pulch-llum, but v^ith niucli larger flowers 

 of a delightful soft pink colour. A. armenum 

 is a dwarf compact grower with small narrow 

 pointed leaves, and heads of bright pink flowers. 



A. cordatum is one of the most distinct, 

 having good heads of sulphur yellow flowers 

 and sliort, broad thick leaves distinct from any 

 of the others. Jjeft to itself it forms a 

 straggling untidy plant, the old stems becom- 

 ing woody, but if hard cut back after flowering 

 compact specimens are formed, flowering freeJ}- 

 every May. 



A. gracile is not so well laiown as some, but 

 is a most pleasing species forming slender 

 twiggy branches clothed with narrow glaucous 

 leaves, and bearing 'heads of deep pink flowers. 

 A. grandiflorum is by many considered the best 

 of the lot. A vigorous grower forming a stout 

 woody base from which numeious shoots arise 

 each spring. Tlie leaves at first bright green 

 later become glaucous, while the flowers and 

 flower heads are the largest of all, the coloui' 

 a beautiful rosy pink. 



A. iberideum is distinct and beaTitiful form- 

 ing a low densely twiggy bush clothed with 

 small glaucous leaves, and bearing heads ot 

 pure white flowers. A. oppositifolium, some- 

 times called Eunomia, is an uncommon-lookinc' 

 species, not very showy, but interesting on 

 account of its unusual appearance. It forms a 

 close little tuft of short stems clothed with 

 small rather broad leaves, and bears white 

 flowers rather sparsely. Not easy to keep, it 

 lives fairly well for a time in the moraine or 

 in a vertical crevice. A. persicum is an attrac- 

 tive species forming compact little bushes of 

 wiry stems clothed with glaucous leaves and 

 terminated by heads of rosy lilac flowers. 



A. pulchellum is one of the best known and 

 one of the most .enduring. The leaves are very 

 glaucous and the stems are terminated by long 

 dense heads of pale rose-coloured flowers. 



A. schistosum is effective with pink flow.ers 

 and rather twiggy stems which spread consi- 

 derably, forming an effective mass when doing 

 well. It is apt to die off suddenly after flower- 

 ing, and also suffers occasionally in winter. A 

 Mumy, well-drained position is essential, and 

 a stock of young plants should be always kept 

 jn reserve B. 



Notes- 

 Gladiolus Tristis. 



A NATIVE of sunny Natal, it is not quite clear 

 why this charming species should have been 

 named tristis (sad) for there is nothing very 

 gloomy or sad-looking about it. The narrow 

 leaves are surmounted in early May by many 

 spikes of pretty pale yellow flowers, the seg- 

 ments being dotted with lines of reddish brown 

 dots, not, however, conspicuous enough to mar 

 the prevailing tone of yellow. At the base of a 

 sunny wall it has lived and increased for years, 

 never failing to produce abundance of flowers 

 annually. Being produced on long stems, 2 feet 

 or more in length, they are admirably adapt^ed 

 for cutting, and have the additional attraction 

 of being scented. 



, Aubrietias. 



Commonly called " Rock Cress," Aubrietia 

 deltoidea in the hands of the florist has proved 

 one of the most valuable plants for the rock 

 garden. Where effective masses of colour are 

 desired, rather than a large collection of rare 



AUBBIETIAS AS WATERSIDE PLANTS 



