IRISH GARDENING. 



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of uiueli merit, aud possibly they are much 

 more frequently met with in gardens than the 

 type. The original has large flowers, of a 

 rather purplish hue, but very sweet-scented. 

 The pure white single variety is very beautiful, 

 as also are double red and double white varie- 

 ties. Numerous hybrids with other speciea 

 have been put in commerce, but few of them 

 are equal to those just mentioned. 



The " Penzance Briars " are well known in 

 gardens, combining beauty of flower with the 

 sweet scent of the wild Briar. They are 

 vigorous growers, requiring lots of room to 

 develop, and are useful where a free, vigorous 

 hedge is required. They flower in June, and 

 show considerable variety in colour ; some of 

 the best are Anne of Geierstein, with crimson 

 flowers; Jeanie Deans, scarlet crimson; Lady 

 Penzance, coppery yellow; and Lord Penzance, 

 fawny yellow. 



Among the newer kinds flowering in .June 

 one cannot omit Rosa Davidi, introduced from 

 China by Mr. E. H. Wilson. There are several 

 forms of this species, but the flowers are mostly 

 some shade of pink or light-red, produced on 

 shoots of the previous year's growth. Appar- 

 ently of vigorous growth when established, this 

 species will yet become popular where wild 

 roses can be grown. The fruits, too, are orna- 

 mental in autumn, and differ in colour and- 

 shape, some being red, others orange, and 

 others elongated. 



The Cherokee Rose, R. laevigata, is beautiful 

 on a sunny wall and perhaps m the open in mild 

 districts. The large white flowers, three to 

 four inches in diameter, are beautififl when seen 

 against the glossy green leaves. Perhaps more 

 beautifvd still is the rose known as R. laevigata 

 Anemone, which produces immense, beautiful, 

 blush -coloiu'ed flowers, and is a glorious sight 

 on a smmy wall. It does not flourish every- 

 where, but is worth giving a sunny, sheltered 

 place wherever possible. 



There are many other wild roses, but space 

 forbids mention of more at present, and in any 

 case few will care to grow more than a small 

 selection, but all w'ho contemplate rose-growing 

 in the future should certainly bear in mind the 

 wild species. B., Dublin. 



The Escallonias* 



These form a most important group of summer 

 flowering shrubs, especially valuable in flower- 

 ing at a season when the wealth of spring 

 flowering subjects is on the wane. They are of 

 comparatively easy cultivation, succeeding in 



any soil of fair quality if fairly moist. Some, 

 however, are hardier than others, but nearly all 

 are suitable for cultivation in Ireland, especially 

 round the coast. In the colder inland counties 

 and in exposed positions frost and cold winds 

 in spring frequently cause browning and wither- 

 ing of a proportion of the leaves, and occasion- 

 ally the softer shoots are injured, but recovery 

 is usually rapid as soon as grovt^th begins. Pro- 

 pagation is readily carried out by means of 

 cuttings of the half-ripe shoots taken in July. 

 They may be rooted in cold frames, kept close 

 and shaded for a few weeks, or under hand- 

 lights in a shady position, while they also soon' 

 respond to treatment in a warm greenhouse. 

 Seeds are often produced by such species asi 

 E. macrantha, E. rubra, E. punctata, &c. 



Of the harder species, E. illinita is worthy of 

 notice, bearing white flowers. The oval leaves, 

 are somewhat sticky to the touch, and the plant 

 has a somewhat vmpleasant odour, which how- 

 ever is only occasionally pronoimced enough to 

 be offensive. E. macrantha is one of the best- 

 known species, forming a vigorous, dense ever- 

 green, especially near the sea. The oval leaves. 

 are often three inches long, of a dark, glossy 

 green. The flowers are rosy-red in colour, 

 freely produced in panicles two or three inches 

 long. When in flower, in June and onwards, it 

 is a handsome shrub. In Ireland large masses 

 are frequent. 



E. Philippiana is a Yaldivian species, less 

 vigorous in growth than some, but apparently 

 one of the hardiest where the soil is suitable. 

 It is unhappy where much lime is present — at 

 least, repeated attempts to grow it at the 

 Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, have failed, 

 though the other species grow well. E. Philip- 

 piana is deciduous; the leaves one-half to one 

 inch long, and much narrower. The flowers 

 are pure white, produced in s'hort racemes. 



E. pterocladon, from Patagonia, suffers 

 somewhat from spring cold in some districts, 

 but is nevertheless hardy in many parts of Ire- 

 land. There is a fine specimen in Daisy Hill 

 Nurseries, Newry, and others elsewhere in Ire- 

 land. An evergreen, with comparatively small, 

 narrow leaves, and bearing racemes of white 

 flowers, this is one of the prettiest of shrubs 

 when in flower. The habit is more uprig'ht than 

 in most of the others. 



E. punctata is a vigorous grower, producing 

 crimson flowers from June onwards for some 

 considerable time. E. rubra is very similar, 

 but the flowers are lighter in colour ; both seem 

 quite hardy. 



Escallonia viscosa, as the name implies, is 



