102 



IRISH GARDENING. 



sticky from the presence of resinous glands on 

 the branches, though the same thing is notice- 

 able on other species. Of spreading habit, E. 

 viscosa has much similarity with E. illinita, and 

 has the same unpleasant odour. The flowers 

 are white, and the plant is effective when in 

 flower, but some might reasonably object to the 

 odoin-, strongly suggestive of artificial manme. 

 In addition to the species, a number of hybrids 

 have been raised quite equal to any of those 

 just mentioned, and exceeding some in bea\ity 

 and usefulness. 



E. exoniensis is a vigorous-growing hardy, 

 hybrid between E. pterocladon and E. rubra, 

 Tt quickly grows to a considerable height, pro- 

 ducing leaves from one-half to an inch or more 

 long, and from June onwards quantities of 

 white or pink-tinted flowers, which never fail 

 to attract. 



E. langleyensis is, pei'haps, the most popidar 

 of all Escallonias, growing from 6 to 8 feet high, 

 and more in suitable localities. The compara- 

 tively small leaves are not more than an inch 

 long, and the lovely carmine-coloured flowers 

 are often so freely produced as to render the 

 plants conspicuous from a considerable dis- 

 tance. E. edinensis, raised in the Botania 

 Gardens, Edinburgh, is somewhat similar, but 

 flowers paler in colour and rather lai'ger. E. 

 Donard Seedling, raised by Mr. Coey, of the 

 Donard Nursery Company, County Down, hasi 

 still lighter-coloured flowers, and promises to 

 he a most effective shrub. There is still work 

 to be done in improving the hardiness of the 

 Escallonias, and by using such hardy species 

 ns E. philippiana and E. rubra it is quite pos- 

 sible a very useful set of shrubs will be produced 

 suitable for general planting in cold districts. 

 There is likely to be other hybrids before long. 



As alluded to above, some species are hardier 

 than others, and the following are generally too 

 tender for cultivation except against a wall, 

 where however they do well, though in some 

 districts the flowers are produced too late to 

 develop properly: — E. floribunda and E. mon- 

 tevidensis with white flowers, andE. organensis 

 with rosy-coloured flowers. These species are 

 natives of Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, and Uru- 

 guay. 



E. pulvenilenta and E. revoluta are two. 

 allied species, with hairy leaves and white 

 flowers. They may be added to the list of those 

 suitable for wall cultm'e, since they appear to 

 be decidedly less shady than the green-leaved 

 kinds described above ; and also they are less 

 attractive, as the white flowers are not par- 

 ticularly noticeable against the grey foliage. 



J. W. B. 



June Flowers, 



June, up to the 17th at least, was remarkable 

 for cold and drought. On the 9th a violent 

 storm of wind accompanied by some rain did an 

 enormous amount of damage in smashing down 

 herbaceous plants and breaking branches, mostly 

 small, off trees. The following morning the 

 garden was littered with leaves — a woefid sight 

 in the middks of summer. All the same there has 

 been much of interest in the way of flowers, both 

 in shrubs, herbaceous plants and alpines. 



Of shrubs, one of the most intei'esting on a 

 wall was Cacsalpinia ja])onica M'ith elegant 

 pinnate leaves and erect panicles of bright 

 yellow flowers. A native of Ja])an, belonging to 

 the Pea family, this shrub requires wai-mth to 

 succeed, and here only grows well against a wall. 



Diostea juncea, a peculiar shrub of the 

 Verbena order, does well in a shrubbery though 

 appreciating some protection ; the branches are 

 quite green and leafless in winter, the leaves 

 being few even in summer and .small. The 

 tubular flowers are nearly white with a tinge of 

 lilac. When flowering freely this shrub is 

 rather pretty, and is interesting on account of 

 its afflnity with the Verbenas. 



Of comparatively recent introduction from 

 China, the Dipeltas are handsome leafy shrubs 

 with pretty flowers, which, however, are rather 

 hidden by the leaves ; they have every appear- 

 ance of growing to a height of 12 or 15 feet. 

 D. floribunda, with large ovate leaves up to 

 4 inches long and pink flowers with yellow in 

 the throat, is attractive ; the bark of the older 

 branches peels off in flakes. 



D. ventricosa has equally large leaves and rose 

 coloured flowers with an orange throat. An 

 interesting characteristic of the Dipeltas is the 

 development of the bracts at the base of the 

 ovary which remain after the flower fades and 

 form wings to the fruit. I have not seen any 

 good seed formed, however, and though cuttings 

 can be rooted they are not easy ; possibly soft 

 young shoots would be better than those half 

 ripened. 



Styrax Wilsoni is a pretty small leaved shrub 

 of twiggy growth not long introduced from China. 

 The leaves are only about half an inch, or in 

 some cases nearly an inch, long and much 

 narrower. The flowers, which hang down, are 

 pure white and most attractive. In Sir John 

 Ross's collection at Rostrevor House it was 

 doing well a year or two ago ; here it is growing 

 well in a border in front of a greenhouse, and 

 looks like outgrowing its position. It can be 

 propagated by cuttuigs. 



