148 



IRISH GARDENING. 



and soil is limited a special bed may be formed 

 about four feet wide, digging out the soil on 

 each side to a depth of four to six inches and 

 throwing it on top of the bed, thus forming a 

 path on each side which drains the raised bed, 

 making it drier for winter work. 



Autumn Work in the Rock 

 Garden. 



During this month a great deal of useful Mork 

 can be done among Alpines, especially those of a 

 more robust nature. There as in the herba- 

 ceous borders many plants become overcrowded 

 with shoots and get weak and patchy in the 

 centre. It will often be noticed that the 

 strongest and healthiest plants or portions of 

 plants are round the sides of a pocket. There 

 is only one remedy in such a case, and that is 

 to lift the plants, detach the strongest pieces 

 with roots attached and re-plant. Before 

 doing so the soil in the pocket should be re- 

 newed, taking advantage of the occasion to add 

 drainage if necessary in the bottom of the 

 pocket. The composition of the soil may re- 

 quire to be varied for different plants, but at 

 this time of year the more exacting alpines arc 

 better left alone as far as re-planting is con- 

 cerned, but many of them ihay, with advan- 

 tage, be top-dressed. Those that oftenest want 

 dividing and re-planting at this tme of year 

 are Aster alpinus and its varieties A. diploste- 

 phioides and A. subcoeruleus, which is a good 

 plant in large rock gardens; also such plants 

 as Heucheras, Campanula carpatbica and its 

 varieties Veronica Teucrium and varieties, V. 

 , austriaca, Holidago virganurea nana, Erigerons 

 i of various kinds, (ieum- montanmn, Geum 

 I chiloense and others, Lychnis viscaria and 

 ' varieties, I'ulnionarias, and so (jn. Eor all of 

 these an ordinary compost of loam, leaf-soil and 

 sand, with some coarse grit added, is sufficient. 

 Dealt with now they have time enough to 

 , become, established ere hard weather sets in, 

 and will generally flower well the following 

 summer. 



Many other alpines which resent disturbance 

 ■ nevertheless benefit from annual top-dressing. 

 In fact it is well to go over them twace a year, 

 in spring and autumn. Those that make many 

 rhizomes on or close to the surface are apt to 

 get poor unless regularly top-dressed with 

 sandy soil and leaf -mould. Others again form 

 spreading prostrate stems which, given a little 

 encouragement, root as they grow, and so re- 

 invigorate the plants. All old flowci'ing shoots 



should be removed, as by this time most of the 

 seed required will have been collected. 



Nothing in the way of a shelter for slugs 

 should be left, consequently it is advisable to 

 clear away all dead and decaying leaves and 

 flower stems. In some cases this is like taking 

 away the plant's natural protection, but this is 

 compensated for by the top-dressing, and in 

 extreme cases where protection from too nuicli 

 moisture is required, it is better to place a 

 square of glass over the plant, raising it some 

 few inches to allow a free current of air to play 

 over it. 



Saxifragas of the Burseriana set are often 

 disappointing when grown on flat pcckets-^no 

 matter how good the drainage — and the cause 

 is very often too much overhead moisture in 

 autumn. Such kinds repay covering with glass 

 even as early as September. 



Where shrubs are grown on rock gardens, 

 and many are, quite legitimately they want 

 close attention. At first they are welcomed as 

 giving a furnished appearance, but they have 

 an insidious way of encroaching on choicer 

 things. Specially to be guarded against are the 

 various creeping Cotoneasters, which will socjn 

 take charge of the whole rock garden if not Icept 

 within bounds. B. 



Bulb Planting. 



Although the " bedding out " of bulhs is for 

 the time being out of favour, there are never- 

 theless many places about our parks, gardens 

 and woodlands quite unsuitable for growing 

 fruits and vegetables. In such places many 

 kinds of bulbs may be naturalised witli fine 

 effect; indeed there they look nnicli more 

 beautiful than in formal beds. Very little pie- 

 paration of the soil is necessary; indeed short- 

 age of labour makes it impossible, but soiu^' 

 consideration may be given to the kind of bullis 

 to be planted. It is not advisable, for instance, 

 to plant Daffodils or Snowdrops in poor, (lr\ 

 soil — they rarely establish themselves, and 

 only give disaj)pointment. 



There are many methods recommended of 

 ])lanting the bulbs, but few are better thaji 

 making holes with a medium-sized crow])ar. 

 The holes should be made deep enough ami 

 wide enough to accommodate the bulbs com- 

 fortably, so that they will be about four inches 

 below the surface. The bottom of the hole will 

 be narrow, and to obviate the bulb being sus- 

 pended over a hollow a handful of fine soil nuist 

 be pvit in first; on this place the bulb and fill 

 u]) the hole with more stiil. Avoid planting in 



