i52 



IRISH GARDENING. 



siij)p()Sf<l, and established clumps are veiy 

 handsoiiie, flowering in September. 



The eoiiimonest species, A. inubellatus, 

 grows and (lowers iTeely with vt'ry little protec- 

 tion, proibicing handsome umbels of blue 

 flowers on long scapes, well above the broad 

 trreen leaves. A most attractive ])hmt is A. 

 mooi'eanus, sometimes considered distinct and 

 again as a variety of the preceding. It is 

 smaller in every way, but very free flowering. 



A. caulescens is also considered a variety of 

 A. un)l)eliatus, but here at least is distinct in 

 genei'al appearance, foi'ming a creeping root- 

 stock and flo\^ering less freely than either of 

 the above. Under the name A. Weillighi we 

 grow a \er\ beautiful i)lant with pure white 

 pendulous tiowers borne on an ei'ect scape; the 

 leaves of this i)lant are (piite glaucous. It aj)- 

 pears to be a variety of A. ina])ertus which has 

 blue flowers and glaucous leaves, and which 

 was originally distributed under the former 

 name. The largest form I have seen is one 

 collected in South Africa for Air. Maurice 

 Prichard, of Eiverslea Xursei'y, Christchurch, 

 Hants, and distributed by him as A. mnbellatus 

 Ardernei. Amaryllis Belladonna has been less 

 floriferous than usual, but is welcome neverthe- 

 less with its flowers of various shades of pinlc. 



Kniphohas, still often called Tritomas, have 

 made a truly flne display; by far the best in 

 colour is K aloides erecta superba \\ith beauti- 

 ful spikes of scarlet flow^ers -carried erect instead 

 of drooping on the stem, and nearly all, except 

 those at the very top, open and in good con- 

 dition at the same time ; there are many other 

 varieties all of much beauty and of great value 

 for an autumn display. 



The herbaceous Lobelias are indispensable in 

 the autumn garden, and give a brilliance not 

 produced by any other herbaceous plant at this 

 time ; these have often been alluded to in this 

 journal, and it is sutticient to say that Firefly 

 still holds its own in the front rank, but for ex- 

 ceptional vigour and brilliancy Gloire de St. 

 Anne's (Morning Glow) is one of the finest 

 garden plants in existence. Brilliant scarlet is 

 the predominating colour, though there are 

 pink varieties also obtainable. 



The Willow-leaved Gentian is a variable 

 plant in time of flowering ; some forms flower 

 much later than others and the diffei'ent forms 

 vary in height and in size of flower. The best 

 is one known as G. asclepiadea. Perry's variety, 

 sent out by Amos I'erry, the well-known hardy 

 plant nurseryman. It is a strong grower with 

 large, deep blue flowers produced in abundance 

 in September. It is a good border plant, and 

 flourishes in the drier part of the bog garden. 



Primula pseudo-capitata and P. mooreana 

 are two fine September flowerei's, making a fine 

 show^ planted in masses about the damper parts 



of the rock gaidi'n. 1*. mooreana is the larger 

 of the two, with handsome rugose leaves and 

 lai'ge heads of deep violet flowers. 



An interesting plant for a warm border is 

 Nerine J^owdeni, which aj)})ears to enjoy the 

 same conditions as Amaryllis Belladonna, and 

 flowers in September and October. The pink 

 flowei-s. coiiipai'atively large for a Nerine, ai'e 

 ]>r()(bu-ed in luubtds on stout scapes, 15 to 18 

 inclies high. I'his is a plant which deserves to 

 be grown luore freqnentlx by all who care for 

 beautiful plants in the open. 



Autunni flowering Crocuses are beautiful 

 from September onwards, and cheer the declin- 

 ing year as it di'aws to an end. Heavy rains and 

 strong wind are greatly against them, hence 

 some trouble should be taken in selecting a 

 sheltered })Osition for the various species. 

 Xari'ow bordei's are often availal)le and sunny 

 nooks in the rock garden afford oppoi'tunities 

 for a pretts autumn display. It is an advan- 

 tage to have a carpet under the flowers to pre- 

 vent the soil from being splashed over them by 

 rain. Paronychia. Kapela, a lf)w gi'owing 

 creeper foi-ming a dense mass of shoots, lends 

 itself very well for this purpose. Some of those 

 flowering recently are: — G. nudiflorus, with a 

 long tube and of a light purple violet colour; 

 G. ]iulchellus, light slaty blue; G. Tournefortii, 

 light lilac, with a beautiful orange stigma; 

 C speciosa, bright lilac and striped with 

 purple; G. iridiflo)'us, a gem with very large 

 outer segments, lilac pin'j)le in coloui'. This is 

 a very fine species, and should be in every col- 

 lection of hardy plants. Another beautiful 

 species is Crocus vallicola, wdth pale, creamy 

 white flowers, the segments tapering to a fine, 

 almost thread-like i)oint. This species is rather 

 scarce, but woi'th encjuiring for among hardy 

 plant people. Of shrubs, Spiraea Anthony 

 Waterer has been noticeable; it is a useful 

 plant for massing in the front of a shrubbei'y, 

 and makes a good show with its abundant 

 corymbs of bright carmine flowers. Perovskia 

 atriplicifolia, with small grey leaves and spikes 

 of pale blue flowers, is a flne plant for a sunny 

 position in light soil, and should be pruned hard 

 back in spring, as is the case with most autiuun 

 flowering shrul)s. Hibiscus syriacus has 

 flowered in many colours, and is useful late in 

 the season, though here at least not always 

 flowering so freely as this year. Fuchsias have 

 continued to give a good account of themselves, 

 and on the whole we must feel thankfid for the 

 many beautiful plants wdiich September has 

 provided; even Water Lilies, such as Atropiir- 

 purea, Glad stoniana, and Colossea, &c., have 

 flowered freely, looking beautiful on the rare 

 occasions on which the sun shone during this 

 very Avet month. 



•J. W. B., Glasnevin. 



