IRISH GARDENING. 



loi 



on a sunny bank, and several plants were carry- 

 ing up to five umbels of their characteristic 

 pink tloM'ers. 



High upon another bank the brilliant 

 Habi'antJius pyatensis was a perfect blaze of 

 orange red, the flower spikes so numerous as 

 to almost hide the leaves. No coddling is given 

 here, but soil well drained and free exposure to 

 sun and air. Near by Pentstcniun Davidsuiii. 

 a fine mass, was smothered with flowers, a sight 

 to fill one with envy and admiration. 



Vcrunica pijiohefoDnis. — An uncommon 

 Speedwell from China was noted at the same 

 time, and a wide, spreading mass of the hand- 

 some Didutliiis superbu^, with fringed pink 

 flowers. AUusuriis crispus, the Parsley Fern, 

 collected in the Lead Hills of Tianarkshire, gave 

 tufts of bright green, most refreshing to the 

 eye. Terminating a sloping bank, a huge bush 

 of Rosa Moijesii was just coming into flower, 

 showing many buds and a few open flowers of 

 rich crimson. Fine masses of a hybrid WaU- 

 fioivcr, l^nown as ]Miss King's variety, gave a 

 rich orange tone. Lithospermiim prostratinn . 

 literally in square yards, gave that wonderful 

 blue effect only equalled by some Gentians. 

 Far-spreading colonies of vigorous Primulas, for 

 which The Bush is famous, met the eye on 

 every side. In addition to P. Wardii, P. pid- 

 rcrulenta was there in hundreds, also marvel- 

 lously beautiful hybrids of P. bidleyana X., P. 

 coclxburniana, which crop up spontaneously, 

 and establish themselves by little rivulets in 

 boggy places, lighting the whole garden with 

 their colour. A remarkable and most attractive 

 group was that of Camassia Cusiclii, with fine 

 spikes of dark blue flowers; a moist, boggy 

 position seems to suit it well. IMinndu-; 

 radicans was covering quite a large area, and 

 beginning to open its quaint flowers. Perhaps 

 the most interesting discovery at The Bush was 

 Priniida Knutliiana , growing in rather hard, dry 

 soil at the base of a tree, and throwing out 

 stolons which run along just under the surface 

 of the soil, and at some inches from the parent 

 plant form new plants. This species has 

 baffled more than one grower, but Mr. Barton, 

 who takes a special interest in Primulas, seems 

 to have discovered the secret. In the more 

 formal garden many beds are filled with Violas, 

 which ai'e favourites at The Bush, and her- 

 baceous borders were gay with Poppies, Lupins, 

 Irises and other June-flowering herbaceous 

 plants. 



Hardy fruit-growing is carried on extensively 

 l)y Air. Barton, and manv aci'es are covered by 

 (xooseberries and Black Currants, carrying 

 heavy crops; there is also an orchard of nine 

 acres, chiefly planted with Bramleys. 



The Donard Nurseries. 



^ Our next visit was to the Donard Nurseries at 

 Newcastle, Co. Down, where we were most 

 generously entertained by the pi-oprietor, Mr. 

 James Coey, an enthusiastic plantsman. 



Here we soon noted a bed of Primula japonica 

 atrusanguinea, with handsome dark blood-red 

 flowers. The yellow fruited form of Cotonecistcr 

 frigida was pointed out, though, of course, not 

 in fruit. Potentella Veitchii was seen flowering 

 in abundance — a plant that sliould be in every 

 garden where sluaibs are grown. 



Pyras erythrocarpa, a form of P. arbutijolia, 

 was noted flowering freely. This Pyrus forms 

 a bush 6 feet or more in height, and is valuable 

 on account of the brilliant colour assumed by 

 the leaves in autumn; then, too, the fruits be- 

 come red, and form an additional attraction. 



A rapid growing form of Casta no psis cJiry- 

 sophylla was pointed out. It is an interesting 

 plant, as there is said to be two forms, one 

 growing faster than the other. 



Viburnum phlehotrichum, a Japanese plant, 

 forms a nice bush, and is useful for fruiting in 

 autumn. 



Kahni(i.<i flourish in the non-calcareous soil of 

 Newcastle, and we noted thriving bushes of K. 

 Angustifolium. A semi-double rich yellow rose 

 species, of Chinese origin, was one of the finest 

 things noted. With something of the habit of 

 Rosa Hugonis, it is, however, more vigorous 

 and of a richer colour, the two growing side by 

 side in the nursery. 



Leptospermums are a feature at Donard 

 Nurseries, and fine exhibits have appeared at 

 the leading shows throughout the three king- 

 doms. There is a remarkably fine stock of the 

 various red and pink-flowered forms, as well as 

 some " breaks " in habit, which may lead to 

 the fiu'ther use of this interesting and pretty 

 genus of New Zealand shrubs. 



Lomatia jerruginea (L. ])innatifolia) is repre- 

 sented by a fine stock of 'healthy young plants, 

 hardily grown in the open, and, should be very 

 suitable for those who m.ay wish to try this 

 striking Cliilian shrub. 



Eucn/phia eordifolia was similarly noted, and 

 Rhododendron nepalense was said to be the 

 best red -flowered form of the Arboreum set. 



An uncommon shrub is Sphacele campanu- 

 lata^ here represented by numerous bushes, 

 covered with bright blue flowers. Although 

 not to be recommended as generally hardy, thi;i 

 labiate is a pretty plant for a sheltered nook, 

 ^^•here it could be protected in severe weather. 



A plant called Olearia gummifera had all the 

 appearance of being a form of 0. stellulata, and 

 is probably the plant sometimes known as 



