102 



IRISH GARDENING. 



titilhilntd lunciorciihahi : cjf looser habit than 

 the type, and with larger and more spreading 

 flower cor3aBbs. 



Stijrax japonicitni was noted, and is a desir- 

 able small tree, bearing in its season pendulous 

 white flowers of considerable beauty. Juni- 

 perus communis aureus is an attractive low- 

 growing golden variety, suitable for the rfjck 

 garden. We noticed, too, a pale pink Broom, 

 said to be the result of crossing Ctjtisits DaUi- 

 morci with another species. A remarkable 

 dark, j)ur])lish red-flc)wered IhnUllrin of tlic B. 

 CoJvlJlri type was noted, and near by, on a 

 wall, a most floriferous plant of FrenHnitia 

 Cdlijoniicu, which apparently enjoys full sun, 

 with its roots in a hard gravel path. 



In the frames are stocks of many fine things 

 in pots, including Alpines, among them being 

 several of Mr. Groves' hybrid Campanulas. 

 Altogether, we felt that the Donard Nurseries 

 are destined to add to the fame already enjoyed 

 by Irish commercial gardens. 



{To he coutiiiiicd.) 



Primula deorum. 



TiiK original })lant of Primula deorum, photo- 

 graphed when in flower by the late Mr. Ball, is 

 still alive at Mucklagh, but owing tf) over- 

 crowding by other things, is not flowering this 

 year. A much laiger patch subseejuentl^y im- 

 ported has increased, and is now in flower. 1 

 attribute the flourishing conditiin of P. deo)'um 

 at Mucklagh entirely to my having imitated as 

 far as y)ossible the conditions surrounding it in 

 its native habitat. In the Balkans it grows at 

 from 8,000 feet to 9,000 feet above sea level, 

 and invariably in very moist situations — that is, 

 situations moist with running water both winter 

 and summer. / Iiarr never found if in a liine- 

 atoiie (listricf noi' in a spot wlicif the water was 

 stagnant. I have always found it in open 

 spots, fullv e.xposed to the snu. 'Die best 

 flowerinij spikes I ever saw were in a clump 

 that had grown right across a mountain rill, and 

 through the roots of ^\•hi(•h the ^\■ater had to 

 flow. O'.Maiki.nv, Mucklagh. 



.Mav 2(), lOHl. 



Rhododendron Loderi— Pretty Polly. 



Tuis iiia^rnlin.Mif iiybrid is ijiie of a series raised 

 by Sir Edmund Loder at I^eonardslee, in 

 .Surrey. It originated from crossing PJiododen- 

 dron Fortunei with Rhododendron (iriflitlii- 

 anum. Pih. Loderi itself is practically pure 

 white when expanded, but some of tlie seed- 



lings showed certain variations in colour, and 

 were given distinctive names, and one or two 

 have received the Award of ]\lerit of the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society. The subject of our note 

 flowered finely in the Pioyal Botanic Gardens 

 at Glasi:evin. this spring, and was a source of 

 the greatest admiration. The inniiense flowers, 

 six inches in diameter, anil as many as ten in 

 a truss, are a lovely jjale pink in colour, the 

 effect of a well-flowered plant being truly re- 

 markable. The large, handsome leaves are 

 themselves conspicuous, and would give the 

 plant high rank as an evergreen, even without 

 flowers. Growth does not begin too early, 

 lience there is seldom danger from frost. 



Other colour varieties are Patience, pure 

 \\hite, w ith green inside the tube. An equally 

 fine form, which flowered in the National Col- 

 lection at Glasnevin last year — Pink J_)iamond, 

 a good pink; Diamond, pure white; Queen 

 i\Iary, pink; and Sir Jose])h Hooker, white. 



London Pride — Saxifraga umbrosa. 



Although a common enough plant in most 

 gardens, it is usually relegated to a siufless 

 corner as l)eing " useful for growing in the 

 shade." But what a very different plant it 

 appears when given a fair chance, a chance 

 to throw up its graceful spikes of small daintily 

 nuu'ked ])ink flowers, which it does freely, and 

 which seem so well suited to the glossy dark 

 foliage. As a cut flower for house work it makes 

 a light and elegant decoration, blending in witli 

 many of the early s])ring flowers. As to its 

 hardiness, it seldom fails wlicrc v\vr it is 

 asked to grow, and can be ti'aiis]ilaiited with 

 little danger at almost any time of the year, 

 provided water is su))plied aftei' moving. If 

 all plants wcfc as easily satisfied and gave 

 sucli satisfactory results, a gai'dener's motto 

 would not lu'cd to be " patience." 



U. M. P. 



Dianthus. 



Maw unlcs and arliclcs iu piaisc of the \ai'ie- 

 ties of Dianthus have ai)peared from time to 

 time in the pages of Irish Gakdkxing, but 

 being so popular, and many of them so easily 

 ])ropagated, a few moi-e notes may be accept- 

 alilr. They ai-e such truly " sumuicr 

 tlowers, their delieiously sweet scent, wliicli 

 lliey all appeal' to lia\e, tlieii' clear coloui-s. 

 altliougli not always brilliant, and, above all, 

 their love for the sunshine gives them a stand- 

 ing in all gardens. The small double white 

 of earl\ June, Mrs. Sinkins, a large well- 

 known doubli' white, .Mer Majesty, very 

 like Mrs. Sinkins, but latei-, are old 



