132 



IRISH GARDENING. 



efEect, C. Mas aurea elegantissima and Bo^ea 

 Amberstiana variegata have much merit; the 

 vaiiegated form of Polygonum sachahnense is a 

 fine combination of bright green, red and yellow; 

 Quercus pedunculata Concordia is altogether 

 yellow gold; it is, however, a poor grower, 

 and, as far as I have seen, it remains a small 

 bush, quite at home even if placed in a diminu- 

 tive Rock Garden. The names of some plants 

 with red foliage may also be acceptable. Thi;^ 

 pecuhar characteristic, which serves to enliven 

 the view, is well developed in the purple Ber- 

 beris. Birch, Hazel, Oak (Quercus pedunculata 

 purpurascens), Eosa rubrifolia, and in several 

 forms of the common Beech tree, fi-om the older 

 one with a dull copper colour to the newer kinds 

 with a very dark shade of purple. It is also pro- 

 nounced in Prunus Pissardii, and in its sub- 

 varieties, Moseri and Hessei ; and in the Black- 

 thorn P. spinosa purpurea, a thriving plant of 

 which looks extremely well if placed in the sun 

 where it can show itself off. It is, moreover, 

 vei-y conspicuous in some of the varieties of Acer 

 palmatum, which, as well as A. japoniciuu, are 

 desirable foliage plants for many reasons. 

 Lastly, it is to be seen, though in a somewhat 

 less diuable way, in other Maples; ff)r instance, 

 in A. I'latanoides Schwedleri, and in Pyrus 

 Niedzwetzkyana, a native of the Caucasus. 

 Those interested in this matter will find it well 

 treated in Mr. Bean's admirable work., " Trees 

 and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles," which 

 contains a list of variegated plants (I. 74). But 

 before leaving the subject I may remark that 

 most of the I'hotinias are to be recommended 

 not only on account of their handsome appear- 

 ance, but also because of their young red leaves; 

 something similar may be said of Camellia cus- 

 pidata and of Stranvajsia undulata; moreover, 

 the broad-winged translucent thorns of llosa 

 sericea pteracantha add a distinct crimson 

 colour to the plant; while the beautiful ])innati:' 

 leafage of Cedrela sinensis, having a dash of 

 yellowish-brown through the green, forms a 

 most pleasing effect when near other trees. 



We may now tiu-n to another class of plants. 

 The herbaceous Saxifraga peltata, the Eodger- 

 sias, and the Gunneras chiim attention foi- their 

 hold and sti'iking foliage. The most rcmarkaljle 

 of all is (r. manicata, which, when well tended 

 and supplied with sufficient fai-m-yard manure, 

 expands giant leaves from ten feet to twelve feet 

 across, the whole mass being more in height, and 

 spreading over a' large extent of ground. It is 

 easy to see how mounted South-Amciicnn cow- 

 bo,ys are able to shelter themselves and their 

 ponies from a downpoui' of rain under so excel- 

 lent and ample a natural covei-. ('•. chilensis 

 (scabra) should also l)e mentioned, though l)y 

 no means so large; both have a curious cone- 



like, greenish inflorescence, more lax in the 

 former, that adds to their interest. G. magel- 

 lanica and G. monoica, on the other hand, are 

 small carpeting plants. Musa Basjoo, the 

 Plantain or Banana fi-om Japan, and Ehodo- 

 stachys Pitcairnisefolia, Puya chilensis, and a 

 few of the Pitcairnias of the Pine-apple Order, 

 grow in some mild districts, and they present so 

 unusual an appearance that they should be tried 

 where there is a chance of their svicceeding. 

 Daui^ea Laurus (Piuscus racemosa, Alexandrian 

 Laurel) is a little shrub with small, thin, bright, 

 shining leaves. In Lilium giganteum they are 

 large and cordate, diminishing in size as they 

 ascend the flower spike, and ending sometimes 

 more than ten feet high, with a cluster of 

 trumpet-like lilies. In Phormiiun tenax they 

 are long, sword-shaped, tough, and grey; in the 

 smaller P. Hookeri they are less rigid, and arc 

 green; the various species are hai'dy, and their 

 bloom is another feature to their credit. Clumps 

 of Bamboos are always favourites for their 

 graceful arching stem and pleasing foliage. They 

 are all worth cultivating; some are of small 

 dimensions and others rise to twenty feet and 

 more in height. There are many kinds avail- 

 able, of which it is perha|)s sufficient to note 

 Arundinaria nobilis, with mottled brown canes ; 

 Phyllostachys Castillonis, bright golden striped 

 with green; and P. nigra, burnished black. It 

 is well to add that one of them, known generally 

 as Bambusa palmata, with large leaves, re- 

 (]uires a great deal of room, for otherwise, being 

 a rampant grower, it spreads and forces its way 

 up through the surrounding plants ; many of the 

 smaller species have also this aggressive dis- 

 position. Allied to Bamboos, is Arundo Lonax, 

 an upstanding Eeed from the Mediterranean 

 I'egion; while A. conspicua from New Zealand 

 takes the form of the well-known Pampas Grass 

 from South America (Cortaderia argentea), of 

 wiiicli tliei'e are several desirable varieties. 

 Aj)era aiundinacea, also from New Zealand, 

 grows in tufts, some three feet high, and is well 

 described by its conmion naiue, " Pheasant-tail 

 Grass." Eestio subverticillata, from South 

 Afi'ica, has much to say for itself; it does not 

 belong to the Graminese, but is a welcome and 

 interesting kinsman, with bi'ight green canes, 

 )'ed bracts, and nodding plurues. 



Yuccas, belonging to the Lily Order, with up- 

 right dagger-like, or more recurving foliage, 

 give a character to a garden ; and the effect is 

 increased by the presence of their near relations, 

 Cordylines or Club-Pahus, looking like over- 

 grown Yuccas on tall stems, but with an en- 

 lirely diffei'ent inflorescence. Tlu'ee species at 

 least are hardy in many pai'ts of Ireland. TIk^ 

 dark green C. Austi-alis is often cultivated : aud 

 it assumes sevei'al forms, of which tlie^ most 



