136 



IRISH GARDENING. 



Photo by] nr. E. Ti-eiithick 



White Trumpet Daffodil, Peter Barr. 



Firs, Abies concolor is noteworthy, not only for 

 its own merit but for its variety argentea 

 Wallezi, with young shoots painted sulphur 

 white. A well-grown tree of A. nobilis shows 

 that it has fully earned the name that has been 

 assigned to it. A. religiosa is a good species from 

 Mexico; A. Veitehii is to be recommended; A. 

 webbiana has large, curved foliage, glossy green 

 above, underside well-marked with white lines, 

 cones dark blue. Of Pines we may note I'inus 

 Ayacahuite, a stately tree with a large resinous 

 cone, needles dark green ; in P. Montezumte 

 they are long, somewhat stiff and grey, branch- 

 lets rich brown, a very distinct plant; in ]'. 

 patula they are fine, pendulous and graceful ; 

 these three are all splendid species from Mexico. 

 P. bungeana, the Lace -bark Pine from China, 

 aj) pears to be a slow grf)wer, light green in 

 colour, foliage less dense; P. parviflora is glau- 

 cous, and produces its small cones very freely ; 

 and P. radiata (insignis), from California, in- 

 creases rapidly and is clothed in b)-iglit green. 



The A-lpine Garden in June. 



With the passing of the wai' the rock garden is 

 coming into its own again. For four somewhat 

 long years it was forced into the background b\- 

 the urgent and pressing needs for more food 

 production, and to a considerable extent had to 

 take care of itself. 



Yet, as if determined to share in the general 

 rejoicing, it has blossoined with a prodigality 

 beyond all previous experience. The ahnndanl 



rains of the winter and early spring, followed by 

 the brilliant hot weather of late May and early 

 June, have probably a good deal to do with it; 

 but, whatever the reason, the lavishness of 

 bloom during j\Iay and June was a pure joy to 

 the eye, and something to be remembered. 



Every tuft of the so-called Silver Saxifrages 

 sent forth a sturdy spike and fuliilled its promise 

 of blossom with a prodigality worthy of the 

 peace year. 



The ideal place for most of the Euaizoonia 

 group is undoubtedly a crevice in a bold mass of 

 the natural rock. Few are so fortunate as to 

 possess such a place, but the fortunate ones 

 should spare no pains in utilising every little 

 chink or crevice into which a small plant can be 

 inserted. If the rock is nearly vertical, or has 

 a very sharp slope, pieces of stone should be 

 driven in here and there to keep the soil from 

 being washed from the higher parts. Once 

 established, the plants send dow^n their roots 

 into the tiniest cracks, and securely anchoring 

 themselves they cling firmly to the face of the 

 rock, resist any amount of drought, and enjoy 

 the most perfect drainage. Then, in due season, 

 come the long, waving plumes of white and 

 pink against the hard, grey mass of the natural 

 rock. 



The next best thing to the live rock is where 

 one has a sharp slope in the garden which calls 

 for a retaining wall here and there. 



The planting should be done as the wall is 

 built. Lay the stones on their longest and 

 flattest side, with very little soil between them. 

 Between the rows of stone plant not only Saxi- 

 frages but Campanulas garganica and muralis, 

 Geranium argenteum, Dianthus neglectus, and 

 Petrocallis pyrenaica. 



S. Aizoon minima is not very common, I 

 think, but it should be grown; the rosettes are 

 very tiny, but very beautiful and finely notched. 

 It quickly makes a large mass, does not rust or 

 go off in any wa\ , and is pleasing to the eye at 

 any time of the year. 



S. kolenatiana var. Sendtneri is the best of 

 the pink forms. The rosette has long, pointed 

 leaves which partly turn crimson ; the flower is 

 a soft pink, with a blotch of deeper colour near 

 the base. S. l^urnati is a vigorous grower, 

 f|uickly making a fine clump, and a free and 

 lavish blooniei'. 



Dianthus negh'ctus has been magnificent. 

 It is a large mass which is never interfered with, 

 i)ut just left to itself, and, having got its roots 

 well down amongst the stones, it seems to re- 

 joice in hot sun and dry weather. 



Oxalis enneaphylla, its variety )'()sea and (). 

 adenopliylla, flourish exceedingly and nudti- 

 ply. They all bloomed very freely, and to try 

 to desci-ibc them wouM he like painting the, 



