i8o 



IRISH GARDENING. 



of this species is worth working for, if only for 

 the colour. Propagation may be effected by 

 cuttings, but if the plants are allowed to flower 

 they often die afterwards. It is well to reserve 

 a few plants and pinch out the flowers, so as 

 to induce the formation of growths instead. 

 To ol)tain good seeds, artificial pollination 

 should l)e done. 



])i(t)ithus (leJtoides, the so-called " Maiden 

 Pink," is a popular species, giving a wealth of 

 flowers in summer. The leaves are glaucous 

 green, and the flowers, ])roduced on rather long 

 stems, are rose-coloiu'ed, with a darker zone 

 towards the centre. Several varieties are 



DIauthiis (Jeltoides, but is more refined. The 

 smaller leaves are stiffer, rendering the whole 

 plant more compact, while the rosj' pink 

 flowers are just as freely produced on slender, 

 wiry stems. 



DianthuH micrulcpis is a close-growing, com- 

 pact little plant, forming dense tufts of short 

 leaves, after the manner of 1). Frcunii, but 

 ])roducing pale pink flowers. /). niirrolepis 

 niiucUcua is similar in habit, hut with i-icher- 

 coloured flowers. 



DIdnflius nrgJertiiH is well known to lovers 

 of alpines, and is certainly one of the gems of 

 the gciuis. It foiius tufts of short, grass-hlu' 



Photo ft.y] 



("EL.MISIA VKRBASCIFOLIA A1 Mul XT I'SHKR. 



[]]■. !■:, Ticrilli!'-/: 



known, particularly ^ne with more decidedly 

 glaucous leaves. DiantlntH (iiischacliii. of 

 similar habit, but with more intensely coh)ured 

 flowers, seems tfj l)e closely allied to the 



Maiden Pink," and comes from the Balkans. 



I)i(intlnifi fragrona is a charming i)lant, with 

 glaucfjiis leaves, and sweet-scented M'hite 

 flowers, the petals deeply fi-inged; there is, too, 

 a double-flowered variety of this, which makes 

 a good disjjlay. 



DianihuH Freynii is one of the tiny gems of 

 the genui?, scarcely ex'ceeding a couple of inches 

 in height, forming cf)mj)act tufts of short, 

 glaucous leaves, from amf)ng which rise tlie 

 rosy flowers, half an inch to thicc-(|uartors 

 of an inch across. This is a delightful little 

 jilant for cracks, crevices or moraine treatment. 



DianfJms gramiicuH is after the style of 



leaves, and produces (h'U^htful rose-coloiu'ed 

 flowers, the jietals serrated, and usually buft- 

 coloured on tlie under side. Seedlings of tliis 

 species vary somewhat in size of flower and in 

 colour, but all are efl^ective on the Piock (larden. 



Didntlitts nd'Ouiiii forms tufts of small 

 leaves, and produces quantities of small, white 

 flowers on long, wiry stems during late summer. 

 Though not so striking as some of the more 

 highly-coloured species, it is xabiablc in its 

 l;iter flowering, and grows freely. 



I >i(i III liiis ficlru'iis has rose-coloured flowers, 

 with fringed petals, ])roduced on wiry steins, 

 some B inches long. The leaves are awI-shapcd 

 and green, the growths foi'ining a spreading 

 mat on the rock work. 



Dinnfli iifi pi ii ma riiis is the j)arent of the 

 garden Pinks, of which double forms are com- 



