IRISH GARDENING. 



(ilass iiiiist be ijlaced over tln'iii lo lu'cp n[\ 

 the winter rains, and it may lie ncerssaiy lo 

 water sliglitly rouml the loots in sunmu'i', hut 

 nut over the leaves. lianionihas aie rasii r, hiil 

 hke Androsaces and most alpine rosette ])hin(s, 

 pine under winter lain. 



llaiiioudia Nathaha'. piirplf. with oi;Uii;r 

 stamens, and its white lorni aic \eiy ehoice, 

 hut all are ideal roek jilants. quite hardv it 

 planted '■ sideways " wedged between stones, 

 and on the shady si(U' if jiossihle. The Drahas 

 are indisj)ensahle, the choicest — I'd idculU^ 

 }njit)iiilra (Draha), rose-pur]ile and the white 

 ioiiu ; the close-growing loliage forms rosettes, 

 and nuich the same treatnuait snits them — onl\ 

 three inches in height any of the many varieties 

 look cliai-ming as alpines. Nierembergia. the 

 wonderful eu])-tl()wer, is ;ni easy j'ock plant, A'. 

 ririihirifi l)eing exceptionally s(j. 



In larger rock gardening schemes Conifers 

 make fine effects. At the renowned JJaisy Hill 

 (iardens the stock of Pinus, Junipers, Cypresses 

 and such like afford a wide choice; tlie diminu- 

 ti\f varieties are useful in smaller work. There 

 is a beautiful wild Jinaiper that clothes many of 

 the rocky slopes in Co. Donegal; it, too, would 

 be an interesting addition to any rock work 

 not very limited as to space. 



At Daisy Hill the shrubby varieties of Spii'teas 

 form, also, an unusually large collection, and 

 wliere one can be used it certainly should, tlu'y 

 are so liardy, ])referring a certain amount of 

 damp and giving their blooms lavishly. 



Among the larger shrubby plants the follow- 

 ing can be used most successfully: — Veronicas, 

 a Very large family indeed. Cotoneaster, 

 Cistus and Cytisus ; of the latter C. K('ivnif<i)i 

 and ('. jiiirpiircux are very good. Cistus, tlie 

 large)' lock roses for dry, sunny slojies, are 

 Inu'dy and p(j|)ular, the least hardy being C. 

 crixjiiix, one of the most beautiful. ('oiiroJ- 

 vuhi.s ('iK'oruni is a lovely little sihcrv shriili 

 with |)ink-tlushed, white blossoms. Loveliest 

 of sluaibby plants is F(tJ)i(iua imhnmUi for any- 

 where not too exposed ; it is at its host amongst 

 rock work. The snowy tubular flowers re'- 

 semble a large, waxy-wliite heath. The e\er- 

 green foliage is also heatli-like, of a be;iutiful 

 intense green colour, and the plant is often 

 called the False Heath; it is difficult to associ- 

 ate it with the Potato t'iiniily, to wlu'cdi it 

 belongs. 



Now coming to the Ericas, there is scarcely 

 a Heath or Heather tliat is not worthy of n 

 place amongst the larger rock plants. Many 

 are beautiful and all are interesting. Some, 

 such as the new double Heath could easily hnd 

 a place among the smaller rock plants. Wiih 

 these ))eat-loving ])lants come the Daphnes of 

 great beauty and intense fragrance, but not 



altogt'ther easy. The llypericunis, choosing 

 the best, such a^ //. cn/'.s, //. nptmin, H. 

 Int(jih\ The Shoitias, lai>;er Prinnilas, and 

 I he l()\ely American Woo<l Lilies — trilliums — 

 liiat like a rather damp >oil and shade. LlaJax 

 iijilnjlUi is aiiotlu'r choice .\merican plant, tile 

 eoloiiied leaxcs in winter adding much to its 

 intt'rest. The last four peat-hnors can scarcely 

 be' classeil with shnibhy plants. Artemisias 

 for an,\- soil or position should not be forgotten. 

 .1. (ir(iriii cd , like a little miniatvu'e silvery fir, 

 erect and most decicjrative ; A. gna phaloides, 

 an alpine weed; .4. poiificu and feathery ,4. 

 viiUcxidca , are ralher s|)readiiig but worth their 

 room. 



Last, but by no means least, are tlie tiny 

 I'linging mcjsses, some of which are the choicest 

 of tloral gems, and dearest of all to the truil 

 rock gardener's heart. Oh my I will ye look at 

 the wee fog with Howers on it, exclaimed a sur- 

 prised uninitiated one of Arendiia baJcarico, 

 which had taken the monopoly of a number oi' 

 large stones and a good j)art of the path because 

 it Could meet with its beloved lime as it ramped 

 along. " l"\)g '" in flower was something 

 altogether new, but to see its emerald green 

 hidden by the wealth of wide open, snowy 

 cups, which it produced, was astonishing in- 

 deed. 



Vcrniilra r(/;/r.s7T//.s rather reseml)les the 

 alio\(,' in its habit of growth; the blue blossoms 

 are studded over the delicate green in very 

 im^ich the same way. The Oppositifolia group 

 of I Saxifrages give the same lichen-like effect 

 al^a, studded over closely with pretty blossoms 

 lame in proportion to the tiny clinging foliage. 



rnnikcnia Inrvis ])rovides a very close effec- 

 ti\-e growth, but rising in little mounds occa- 

 sionally it is also called Sea Heath. The 

 flowers are pink and prett^'. 



TliijHiiis hniiiginosa, a great favourite nuich 

 of the same type, save for its woolly appear- 

 ance and its delightful gift of fragrance. 



Newer plants than either of these are Ma.-^iis 

 nigo^a and Siacliijx rmsird, the former a re- 

 cent Himalayan introduction; a very closely 

 clinging rock ])lant with stemless flowers, 

 shaped like the wild Pink Bog Pimpernel, which 

 Air. Kuskin admired so greatly, but larger and 

 of a beautiful lilac colour. The latter is a very 

 neat carpeter covered with the faintest blush 

 flowers, not unlike the former. 



There is no closer carpeter than Motllui 

 li'cijiiiiiii, a most fascinating thing. The lilac 

 blossoms are of the tiniest* description and it has 

 the most intense peppermint fragrance, quite 



multum in parvum," and there does not 

 seem any need for the two names under which 

 it is known. 



Amakaxthe. 



