22 



IRISH GARDENING 



hush}' plants with a wealth of their lovely 

 tlowers, which contrast admirably with tlie 

 grey foliage, and will I'eniain in tlower for 

 several weeks. 



W. 1). V>. 



Carmichaelia australis* 



'I'hkke ari' certain plants which, hy reason of 

 tlicirnnique appearance, aiicst the attention of 

 liie ordinar_\- passer-hy, and the' above men- 

 tioned is one of tliem. A good many of the 

 subjects included in the above category are 

 more curious than heautiful, but sucli cannot 

 he said of Carmichaelia australis, with its long 

 arching flattened branches, attractive at all 

 seasons, and especially so wlien in ffower, or 

 later, carrying seed. 'This shrub planted at Fota 

 as a lawn specimen has made remarkable growth 

 during the past five years, and has proved 

 thoroughly hardy and flowers with wonderful 

 freedom. The small, blue, pea-shaped flowers 

 are profusely borne on the flattened stems, 

 many of which are a yard in length, and though 

 the flowers are not showy they are particularly 

 pleasing. Following these are small, flattened, 

 pea-shaped pods, which ultimately turn black, 

 and when the fleshy jjortion drops away the 

 outer rim remains with the one orange-coloured 

 seed neatly poised in the centre by a slender 

 filament ; it is surprising what a length of 

 time these remain, and though, perhaps, it is 

 hardly fair to say so, 1 question whether these 

 are not as beautiful ; certainly they are as con- 

 spicuous as the flowers. 



Seed germinates readdy, and last season, 

 probably on account of the damp, mild autunm, 

 many of them did so on the plant. 



E. B., Fota. 



Cryptomeria elegans* 



Though this is the name that is usually 

 ajjplied, to be correct 1 think it should read 

 Cryptomeria japonica \ai'. elegaus, which 

 \arietal name it certainly deserves. Though 

 differing greatly from the type which 

 assumes magnificent tree-like proportions what 

 the variety loses in statu.re and stateliness it 

 makes up for in its beautiful foliage and colour- 

 ing, for certainly, in its latter respect, it stands 

 unequalled in the genera of Coniferae. It is 

 beyond my power to describe the beautiful 

 sheen of the foliage, especially wlien seen in 

 the varying lights, with its warm tones, which 

 I can only describe as reddish In'onze, and 

 which is such a relief to the sombre appearance 

 of so many of the other Conifers. The bush at 



Fota measures some forty yards in circumfer- 

 ence and consists of the original centre ])lant, 

 around wlii(di the lower branches ha\e run out 

 horizontally and then assumed iin upward ten- 

 dency, fdi-nuii;.; 1 urri't-lilu' ^lowtiis some seven 

 or eight in nund)er. This shi'ub is, I believe, 

 one of the rare instances in which a ])lant re- 

 tains its seedling ff)rm, and for that reason is 

 looki'd upon somewhat as a freak; still, all the 

 same, it is worthy of inclusion, as already 

 statt'il. for its handsiaue foliage when seen on 

 the sj)ecimen or used for cut purposes, for 

 which it is in great demand. 



Some Popular Rock Plants. 



There is a bright patch of cohjur in the liocJi 

 Garden at i3resent that is given by a variety of 

 Snj-ifrai/a rotini<Jitolia, the leaves of which turn 

 from bright scailet to dark crimson during the 

 winter, if they have enjoyed much summer sun- 

 shine. The coloured leaves though very pretty 

 are not so suitable to gather for winter bouquets 

 as are those of Galax aphylla and the lovely 

 Shortias. 



Among the spring flowers we have many 

 things of great beauty, none surpassing in 

 ])oi)ularity the Pascpie flower Anciiione piiha- 

 i'dhi. It does well m sunshine, and likes lime 

 in the soil, which should be good. There is a 

 white variety. A Halleri is much like puhatilla, 

 the shade of mauve l)eing different, and seed- 

 lings vary in tints. 



///.s reticulata is one of the choicest of our 

 dwarf, sweet-scented Iris, and save foi' a slight 

 protection in winter is perfectly hardy. 



The Erodiums are coming greatlv into faxour, 

 and very justly so. These are the Pelargoniums 

 of the rock garden, flourishing in any soil and 

 sunshine. Of the Geraniums Lancastiictiac and 

 aigoiteu should be largely grown. 



Of beautiful Saxifrages, as of Prinudas, there 

 is no end, and the seedlings are rather confus- 

 ing. " The Queen of Saxifrages " is .S. longi- 

 foJia, of the encrusted section, but after jjrodue- 

 ing its snowy royal plumes it is apt to die. 

 Gloria of the I^ursierana section is a large, white 

 s])arkling and beautiful. 



As to the Primulas, Wlntcrl should l)e first 

 favourite if carefully grown ; protection by glass 

 keeps the lovely powdering effect of the leaves, 

 which so enhances this plant. The pale green, 

 flat leaves have a crisp, frosted appearance, and 

 the large, pale mauve blossoms on very sh,ort 

 stems have a silyery s'heeri. 



Viola Bos/u'ara,' i:bsBrcolour with tiny, rayed, 

 pansy face, is very fascinating. Other plants 

 to which this word - may be apjdied are 

 Mhituhiti radlc'-i'ns,idts 'white blossom with 



