66 



IRISH GARDENING 



granite cliff, was very fine, Ih>risii is (|iii1c 

 vigorous and its blooms are vei'v \\kc I'd iilin<r : 

 it looks like being a stayer. 



lUiifdii and Faldouside are blooming well in 

 the moraine, but tliey suffer from lain and 

 gales; where they are protected from the wet 

 both are, in the middle of March, magnificent. 



All the Burseriana type should be constantly 

 propagated, and a good time to do this is 

 directly after a plant has gone out of flower. 

 It may be taken up and divided carefully, or 

 small tufts can be taken off the side with a 

 sharp knife and potted u)) in two-incli pots in. 

 a very sharp compost. 



Leaving the Kabschia section, the most 

 striking Saxifrage at tlie beginning of March 

 was S. oppositifolia — a large piece, nearly two 

 feet in length, covered with big red-purple 

 blooms. This plant was put into the rock 

 garden nine years ago, is still increasing, and is 

 a picture of vigorous health. In very dry 

 weather it gets a good dose of water and Is 

 top-dressed with sand, lefif-mould and peat 

 two or three times a year. 



Saxifiaga Grisehachii was showing signs of 

 blooming in December, and for some weeks has 

 had three fine spikes of bloom, and tw^o more 

 spikes were removed at an early stage. 



There are two types of Grisehachii — one very 

 good and the other indifferent. I possess both 

 forms in bloom, and the second and inferior 

 form is not in the same street with the one 

 first mentioned, which has a curious history. 

 Several years ago I had a very fine form, a 

 handsome rosette, about two inches across and 

 heavily incrusted, willi several fine spikes of 

 bloom from to 8 int'lies in height. I managed 

 to get some seed frc^m it but failed to propagate 

 the plant itself, which died away the following 

 year. I gave some seed to friends and sowed 

 the remainder in three or four pots, but none 

 of it germinated here or elsewhere, and at the 

 end of three years I discarded the pots. Then 

 about three years ago I noticed a very tiny 

 seedling Saxifrage in a. pot without a label and 

 could not place it, but thought it was a silver 

 •of some sort and watched it very carefully ; it 

 grew well during its second year, and in the 

 middle of last year it had become a. very hand- 

 some rosette, beautifully silvered but \itterly 

 unlike anything I had, and. as the result of dis- 

 cussion over it with a friend who had come to 

 look over the rock garden we came to the con- 

 clusion it was Grisehachii, and as the only 

 seed I had ever had or sown was from the long 

 lost plant it must be the offspring of that 

 plant. And so it has proved to be and reminds 

 me of a counsel of perfection given to me many 

 years ago by the late Thomas Smith of 



Ne\\'rv : "Never throw away a pot in which 

 tare seed has been sown." 



Turniu'/ from tlic Saxifrages to the 



Anemones, j)ii( 



place goes once more f<^ 



A}ienio)ie blaiida scythijiiica. The rare variety 

 rosea began to bloom in January, and the t^pe, 

 white with purple reverse, w^as about a montli 

 later. Both are extremely beautiful, and now 

 that they are firmly established the individual 

 flowers are lai'ger than they were during the 

 first two years. 



The Hepaticas — white, blue and pink — have 

 all done well. Thej' love a top dressing of leaf- 

 mould and to be left undisturbed. 



^4. PulsatiUa did not flower last spring, but 

 is making amends this year by a prodigal dis- 

 play. 



Cyclamen coudi, red, was a striking bit of 

 colour during February, but is now^ goi^ig to 

 rest. The beautifully ma.rbled foliage of C. 

 liedera'foliu)}! is a picture all through the 

 winter. These Cyclamens thrive very well 

 here close to a Veronica hedge. They are 

 amongst the precious things of the rock 

 garden and are well worth taking trouble over. 



Daphne BJacjayana is in bloom now (March), 

 and Iris sti/Iosa is at its zenith. 



Two large plants of Thiaspi bidbosinn are 

 covered with flowers. It dies off sometimes 

 after blooming but this last winter these plants 

 not only survived but grew and doubled in size. 

 It sets seed freely which germinates well. 



One always looks anxiously for the first signs 

 of renewed life in those treasures, beloved of 

 men and slugs, wliich die down in the autumn. 

 CitNipanida AUionii is poking through the little 

 mounds of grit which cover the old crowns. C 

 naiitcri is making quite vigorous growth, and 

 C. niddcana is six inches high. Draba 

 ptjrenaica has shed its drab winter coat for the 

 freshest of green (but it had a pane of glass to 

 keep the rain off) and has already a few 

 flowers. 



Androsacr Chii Diiiiji faced the winter 

 elements without protection but looks " as 

 fresh as paint." 



At this time every day ushers in something 

 fresh in the way of promise, or fulfilment, in 

 the rock garden. The silver Saxifrages are all 

 showing signs of bloom, and a variety of lingu- 

 lata is already pushing out its arching flower 

 spike. 



Further Notes on Moraines 

 and Moraine Plants* 



Since the first series of notes on Moraines 

 appeared in Irish Gardening several seasons 

 have passed by, many new plants have been 



