IRISH GARDENING 



71 



bloom through the summer, as will Silenes, 

 and any young plant that is ready for moving 

 should be planted in its pei-manent (quarters , 

 The spotty effect of single plants is very un- 

 satisfactory ; it is ever so much better to group 

 plants, as many as possible of the same kind 

 and colour — such as a mass of one shade of 

 Aubrietia, or several plants Oi. Silene Schaftce, 

 which will give a splendid late summer effect; 

 or have a patch of one kind of Rock Eose. 

 Young plants of these and the Aubrietiap 

 should be soon ready to bloom, so, unless space 

 is very limited, one should not be weary in in- 

 creasing one's stock, and especially of increas- 

 ing the choicest varieties. 



The best show in my rock garden at present 

 is given b\- rrininJa rosea, one of the easiest to 

 grow, and such a lovely, cheery flower to look 

 at. The next best effect comes from Dent aria 

 (ligitata, alike good for border or rock work; 

 lilac with handsome foliage and cjuickly- 

 spreading habit of growth. ; Orobus verna of 

 slower growth and not so showy, but most in- 

 teresting from the changing tints of blue and 

 rose in its pretty flowers, is another indispens- 

 able old favourite. Hutcliinsia alpina, always 

 of charming growth, proves its worth by 

 spreading its snowy carpet in good time to set 

 off the first of the Gentians. Before Arenaria 

 balearica, the white mossy Saxifrages are quite 

 ready, its glistening white is very striking, 

 when a sunny day shows the Gentians at their 

 best. 



Rhododendron ledifolium. 



This is an excellent May-flowering shrub not 

 so often met witli in gardens as it might be 

 considering its hai'diness ^ind free-flowering 

 ({ualities. A native of Japan, China and Corea, 

 it was introduced from the first-named country 

 about 100 years ago and still is not common. 

 It is perfectly hardy, but like most Ehododen- 

 drons, it flourishes best where sheltered from 

 cutting winds, and in the milder parts of Ire- 

 land makes a bushy shrub up to five or six feet 

 high. The plant is evergreen, with rather 

 narrow, lance-shaped leaves about two inches 

 or more long and less than half as wide, hairy 

 on both surfaces and dark green in colour. The 

 beautiful, pure white, scented flowers are over 

 two inches wide, borne in the greatest pro- 

 fusion. The plant from which our illustration 

 Avas prepared is in the collection of Mr. E. H. 

 Walpole, at Momit Usher, Co. Wicklow, where 

 also Myosotideuui nobile, tlu^ (Jhatharn Island 

 Forget-me-Not, and many Primulas flourish 

 amazinslv. 



The Wild Geraniums* 



These constitute a most interesting and popu- 

 lar genus of hardy plants, suitable for borders 

 and Eock Gardens. 



They differ from the so-called Geraniums 

 (properly, Pelargoniums) of greenhouses in 

 having regular flowers, those of the latter being 

 irregular, though many of them, through care- 

 ful crossing and good cultivation, have become 

 nearly regular. The Geraniums differ also 

 from their near allies, the Erodiums, in the 

 curved awn to the seed: in the latter, it is 

 twisted like a corkscrew. 



In general, the Geraniums are easily grown, 

 and flourish in ordinary, well-drained garden 

 soil, the smaller-growing, rockery species pre- 

 ferring, as a rule, a sunny position, in soil 

 which will not become stagnant in winter. 

 Propagation may be effected by means of seeds, 

 cuttings and divisions, the latter being the 

 method usually adopted for the stronger-grow- 

 ing border species and varieties, while all three 

 methods may be adopted for the smaller 

 species. 



The following can be recommended : — 



G. anemoncefoliuni, a handsome plant, 

 forming a short, somewhat woody, stem, 

 bearing a crown of long-stalked, handsome, 

 dark-green leaves, with reddish veins, and 

 bearing fine panicles of rosy-purple flowers, 

 held well above the leaves. This species is a. 

 native of Madeira, and not altogether hardy 

 everywhere. It rejoices in the shade and 

 shelter of some evergreen tree or shrub, but 

 vi'ithout being quite overgrown. Seeds are pro- 

 duced fairly freely, and sow themselves about 

 in congenial surroundings, usually coming up 

 in some shady situation. 



(t. argenteuin, native of N. Italy, is one of 

 the most attractive of the dwarf kinds suit- 

 able for siumy sites on the Eock Garden. The 

 leaves spring mostly from the central crown, 

 the stalks being long, the leaf-blades finely 

 cut, and beautifully silvery on both sides. 

 I'he flowers are rosy pink or pale red, har- 

 monising delightfully with the silvery, grey 

 leaves. 



(t. ar menu in, from the East, is a robust 

 herbaceous species, growing up to 3 feet in 

 height; producing large, luxuriant leaves and 

 masses of deep-red flowers in June. 



G. cinerenm, from the Pyrenees, is a worthy 

 companion to Ct. argcnteiun, which it some- 

 what resembles, and with which it is occasion- 

 ally confused in gardens. The leaves are 

 silvery grey, not quite so " white " as those 

 of argenteum, and they are divided into lobes 

 rather than into narrow segments, as in the 



