84 



IRISH GARDENING 



[irdiciitiis fi . /</. The lovely douhk' Cuckoo 

 Flower, the "" Jjudy's Smock " — of Shake- 

 speare — these are not, of course, rock plants 

 in the true sense of the word; one is supreme 

 for edging, the other spreads a beautiful sheet 

 of lilac in the grass just as the cuckoo appears, 

 its everj-'day name being derived froni its I'e- 

 semblance to the delicate lilac prints of our 

 ancestors. 



Among the many satisfactory things ui i\\\ 

 rock garden are Heiichri/sum hcUidioidcfi — if 

 1 niij^ht call it elegant ; it gives me tliat im- 



thimicd oiil. On the first of May there was 

 iiinch to set" and admire, and, .fortunately, the 

 I'aiu held off for a couple of hours and we were 

 iible to iKite many unique specimens. Plant- 

 ing has gone on for many years and numerous 

 Indian species of Khododendrons are now large 

 specimens. The curious, yet beautiful, R. 

 Ketj^iii has flourished, surrounded by other 

 stiraig growers, and is now probably ti feet high 

 of more; carrying many (dusters of its narrowly 

 tubular, bfick-if(l flowers, tipped with yellow 

 teeth, it is at once curious and attractive. T-l 



hMM^ 



pIuju, bii\ Thk South Front of the Rock Garden xt Glasnevin. [T- e. Trcni/ivi; 



pression — and Saxifraija " Apple JJlossont." 

 These two growing close together have a lovely 

 effect. The rather small, pink Saxifrage is 

 most attractive. 



The x\renarias are in their best form, which 

 means a profusion of bloom. They are amongst 

 the easiest of plants All the many-hued rock 

 Eoses bid fair to follow their example; some 

 here and there have ah-cady unfuided theii' 

 crinkled, silken garments. 



Am.vr.wtiie. 



Woodside, Howth. 



A WET day is not favoui'able for enjoying the 

 beauty of the many charming plants grown at 

 Woodside. Rhododendrons flourish and grow 

 like trees forming woods when not pei-iodically 



AucJ.-ldiidli, with large handsome leaves, nine 

 or ten inches long and over two inches wide, 

 and immense trusses of flowers, each over four 

 inches across, inade a memorable display ; in 

 coloui', wliite flushed with rosy pink."^ R. 

 [lUiurinn, with clusters of soft, rosy-red flowers, 

 and leaves d;u-k green above and glaucous 

 white below, made a pretty picture. One of 

 the sights of the day was a large bush of R. 

 KoilJci, laden with its funnel-shaped, rich red, 

 i.apageria-like flowers, set off by the dark green 

 leaves, Mhicli are of a dull, glaucous colour 

 beneath, (irowing close by R. cinnaharinum, 

 of wdiich Hoijlci is reputed to be a variety, the 

 lattei- appears abundantly distinct, the former 

 having orange yellow flowers. Chinese species 

 of the Davidsoiiianuni and Yunnanense type 

 are growing and flowering freely, and promise 



