98 



IRISH GARDENING 



Jiere; the new species, /'. ji.scii(lii.si]:]:i))irnsis 

 I'esenibles it closely, but wlini hidkrd into is 

 abundantly distini-t both in shape and the 

 manner in which the Howers are borne; in 

 colour it is j^aler, flowers more open, upiijj;ht 

 in the bud and with shorter pedicels. 



P. secuudifiora, best described as a red 

 purple P. fiihkini ensile. 



P. rittdht lias more (ipen Howei's tiian /'. 

 scnni(ll]li)rii, nearly the same colour, Icaxfs 

 nnich more ujn'ight. Both plants have a blacl\ 

 calyx margined with white, mealy on the in- 

 side. This fi'atiii'c is distinct and attractive. 



P. japunica and its white form were much ui 

 evidence. 



The cold, wet spring has not suited 

 i'rimulas in the damp climate of Co. Antrim. 

 P. Liiioiiiana damped off in some jiarts of 

 the rock garden. The most brilliant plant in 

 flower was Haln-anfluix prdtcim,", now called 

 fJippcasU'ii HI prafoisc. There were several 

 plants m different situations, but one domin- 

 ated the whole garden and one's eye always 

 went back to it. In a damp place without 

 shelter or protection, twenty-two spikes W'ith 

 three to five flowers on each, brilliant scarlet 

 with a golden eye. Flowers four to five inches 

 long and three to four inches at the mouth. 

 A marvellous splash of colour, brilliant in all 

 lights. At 10 p.m. it was as effective as at 

 mid-day. Mr. Churchill must have met a 

 J [ippcdHh'inii iiivtcnsc and, im])ressed by its 

 glory, decided straightaway to re-dress the 

 Guards in scarlet and gold ! 



A moonlight effect of cool grey and silver 

 close by stood a fine clump of Pcnicraiiuni 

 ilhjriciini , its beautiful glaucous foliage and 

 graceful long stems crowned with spiky, lily- 

 like flowers of silvery wdiite. These two plants 

 are usually ])lanted at the foot of a wall. Has 

 Mr. ]^arton fcjund what they really like in 

 planting them in the (^,pen in moist jilaces? 



('ixjuiiopsifi ovdia var. Hinidlaijuiia^ well 

 known to gardeners as a " disappearing 

 plant, nourishes here without even the protec- 

 tion of a slug collar. 



Its pendulous pale blue flowers of harebell 

 shape, with dark veinings waving gently on 

 slender stems, look down appreciably on a 

 number of seedling ])lants, for it increases at 

 The Bush instead of disappearing. 



Uviihirid (jrnml'ijiorn , rather like Solomon's 

 Seal, but smaller and of a more delicate habit, 

 with pale yellow, drooping flowei's at the end 

 of the gracefully Ijciit stems. It lik'cs a shadv 

 place. 



Prosartes orcijoiui, fiom British Columbia, 

 has m-n-shaped, cream -coloured flowers, Ijorne 

 ir the same manner as those of Solomon's Seal. 



Scnccio dordiiicinii , ',) h'vi high, a tidy plant, 

 unlike most of its fauiily, with doronicum- 

 shaped flowers but very much richer in colour, 

 rays and disc the same deep yellow. 



Aster hiniahticu:i, raised by .Mr. Barton from 

 seed sent to him from India. It is difficult to 

 do full justice to this plant by words. Stems 

 18 inches high; solitary flowers, resembling an 

 Inula ill shape, ■'> to 4 inches aci'oss the yellow' 

 (Use, bright blue ray florets, with a white ring 

 next the disc; flat, low-growing foliage. At 

 night the blue florets curl up, hiding the yellow 

 disc. This fine plant is strikingly unlike any 

 t;tlier Aster. it is descril)ed by Sir Joseph 

 Hooker in his " Flf)ra of l^ritish India." Mr. 

 Barton is fortunate in having a friend with 

 such a good " eye " for a plant to collect and 

 send him seeds. 



Another gem, Trolliiis jxiiiihi, a low-grow- 

 ing distinct plant, compact, with small, dark- 

 greeii, three-lobed leaves, large, fiat yellow 

 flowers. The petals do xiot shine like those of 

 most Trollius and are of a. thick consistency. 

 This plant keeps in flower for a. long time. It 

 is ai native of China,, but seems to be (piite con- 

 tent with the conditions of life in Ulster. 



Many Aquilegias were in flowei'. .1. M lui- 

 stcad Wliitc, prim and restrained in sliajje, the 

 first to be met ; many lovely forms of hybrid 

 ])arentage, pale blue, white and soft lemon and 

 blue. A. canadensis under trees looked like 

 giant fireflies. All were good to see, but were 

 (|uickly put out of mind when a tall, stately, 

 unnamed species {AquiUujia giauca) from the 

 Himalayas was seen. Very sleiiders stems 

 carrying ilowers with pale, clear blue sepals 

 and spiu's, inside, a, bell of soft lemon colour, 

 quite two inches wide, (if full habit. They 

 resembled a flock of wood pigeons in graceful 

 tlight^ — the poise of the fiowei' so beautiful, the 

 dark stem haj'dly seen. A most remarkable 

 flower not stxin forgotten. It was raised fi'oiu 

 seed sent from India to Mv. Barton. 



In the nKjraine Lewisia HoweiJi was fat and 

 contented, wath spikes of shell pink flowei's. 

 DiantJius Grise})achi glowed in the blue chijiped 

 stones'. Man\- pinks and early Saxifrages 

 looked healthy .-lud hap|)y. Among the rocks 

 Saxifrages, brakes of Oak Fern, Parsley Fern 

 and the graceful Adiaiititin pcdaimn had 

 tight root-hold. A fine plant of Peiitsienion 

 Davidsonii, in inches across, the small leaves 

 cf)vered up by its long, bright, rosi'-cohaired 

 flowers; a triumpih of cuhivation. If would 

 have made a fortune for a nurseryman on a 

 stand at Chelsea Show. 



Pan iniciiJ un riraiiiinciix is not often seen in 

 a group of twenty-four plants; but it is the way 

 to get full advantage of this fine ''racefid 



