I50 



IRISH GARDENING 



likewise in tlie spring as tlio rtoweis are borne on 

 the current season's growth. This shrub annually 

 lornis a fine bed in tlie gardens of Aldenhaiu 

 House — growtli springing from the ground level. 



Desfuiitn'ineii sitino.sd is fiowering reniarkal)ly 

 \v(>ll here this season, and is now carrying 

 thousands of its glossy, tul)ular flowers on one 

 |)articular bush which has attained goodly dimen- 

 sions. This is not a rapid-growing shrul), ))ut 

 forms compact bushes of symmetrical growth, and, 

 heing evergreen, is always admired — connuonly 

 known as the flowering holly, to which the foliage 

 l)ears a striking resemblance. 



A native of Chili and Fern, it belongs to the 

 same Nat. Order as do the Buddleias, and requires 

 tlie shelter of a wall in all but favoured localities. 



My first recollection of this was in the famed 

 collection at Warley Place, where it grew and 

 flowered against a wall. 



Jiiiddlehi colrilei, with its rosy-red panicles of 

 flowers, is still blooming. 



Sdlrhis provide a great many species, Iwth her- 

 l)aceous and shrubby, which are indispensable to 

 gardens. 



Two of the latter kinds I will mention in connec- 

 tion with this note — viz., S. (>nili(iiiii and S. 

 cijccinea. 



The last-named is flowering here the second 

 season, and makes wonderfully free growth, and 

 throws spikes of flowers upwards of two feet long, 

 with its scarlet blooms resembling the well-known 

 S. sphiidenx grown for autmnn and winter flower- 

 ing indoors. 



S. (irdliain'i forms more of a rounded bush with 

 smaller foliage and flowers of a different shade, 

 and is nearly always in bloom. 



The Scarlet Bottle-brush, properly known as 

 Met reside lofi speciosus, is a striking subject when 

 in blossom. The flowers, which consist of a bvmch 

 of red stamens, are borne closely together along 

 the stem, and in ai)pearance resemble bottle or 

 lamp chimney brushes. Here it is growing against 

 a wall, thougli others, growing in the open, of the 

 yellow variety, appear i)erfectly hardy The seeds 

 are Ijorne much the same as in the Leptospermums, 

 which they much resemble in that respect. 



Mitnniit coccinea, also flowering, is a low 

 evergreen shrub, growing in fairly heavy shade, 

 and now producing its red tubular flowers of a 

 crimson shade. 



These are something like the Desfontainea in 

 shape, being tubular, but swollen in the middle, 

 and not glossy. 



Feijoa Sellotriniui , by reason of its crimson 

 stamens which form the most attractive part of 

 the flower, might also l)e mentioned. It seems to 

 grow best with the protection of a wall and where 

 the soil is cultivated near to it, and is of evergreen 

 growth and a shrub of much interest. 



Ahtitiinn re.ri1lar'nnii , on a wall and nearly 

 always in flower, with its ciimson red calyx, 

 might also be mentioned. 



E. R., Fota. 



A Visit to Power's Nurseries, 

 Waterford. 



Alighting at an imposing entrance, already 

 familiar through the photo-engravure on the 

 backs of show schedules and periodicals, one is 

 inunediately arrested by the picturesqneness of 

 the situation. Away from us the ground slopes 

 down to the gently-winding Snir, whose waters 

 are partly obscured by a belt of timber ])lanted as 

 a shelter screen against the prevailing winds. 



Across tlu^ river the ground rises steeply, and 

 scattered over its billowy surface are numerous 

 farmsteads. It is only recently that, owing to the 

 inci-easing demands on their imrseries, Messrs. 

 I'ower ac(]uired the lands of (Jlenville, which 

 formed part of the estate of the late Sir William 

 G. D. Goff, Bart., whose fine taste in landscape 

 planting is still in evidence. Practically all of 

 this land is now planted up. Millions of seedling 

 forest trees are lined out, and lumdreds of thou- 

 sands of transi)lants of various sizes, which, before 

 long, are to re-stock our forest areas and jtroduce 

 the tind)er for the futiu'e. Hundreds of thousands 

 of Quicks stand shoulder to shoulder awaiting 

 their marching orders; thousands of fruit trees are 

 in training, and thousands more are ready for 

 despatch when planting time arrives. What par- 

 ticidarly strikes one is the unmistakeable evidence 

 of thrift about all classes of stuff, indicating robust 

 health, and proof of the rare advantages of the site 

 for the purpose it now serves. Whether it be 

 roses, fruit trees, forest trees, rhododendrons, 

 laurels, Griselinias, heaths, or what not, all seem 

 to be equally thriving. 



The time has been too .short to exploit the poten- 

 tialities of the place, but, judging by the speci- 

 mens of choice trees — Rhododendrons, Bamboos, 

 Cordylines, Phormiums, Hibiscus, Phyllreas, &c.. 

 these are sufficiently manifest. Even Cassinia 

 fulvida attains the dimensions of a large shrub, 

 and Pernettyas rival in stature the average 

 rhododendron. P>eshly broken ground is being 

 jjrepared by cropping with seed Potatoes, and 

 large, healthy stands of the newer varieties may 

 be seen, characterised by fine growth and the re- 

 markable purity of the stocks. Water is jjlenti- 

 fully supplied up to the highest i)oint by means of 

 a hydraulic ram worked from the river. The 

 charms of the river-side walk, running through the 

 shelter-ljelt before referred to, tempts one to 

 linger. Here the bank riges into bluffs, nourish- 

 ing a vegetation of gorse. heath, fern, liluebell, 

 and such plants as usually associate with them. 

 We have a splendid view both up and down the 

 river. Steamers and sailing boats pass here to 

 Waterford from London, Southampton, Plymouth, 

 Bristol, liiver]Jool, Glasgow, and other poits. 



There is only time for a hurried visit to Ballina- 

 kill, the original nursery. Here is raised the 

 greater bidk of the seedlings, and millions of these 

 tiny plants cover the long, narrow beds. So clean 

 and even are these beds of seedlings, they present 

 at a little distance the appearance of well-kept turf. 

 Garden seed trials are also largely carried out in 

 this nursery, and something like forty stocks of 

 cauliflower and fifty to sixty stoc-ks of broccoli are 

 at present being tested. Other leading classes of 

 vegetables receive similar attention; while we 

 understand that, in another niu'sery, very exten- 

 sive trials of field seeds, mangels, swede, &c., are 

 conducted. Here the charm of the surroundings, 

 if of a different character, is equally i)atent, and 

 one leaves refreshed rather than fatigued by our 

 investigations, and both pleased and impressed 

 with the results of our flying visit. 



Famous Netherland Horticultural 

 Centres. 



By Mr. J. v.\n den Bkug. 

 III. 



BllLB-GKOWING. 



In foreign countries the best known Nether- 

 lands horticultural industry is certainly the 



