IRISH GARDENING 



VOl.UMK III. 

 No. 33 



A MONTHLY JOURNAL DEVOTED TO THE 



ADVANCEMENT OF HORTICULTURE AND 



ARBORICULTURE IN IRELAND 



NOVEMBER 



Hardy Shrubs. 



By J. W. Besant, Roval Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 



ONE of the most encouraging' signs in 

 modern gardening is the increased atten- 

 tion which is being accorded to the sub- 

 jects under notice. Hardiness in this instance 

 must be taken as an elastic term, for a certain 

 shrub may be perfectly hardy in one locality and 

 not at all so in another. The circumstances 

 which govern hardiness in plants are numerous, 

 and would require considerable space to discuss. 

 There are, however, so many really good 

 shrubs that are hardy nearly everywhere and so 

 many species and varieties available that even 

 in the coldest part of the three kingdoms an 

 interesting collection may be grown. A good 

 collection of shrubs will include kinds which 

 will flower or be otherwise attractive over the 

 greater part of the year. 



Where walls are available a very early dis- 

 play may be had of such fine things as the 

 Winter Sweet {Chimonanihiis fraorans and C. f. 

 gnxndiflord), Lank era frag ran iisstnia, and L. 

 Standishii. These plants in themselves are 

 quite hardy, but flowering so early in January 

 and I'ebruary the flowers are apt to be cut by 

 the frost if growing in the open. It may also be 

 added that when growing against a wall the 

 shoots are better ripened, and consequently 

 yield a finer crop of flowers. Very early also, 

 often in February, Spircea thunbcrgi will open 

 its tiny, white blossoms, and will continue to 

 make a display for some weeks. Soon after the 

 flowering currant {Ribes sanguinca) will afford 

 a good display. Many good varieties of this 

 plant are now to be had, including 7?. splendens, 

 R. albidinn, &c. Few shrubs are more eflfective 

 in the early months of the year than Forsythia 

 siispensa. Seen as a group on the lawn or in 

 the shrubbery, with the long, willow-like shoots 

 wreathed in charming yellow blossoms, this 

 shrub is admired by all. Forsythia intermedia 

 and F. vii'idissinia are also good, but lack the 

 grace of the first named species. The vast army 

 of leguminous plants play a worthy part in the 

 season's display, and from early spring till winter 



one or the other of the members of this family 

 will be found in flower. Cytisus albus, pure 

 white, and Cytisus prcecox, pale yellow, are 

 annually smothered in bloom, as also is Cytisus 

 purgaus, yellow. Variety in size and habit is 

 also a notable feature ; from plants of five to six 

 feet high in the first-named kinds, to those of 

 low-spreading habit in C. Kewensis, C. Ardoini 

 and C. Beani, all with flowers of shades of 

 yellow. Other good kinds, varying in height 

 from four or five to three feet or less, are C. 

 hirsutus and C. h. hirsutissinius, C. leucanthus, 

 C. biflorus, C. capitatus, C nigricans, and 

 others, all of great merit, and with the flowers 

 varying in the diff"erent species from pale to 

 deep yellow. It may be here remarked that the 

 heights given are approximate, being largely 

 influenced by circumstances of soil, situation 

 and cultivation. Mention should also be made 

 of Cvtisus scoparius van Andreanus and the 

 many lovely forms of this variety which have 

 emanated from Daisy Hill Nurseries, Newry. 



Genistas, too, are extremely beautiful, and 

 furnish planters with considerable variety. 

 Tree-like forms running up to twelve feet high 

 are Genista cpthnensis and G. virgatus, while 

 G. cinerea will reach six feet ; others from 

 two to three feet are G. hispanica, G. horrida, 

 G. radiata, G. pilosa, down to quite dwarf 

 or prostrate forms like G. saggitalis and G. 

 humifusa. Other good plants in the leguminosae 

 are the Caraganas, some of which, like C. 

 arborescens, will reach a height of fifteen feet 

 or more, while dwarfer forms are C. jrutescens, 

 nine feet ; C. viicrophylla, still less, down to 

 C. pygntaea ; even the curious tortuous growths 

 of C. j'ubata are not without interest to some. 

 All have yellow flowers. 



The bladder sennas (Colutea) are also useful, 

 growing and flowering freely in very indifferent 

 soil. Not the least interesting feature of the 

 coluteas is the curious bladder-like fruits which 

 succeed the flowers and last into winter. 



The barberries [Berbeiis) furnish many charm- 



