Report of Meetings for 1885. By Jas. Hardy. 33 



freely as in its northern home. Under the terrace, Cistus for- 

 mosus, with its pale yellow corollas and spotted petals, was a 

 novelty to many members. Lithospermuni officinale, Common 

 Grromwell, an alpine, at all times shy to grow, covered a space of 

 several yards in breadth, in descending from the terrace, and 

 was a sheet of blue, of exquisite loveliness. The Spanish broom 

 is here utilised to afford masses of yellow as a contrast. It is a 

 sub-shrubby plant, but the profusion and richness in colour of 

 its blossoms, was a feature everywhere in the grounds. Along the 

 edges of the rocky walks Gaultheria Shallon and G. procumbens, 

 flourish in the sandy peat as if they never had had another home. 

 Their fine glossy evergreen foliage, and their balloon shaped 

 pink blossoms, were refreshing to the eye at every point. The 

 Erica coccinea, Var. rosea, a variety of the purple heather, from 

 Derbyshire, was planted very generally over the grounds. 

 Menziesia ccerulea and the White Connemara or Irish heaths were 

 beautifully in flower, and seemed quite at home. Pernettyas, 

 grew in every direction behind as a rule, the Gaultheria Shallon, 

 as their height was slightly greater. They were covered with 

 their beautiful white-flowers, and the great difficulty to decide 

 was which was the prettier. Whenever a plant is found to do 

 well on this rocky hill side, a profusion of it is planted every- 

 where, the space at command being unlimited. Among smaller 

 things which were observed to be flourishing was the Edelweiss 

 of the Alps, the Swiss bridal flower, which from growing in very 

 precipitous places in its native land, has caused the death of 

 many an adventurous spirit, in attempting rashly to gather it. 

 The Primula farinosa and other alpine forms, such as P. marginata 

 and P. Wulfeniana were growing in moist crannies, quite as strong 

 as in their native homes in Switzerland and the Tyrol. Wul- 

 fenia Carinthiaca which only grows on one mountain in the Tyrol, 

 was vigorously flourishing ; and in black and peaty situations, 

 the golden leaved heaths furnished a contrast to other green 

 leaved plants. The stately foxglove is also extensively planted ; 

 and associated with the bracken fern which grows here naturally, 

 will be very striking next month when in flower. Cotoneaster 

 rupestris and other forms spread themselves over the rough slabs 

 of freestone in every direction. Whenever a rock is in the way, 

 it is blasted with dynamite ; and a driving road has been con- 

 structed, by clearing the way of rocks, all round the hillside, so 

 that through groves of conifers and rhododendrons, a charming 



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