212 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



fine, and the glorious prospect of the 

 Mourne Mountains as seen from Strang- 

 ford Lough was especially admired by 

 H.M. King Edward VII. during his 

 visit to Ireland in 1903. The residence 

 stands on the mountain side overlooking 

 a lake a mile or so in length, and com- 

 mands extensive and exquisite views of 

 the surrounding scenery. The gardens 

 and grounds are very extensive, and con- 

 tain one of the most wonderful collec- 

 tions of native and exotic trees and 

 shrubs in the kingdom. The making 

 and planting of the beautiful grounds 

 by the Earl of Annesleyat Castlewellan 

 has been a labour of love to their owner 

 for many years, and he has been ably 

 assisted by Mr. Thomas Ryan, his lord- 

 ship's head gardener, who is a past master 

 in the propagation and cultivation of 

 choice shrubs and trees. Turn where 

 one may at Castlewellan the scenery and 

 vegetation are alike of the most attrac- 

 tive character. Apart from the broad 

 effects ol mountain-side, wood, and 

 water, there are incidental charms all 

 over the place — a golden or Lady Am- 

 herst pheasant crosses your path in the 

 woodland walks, Japanese deer browse 

 on the hill-side slopes along with red 

 and fallow deer, and there are wild fowl 

 of many kinds on the large lake, to which 

 the great grey herons come afishing 

 morning and evening from their nesting 

 places in the surrounding woods and 

 trees. The beautiful cut-leaved and 

 dwarf-growing Maples of Japan thrive 

 very luxuriantly at Castlewellan on the 

 lawn and elsewhere, and the pretty little 

 deer of Japan (Cervus sika) thrives well 

 in the park, where there are also hybrid 

 offspring between the Japanese and the 



red deer (see Field, October 31, 1903, 

 P- 763). 



The garden and grounds at Castle- 

 wellan apart from their natural beauty 

 show conclusively that their owner is a 

 pioneer in the collection and cultivation 

 of all choice hardy or half-hardy trees 

 and shrubs from the temperate climates 

 of the world. It is indeed not too much 

 to say that Lord Annesley's exertions in 

 this direction may be mentioned in the 

 same breath with those of the Earls of 

 Mount-Edgcumbe, the Foxes of Pen- 

 jerrick, Mr. Dorrien-Smith of Tresco, 

 Lord Barrymore of Fota, Lord Powers- 

 court, and Mr. Thomas Acton in the 

 Co. Wicklow,and others who have done 

 so much to enrich the tree and shrub 

 Flora of British and Irish gardens; Lord 

 Annesley has taken a practical interest 

 in his garden and home grounds for 

 many years, in fact we believe since his 

 return from the Crimea after the Russian 

 War. One of his latest contributions to 

 literature has been recently published by 

 George Newnes & Co., Ltd., under the 

 title of " Beautiful and Rare Trees and 

 Plants," with seventy or more beautiful 

 photographs of some of the most note- 

 worthy exotic trees and shrubs now 

 growing at Castlewellan. Not only are 

 many of the exotics growing at Castle- 

 wellan rare in our British gardens, and 

 in some instances of large size, but their 

 health and vigour are equally remarka- 

 ble, and one may see and admire things 

 which grow happily here in Northern 

 Ireland in the open air that are rarely 

 seen elsewhere in Britain except much 

 further south and west or as grown in the 

 great Temperate House at Kew or in 

 winter-gardens elsewhere. 



