256 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



are found in this garden. Sir John Ross is an enthusiastic collector, 

 and has made this garden celebrated. He has really made the garden 

 in the last quarter of a century. 



Mr. Beamish's garden at Ashbourne in Co. Cork is another garden 

 of the Mount Usher type. 



The rock-garden there is good, and many features are better than 

 one sees in many places. 



A garden on similar lines is that of Mr. H. D. Barton in Antrim. 

 Here Primulas and Meconopsis grow better than I have seen them 

 in any place in Ireland, and the collection of alpines is not only good 

 but extremely well grown. It is a garden everyone should see. 



Also on the same lines is Mr. H. Bland's garden at Blandsford, 

 Abbeyleix, Queen's County ; but, in addition to the alpines, a very 

 complete collection of conifers has been made, and a collection of 

 hard woods is now being formed. A very complete collection of alpines 

 grown in a most original way — -mostly on mounds made of heaps of 

 peat carted direct from the bogs — is that of Mr. Murray Horni- 

 brook at Knapton, Abbeyleix. Mr. Hornibrook is a well-known 

 authority on Saxifrages and Campanulas, and he not only knows them 

 well, but grows them well. 



Sir F. Moore says : "I have sent several people to see this garden, 

 and they have all come back delighted with it, and with the work 

 done there." 



In pre-war days Mrs. Green's garden at Curraghgrange, Co. Kildare, 

 was also a well-known and extremely well-done alpine garden. In 

 fact, it was a garden that should not be missed, though the climate 

 there is much harsher than in any of the other gardens named, except 

 the Abbeyleix gardens, and therefore many of the tender plants 

 characteristic of Irish gardens are not found there. It is curious 

 that both in Co. Antrim and Co. Down many very tender plants 

 do well. 



I am sure that to many, who have not seen the more tender plants 

 growing in the open air in the gardens in Ireland as I have seen them, 

 some of the figures quoted, and the dimensions given, will appear 

 almost incredible. The fact remains that the garden-lover will be well 

 repaid by making a pilgrimage to Ireland. It will open his eyes 

 to many things. We are very apt to think over here that they do 

 not know how to do things in Ireland, which is very far from being 

 the case; but especially he will find that the Irishman or Irishwoman 

 gardener and garden-lover is amongst the most enthusiastic in the 

 world. They also are quite as famous for their hospitality, and every 

 visitor is made to feel that he or she is an honoured guest, and every- 

 thing possible is done to make the visit a most enjoyable one, and 

 even worth the journey across the Irish Channel in bad weather. 



