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JOUKNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



the fine masses of Cyclamen hederae folium, quite at home under the j 

 fir trees. All of these speak eloquently of congenial surroundings i 

 taken due advantage of, and success has followed. 



If we turn to Ireland we find other examples well worthy of ! 

 notice. For instance, probably the finest example of Gunnera manicata 

 in the United Kingdom grows at Narrowater Castle, Co. Down, the 

 seat of Captain Hall. (Fig. 160.) Mr. Morrison, the gardener, has 

 courteously supplied me with notes of its size. In full leaf its height i 

 is 10 feet 6 inches, its circumference 106 feet, its largest leaf 8 feet ' 

 9 inches in diameter. The plant was first planted in 1885, and has 

 been many times divided since. It is mulched heavily every spring 

 with farmyard manure, and the overflow of a pond above the plant 

 supplies moisture. At Castle wellan the Countess of Annesley grows ! 

 many choice Conifers, and probably the finest examples to be found 

 of that choice shrub Desfontainea spinosa, which there forms really 

 huge bushes. The requirements of this plant are fully met there, 

 shelter being one of them, but shelter without shade. Mr. Eyan may 

 well have been proud of them. i 



At Straffan, Co. Kildare, Mr. Barron's home, there are several 

 choice things, notably Cypri-pedium spectahile in large masses, the 

 finest of the Snowdrops, too, in profusion, and the Narcissi in thou- 1 

 sands. There also, upon an island in the Liffey, are some immense | 

 plants of Bamboos ; these are at times flooded when the river is high, j 

 Mr. Bedford has to contend at Straffan with severe frosts, which to 

 many would be a deterrent of successful culture. 



The finest plant that I have ever seen of Romneya Coulteri was at 

 The Pleasaunce, Overstrand, near Cromer. The late Lord Battersea i 

 had first to provide a shelter before any attempt at growing choice j 

 plants could be made. The place had to be made congenial. j 



It is well known that Tropaeolum speciosum will not thrive every- ' 

 where. I think the best I ever saw was at the Plas, Tan-y-Bwlch, 

 in North Wales. Mr. Eoberts, the gardener there, had at first a 

 difficulty in making it grow ; now it is in profusion. 



In the E.H.S. Gardens atWisley we have some noteworthy examples. 

 The large Gunnera manicata by the pond is well known, and well placed, | 

 too; it no doubt receives a deal of moisture from the higher ground \ 

 behind it. A very effective grouping of this plant and some of the j 

 best of the Bamboos has been made at Wisley. The two together form j 

 a good example of planting, which in combination with water would 

 be most effective. Bamboos are quite at home at Wisley, and so are 

 the hardy Primulas, and we hope in the near future to see the newer 

 and recently introduced species thriving well there, too. Wisley, like 

 many other successful gardens, is liable to frost, hence we must not 

 say any garden is not suitable for growing choice plants because of 

 its liability to frost. Wisley calls to mind, too, the success achieved 

 with Lilium giganteum, a somewhat fractious subject anywhere. 



One almost always associates the Iris with water scenery. A 

 wonderful combination is thus afforded at Mr. Bowles' garden at 



