726 
THE GAKDENING WORLD 
July 14, 1888. 
GardeningNotesfromIreland. 
Mount Merrion, co. Dublin. 
Many years have now elapsed since the fame of the 
ribbon bedding—carried out at this place under the 
able superintendence of Mr. Walsh—first attracted my 
attention. Doubtless, thousands of other visitors had 
also the pleasure of seeing those ribbon borders, 
and have carried away with them—and, perhaps, still 
continue to hold—a keen recollection of the vivid and 
withal harmonious blending of colours which the 
“ ribbons ” assumed under the artistic guidance of Mr. 
Walsh, by whose skill in arranging and developing the 
materials he worked with, such satisfactory results were 
at that time arrived at. But, alas ! he who visits 
Mount Merrion now will find that it boasts no longer 
of its famous ribbon borders, and like many other 
former large gardening establishments in Ireland, the 
horticultural decorative art has had to succumb to 
arrangements meant to secure more solid advantages. 
Ivor has the versatile gardener been found wanting by 
the change of front marked out for him, and hence I found 
that while he has contrived to retain many useful and 
rare good things, the practical work of the place is con¬ 
ducted in a most skilful manner. As evidence of this, 
I may point to the 
Fruit Houses. 
The vineries are furnished in all cases with crops of 
great excellence, and for size of bunch and berry, taken 
as a whole, could hardly be excelled. The same remark 
applies to the Peach houses, in which I saw some, 
wonderfully healthy old trees, all carrying splendid 
crops. The extraordinary increasing demand for 
Tomatos has put growers on their mettle to try and 
satisfy it, and with the view, no doubt, of helping in 
this direction, Mr. Walsh, besides devoting the roof of 
a small stove to them, has utilised numerous spaces 
between Vines to grow them in, and luxuriant and 
fruitful they are. The Trophy is the variety grown, 
and they are in all stages, from ripening to flowering. 
Roof-Plants for Orchid Houses. 
On the roof of a small Orchid house two plants are 
trained, which effectually shade the plants underneath. 
These are Allamanda Chelsoni and Stephan otis flori- 
bunda ; both are planted in a pit that runs up the 
centre of the house, and from thence are trained along 
the roof. The Allamanda is just beginning to flower, 
and in the course of a week will be a very remarkable 
plant to look at. In this house there are two or three 
immense clumps of Ccelogyne cristata, which give 
countless numbers of blooms in due season. It was 
here too, I think, that I saw in a cool corner a specimen 
of the strange-looking plant known as Cephalotus 
follicularis, or 
The New Holland Pitcher Plant. 
Although a curiosity this is, so far as 1 know, rarely 
met with in plant collections in Ireland. This plant 
occupies an 8-in. or 9-in. pot, is to all appearance 
stemless, almost conical in shape, and about 4 ins. 
or 5 ins. in height. The curious thing about it is 
its small tier of developed pitchers at the base, and 
two or three half-grown tiers above the lower one. 
It was growing under a bell-glass, and looked healthy. 
Darlingtonia californica. 
Judging from the descriptions of this pitcher plant, 
to be met with in botanical dictionaries the one at 
Mount Merrion must be of very unusual dimensions. 
This I believe is really the case, for while it is stated 
in the descriptions to grow from 1 ft. to 1J ft. in 
height, the specimen under notice averaged at least 3 ft. 
high. A gentleman who described this particular plant 
in the columns of a contemporary was flatly contradicted 
as to the possibility of the plant reaching the height of 
3 ft., and the writer cited his acquaintance with it in its 
native habitat. I believe the matter was only set at rest 
by forwarding a pitcher to London ; nevertheless, our 
latest gardening dictionary gives the height the same 
as the first compilers. Evidently, the treatment that 
the plant receives is the right one, or I should say 
plants, for there are numerous small ones growing on 
it, as the healthy and robust appearance of the plants 
show ; and I may add that the treatment is, generally 
speaking, a cool one. 
Decorative Plants. 
The cultivation of plants for table decoration appears 
to be a point that is well attended to, and for this 
purpose numerous species of Crotons, Caladiums, and 
ornamental-foliaged plants are grown. Large quantities 
of Adiantums and other Ferns are cultivated for a like 
purpose, and among these I noticed some fine examples. 
The size and peculiar development of many of the 
fronds made them objects of special attention. 
Dendrochilum filiforme. 
This Orchid, which is, I believe, also known under the 
name of Platyclinis filiformis, although not a very 
showy plant as generally grown, has its appearance 
in this respect, however, considerably altered when 
one meets with a large spread of plant, yielding from 
seventy to eighty straw-coloured feathery racemes, and 
well thrown out w T ith a dark green foliage. Flowers 
that are thought to be insignificant by some, when 
grown in a small quantity, put on a different look when 
they have been produced on plants whose culture has 
been so extended, as in this instance. 
Two Fine Ferns. • 
Before leaving the stove department I shall refer to 
two fine Ferns : one is Nephrolepis davalloides furcans, 
and the other Microlepia hirta cristata. On entering 
the house these two plants attracted attention, not on 
account of their size, but from their colour, vigour of 
growth, and fine length of frond, as well as the winged 
appearance of the foliage. 
Hardy Plants. 
After what I have said of the different plants under 
glass, I shall only stop to mention a few under outside 
cultivation. It may be taken for granted that with 
such good management the outside departments are as 
well looked after as the inside, and I may dispose of 
the matter by saying that the fruit and vegetable 
departments are well in hand. Contrary to my 
experience in other places, I found that all sorts of 
wall fruits here, with few exceptions, will be a light 
crop, and generally speaking, the same applies to 
standard and espalier Pears and Apples, and yet not a 
quarter of a mile from Mount Merrion I found places 
where a full crop was certain. This, as Mr. "Walsh 
remarked, may be the result of a difference in shelter, 
and from my own observations in different localities, 
there can be little doubt that good fruit crops this 
season are the result of good timber shelter around 
orchards and gardens. 
A Good Safrano Rose. 
Covering a large space of a brick wall is a fine Safrano 
Rose, from which large quantities of buds and blooms 
are taken. It was covered with flowers in all stages 
of growth, and Mr. Walsh told me that he seldom 
failed to get buds nearly the whole season through. 
That is my experience of it under glass, and I was 
pleased to find it doing so well outside, as it was in 
this case. 
Aralia Sieboldii. 
I have been agreeably surprised this summer in 
observing the general good health of this plant where 
it has stood out during the past few winters, but the 
best plant I have seen yet is one growing at Mount 
Merrion. An idea may be formed of the many severe 
winters it must have battled through when I mention 
that it is fully 12 ft. to 14 ft. across the widest part. 
It is nearly circular in growth, about 4 ft. or 5 ft. high, 
and nothing could exceed its fine healthy appearance. 
As the general practice is to select warm well-sheltered 
positions when planting out this Aralia, it may be 
worth mentioning that the one I am noticing is planted 
among other shrubs, and in a northern aspect. It is 
to this fact Mr. Walsh attributes the splendid growth 
of his plant. In this situation, he says, the spring 
growth is so much retarded that late frosts fail to catch 
it, whereas those in warmer places are almost certain 
to be cut back by frost. Some of our friends who have 
tried this plant as a hardy subject for years past, and 
without getting any substantial addition of growth, 
would do well to take a hint from Mr. Walsh’s 
experience. 
Two Grand Mulberry Trees. 
Mulberry trees, which in former times received so 
much attention, appear to be getting rare in this 
country, and it is only now and again that one meets 
with specimens of this tree to indicate the taste of 
planters of a bygone age. However, here in the garden 
grounds are two very large—and what is not usual 
now—exceedingly healthy-looking trees. They' are of 
fine height, and with the foliage kept sufficiently near 
to the ground they afford a welcome shade in warm 
weather. I have confined my remarks almost altogether 
to garden subjects ; and although the demesne is a 
fine one, and well timbered, there is nothing to be said 
about it likely to interest the general reader.— TV. D. 
An Enormous Strawberry Crop at Birdhill. 
Through the courtesy of the worthy proprietor, George 
Gough, Esq., distinguished in Ireland as a lover of 
Orchids, I have had an opportunity of seeing and test¬ 
ing some of the largest Strawberries I have ever noticed 
in a pretty extensive experience. I asked the head 
gardener, Mr. Balfin, to weigh James Yeitch (curious 
coxcomb shape), and found seven berries to turn the 
scale at 1 lb.; eight of President did the same. Lax- 
ton’s King of the Earlies was already used. Then came 
in succession, Vieomtesse Hericart de Thury, Captain, 
Noble, Dr. Hogg, Sir Joseph Paxton, fine, flavour, 
and British Queen—other varieties not tried—in the 
order named. It is only fair to say-that they got no liquid 
manure and did not require water, as the season so far 
has been moist. The best berries and heaviest crops 
were off three-year old stools, several stools yielding an 
average of 10 lbs. each. The soil was fairly rich.— TV. 
J. Murphy, Clon'mel. 
Orchis pyramidalis. 
It is only recently through the agency of British 
Orchids —a book by your correspondent, Mr. A. D. 
Webster, that it is a pity more are not familiar with— 
I made the acquaintance of the above. I found it 
growing in quantity in one of our meadows, and sent 
it to Mr. Webster, who kindly writes assuring me it is 
the true variety. The customary length of the spike 
does not exceed 1 ft. ; but I have found specimens 
twice that height, and with flower spikes in proportion. 
In so far as colour goes I have two distinct varieties— 
one lilac, and the other deep pink. About a month 
since, out driving, I was quite struck with a field of 
what must have been 0. mascula, referred to recently in 
The Gardening World. I have also found 0. maeulata 
in a damp ravine, with its peculiar blotched and spotted 
foliage ; and am in hopes, through the aid of British 
Orchids, to find others from time to time. As The 
Gardening World circulates generally through 
Ireland, and as amateur and professional gardeners 
should be acquainted with the many floral treasures 
peculiar to their respective localities at least, perhaps 
you will allow me to direct their attention specially 
to this rather neglected subject. — TV. J. Murphy, 
Clonmel. 
-—>Z<»- 
HOLLYDALE AND ITS TREES. 
(Concluded from p. 714.) 
The Gean or wild Cherry (Cerasus sylvestris) as an 
ornamental tree is far too little known in our parks 
and grounds, for during the early summer months, when 
laden with its pure white flowers, or again in autumn, 
when myriads of the shining black fruit hang in 
clusters from its branches, it will readily enough be 
admitted that few of our commonly cultivated trees 
have a more decided or ornamental appearance. 
Generally speaking, the soil here is too light and dry 
for the perfect development of the Gean, although one 
or two specimens growing in damp situations near the 
lake sides have attained to goodly sizes, and show well 
off their wealth of pearly blooms amongst the darker - 
foliaged trees with which they are associated. 
Both the Spanish and Horse Chestnuts (Castanea 
vesca and iEseulus hippocastanum) are fairly well, re¬ 
presented in the grounds at Hollydale, the former in 
particular having enlivened with its immense wealth of 
pinkish white flowers the wood margins and lawn 
during spring and early summer. Few trees are more 
gorgeous when in full bloom than that under con¬ 
sideration, and it is for that reason admirably adapted 
for planting either as a single specimen on the green¬ 
sward of the lawn or park or along the outskirts of 
woods and plantations for beauty and effect. At 
present the great trusses of creamy white flowers of the 
Elder (Sambucus nigra) are unusually conspicuous, 
and show to advantage when placed in front of a dark- 
foliaged tree or shrub, such as the Yew, Holly, or 
Portugal Laurel. It attains to large dimensions here, 
one specimen being 27 ft. in diameter of spread of 
branches, and with a stem fully 6 ft. 2 ins. in girth at 
a yard from the ground. This tree is growing near the 
garden wall, at no great distance from a large but rough¬ 
stemmed specimen of the Portugal Laurel, and a Rose- 
clad crumbling stem of the Cork Oak. The latter died 
some years ago ; but thanks to the tough nature of its 
furrowed bark, the stem, though gradually on the 
wane, retains yet much of its hey-day beauty and 
attractiveness. The Oak does well in various parts— 
perhaps we had better say in almost every part—of the 
grounds ; but there is one specimen of unusual size and 
interest growing close to the boundary fence, and with 
its huge limbs far overhanging the common ground 
adjacent. Not so remarkable is this fine old Oak for 
length of stem as for its picturesque appearance and 
gnarled and buttressed stem, as well as for the wide 
spread of its lithe and ponderous limbs, these extending 
outwards on either side for fully 30 ft. The short and 
