146 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  14,  1902. 
Across  the  Bay. 
Gone  are  the  glories  of  Donnybrook  Fair,  and  where, 
erstwhile,  the  low-backed  car  ambled  o’er  the  rocky  road  to 
Dublin,  Peggy  of  to-day  sports  the  free  w’heel.  Such  things 
live  only  in  Irish  song  and  story  ;  but  the  eternal  hills  guard 
the  bay  unchanged. 
How  like  eternity  doth  nature  seem 
To  life  of  man,  that  short  and  fitful  dream. 
From  our  terraced  garden  we  look  across  the  bay  to  where 
Howth  Head  in  a  gauzy  cloud-cap  runs  far  out  till  its  beetling 
brow,  frowning  down  on  the  flashing  light  of  the  Bailey, ' 
drops  abruptly  to  the  sea.  It  is  early  morning,  and  the 
working  world,  or  our  portion  of  it,  sleeps  the  sleep  of  the 
just  (or  lazy,  it’s  hard  to  get  ’em  up).  What  a  glorious  bit 
of  landscape  and  seascape  it  is !  The  peculiarity  of  the  pro¬ 
montory  bringing  in  the  more  distant  objects  of  Lambay 
Island  and  the  miniature  islet,  Ireland’s  eye.  Glorious? 
Aye,  simply  glorious  now  the  rising  sun  is  bathing  all  in 
warmth  and  colour.  Truly  a  worthy  study  for  those  artists 
whose  peregrinating  propensities  lure  them  from  the  beauty 
spots  at  home.  The  “  White  Banks  ”  between  the  Pigeon 
House  and  the  Poolbeg  sport  a  green  peruke  after  the  recent 
rains.  From  here,  by  courtesy  of  my  Lord  Pembroke,  we 
cart,  when  tide  permits,  that  coarse,  white,  shelly  sand  so 
admirably  adapted  to  all  potting  purposes.  ’Tis  a 
treacherous  task  though,  and  our  man  has  to  “  look  alive  ” 
lest  he  should  meet  the  fate  of  another  sand-fetcher,  wTho,  a 
few  summers  since  “  got  caught” — just  escaping  on  his  horse, 
the  cart  coming  after  in  fragments  on  the  flood  tide.  Beyond 
a  growth  of  scutch-like,  breeze  defying  grass  binding  the 
loose  sand  on  the  crest  of  the  White  Banks,  and  Eryngium 
maritimum,  the  Sea  Holly,  in  profusion,  a  botanising 
expedition  yielded  no  further  fruits  save  an  enormous  pair  of 
brogues  which  some  fellow  traveller  had  cast  off,  doubtless 
to  his  great  relief. 
Just  where  old  Howth  (pronounce  it  Hoathe,  please)  rises 
from  its  sandy  neck,  stands  out  clear  and  distinct  a  many- 
gabled,  red-roofed  mansion,  an  additional  attraction  to 
looking  across  the  bay,  for  there  an  old  friend  and  onetime 
neighbour  works  his  labours  of  love  in  gardening  generally, 
and  amongst  a  profusion  of  hardy  plants  and  flowering  shrubs 
in  particular  ;  such,  indeed,  as  in  variety  and-  disposition  are 
rarely  met  with.  “  Come  and  see.  .  .  .  Yours  very  truly, 
Gerald  Carroll.”  We  went,  and  saw  a  host  of  things 
beautiful  and  interesting,  too  numerous  to  detail,  but  rather 
is  it  the  tout  ensemble  of  the  grounds  and  gardens  around 
Sutton  House  wThich  appeals  to  the  gardening  critic  than 
individual  specimens  or  masses.  The  informal,  picturesque, 
and  extensive  residence  lends  itself  admirably  to  the 
situation,  the  grounds  surrounding  it  forming  such  a  happy 
blending  of  nature  and  art  that  one  wends  their  way  from 
highly-kept  terrace  walk  to  the  rugged  simplicity  of  the  Head 
unconscious  where  the  one  ends  or  the  other  begins.  Choice 
specimens  and  groups  are  noticeable  near  the  mansion. 
There  is  a  dark  foliaged  clump  that  might  be  passed  as  that 
purple  Plum  of  uncouth  name  which  has  entered  so  largely 
into  modem  planting  ;  but  “  The  master,”  Andrew  Jameson, 
Esq.,  whom  me  meet  inspecting  his  treasures,  in  which  he 
takes  a  keen  interest,  points  it  out  as  Rosa  ruberrima. 
A  sturdy  hedge  of  the  Sea  Buckthorn,  Hippophae 
rhamnoides,  guarding  the  descent  to  a  dell,  is  charming  in 
its  berried  wealth  during  the  dull  season,  its  secret  of  vigour 
being  the  sea,  so  near  at  hand  that  westerly  winds,  which  are 
dreaded  here  when  angrily  disposed,  must  all  but  carry  the 
spray  into  the  grounds.  In  its  happy  abandon  of  planting 
and  keeping  the  higher  portion  of  the  grounds  approaching 
the  Head  there  is  an  added  charm  to  the  culture  of  hardy 
plants,  conspicuous  by  its  absence  in  orthodox  bed  or  border, 
or  even  rockeries  as  often  seen.  Here  one  picks  their  way 
around  clumps  of  the  little  Rock  Rose  and  similar  things, 
with  ubiquitous  turnings  on  either  hand  by  natural  walks, 
with  here  and  there  a  rough  flat  stone  so  disposed  as  to 
ensure  a  foothold.  Whilst  meditating  and  arguing,  as 
gardeners  wall  argue,  on  that  hot  summer  Sunday,  a  bolt 
from  the  blue,  in  the  form  of  a  heavy  thunderclap  rever¬ 
berating  to  the  opposite  shores,  our  own  side  of  the  bay, 
caused  a  hasty  descent  to  the  more  sheltered  part  of  the 
gardens.  Here,  in  the  gloaming,  we  wander  through  the 
alleys  and  paths  of  a  quaint  bit  of  old-world  gardening  quite 
secluded  from  aught  else.  It  is  the  original  garden,  and  is 
kept  pretty  much  the  same  as  when  its  former  owner,  the 
late  Mrs.  Lawrenson,  enthusiastically  vTorked  up  her  grand 
strain  of  St.  Brigicl  Anemones  prior  to  changing  her  residence 
across  the  bay.  There  is  a  giant  standard  Ceanothus,  large 
enough  to  picnic  under,  huge  Bamboos,  and  ancient  Dijon 
Roses,  with  many  beautiful  Teas,  now  at  their  best,  ramble 
away  over  tree  and  trellis  pretty  much  at  their  own  sweet 
will.  A  curiosity  in  cut  stone,  in  the  form  of  an  antique  coat 
of  arms  is  embedded  high  up  in  the  wall,  and  zealously  pre¬ 
served  by  Mr.  Jameson.  One  would  like  to  know  with  Avhat 
old  family  it  is  identified,  but  probably  the  heraldic  memento 
now  pertains  to  those  “  .  .  .  whose  bones  are  dust,  and 
souls  are  with  the  saints  we  trust.” 
Our  friend  has  a  handsome  clean  crop  of  Melons  to  show 
us  in  a  small  lean-to  stove,  and  other  glass  houses  have  to  be 
inspected.  The  glass  department  is  not  extensive,  and  G.  C_ 
would  like  more.  Was  there  ever  a  gardener  worthy  of  the 
name  who  would  not?  However,  from  the  encouragement 
he  has  already  received  from  a  generous  master,  he  will 
doubtless  sooner  or  later  be  the  happy  overseer  of  some  good 
vineries  in  place  of  the  present  old-fashioned  structures,  for 
which  there  are  positions  against  the  high,  massive  walls 
suggestive  of  suitability  for  their  erection.  Vegetable  and 
fruit  quarters  at  Sutton  House  are  extensive,  and  pre- 
eminently  w~ell  cropped  and  kept ;  a  feature  of  these  being  a 
strongly-stayed  palisading  to  protect  all  from  the  breezes  of 
the  bay.  We  could  not  but  admire  our  friend’s  comfortable 
cottage,  the  healthy  look  of  his  olive  branches,  and  the 
liberal  hospitality  of  “  the  missus,”  and  not  less  his  agility, 
as  at  a  late  hour  he  rushed  after  and  held  up  the  last  electric 
car,  saving  us  from  being  stranded  at  night  across  the  bay. — 
K.,  Dublin. 
Potting  Primulas. 
As  good  strong  plants  of  Primulas  which  are  likely  tee 
throw  up  vigorous  flower  stems  in  autumn,  winter,  and 
spring  are  appreciated,  the  stock  now  established  in  small 
pots  and  needing  a  shift  should  be  looked  over.  Select 
those  which  have  their  pots  full  of  roots,  bushy  fibrous  roots, 
pushing  freely  round  the  edge  of  the  surface  soil.  The 
leaves  should  be  stiff,  luxuriant  in  colour,  and  have  short 
stalks.  The  latter  are  always  brittle,  but  more  so  when  the 
plants  have  been  crowded  and  are  consequently  flabby. 
Flower  stems  issuing  from  the  centre  may  be  nipped  out  at 
present,  both  from  Chinese  Primulas  and  P.  obconica.  The 
leaves  of  the  latter  variety  cause  irritation  of  the  skin  with 
some  people,  so  it  may  be  advisable  to  protect  the  hands 
with  gloves  when  handling  these  plants. 
A  suitable  compost  consists  of  three  parts  turfy  loam, 
one  part  clean  leaf  soil,  one  part  decomposed  manure  with 
a  free  admixture  of  sand,  crushed  charcoal,  and  a  sprinkling 
of  wood  ashes.  Incorporate  all  together,  bringing  it  to  a 
moist,  though  not  a  wet,  condition.  Employ  clean,  dry 
pots,  crocking  them  carefully,  and  cover  the  drainage  with 
some  clean  rough  material.  The  plants  must  be  moist  before 
turning  out  of  pots.  Loosen  the  bottom  roots  and  remove 
the  crocks  they  enclose.  In  the  actual  process  of  potting 
sink  the  ball  so  that  the  plant  will  be  rather  deeper  in  the 
soil  than  heretofore.  In  fact,  when  the  potting  is  finished, 
the  plant  ought  to  be  quite  secure  and  not  wTriggle  about  at 
the  collar. 
A  moist  frame  covered  with  a  light  is  the  best  place  for 
them  at  first,  giving  the  plants  ample  room.  Water  will 
scarcely  be  needed  for  some  days,  but  afford  shade  from 
strong  sun,  and  dewT  the  plants  over  in  the  evenings  of  warn 
days.  The  first  watering  should  be  copious  enough  to  pass 
through  the  whole  mass  of  soil  and  roots.  When  renewecL 
growth  becomes  evident  by  the  production  of  young  leaves 
in  the  centre,  and  the  enlarging  of  the  older  foliage,  fresh 
supplies  of  air  are  necessary  daily,  and  on  warm  nights  full 
exposure  is  beneficial ;  but  guard  against  soaking  them  by 
allowing  heavy  rain  to  reach  them. 
As  a  means  of  affording  the  plants  when  growing  freely 
all  the  advantages  of  free  ventilation  to  induce  a  stocky 
habit,  the  plants  may  be  elevated  on  small  pots.  Allow 
room  to  place  the  lights  over,  though  the  frame  will  rarely 
require  to  be  completely  closed  down.  Here  the  plants  may 
remain  until  it  is  necessary  to  house  them  on  a  shelf  near 
the  glass  in  the  greenhouse  early  in  October.  If  wanted  to 
bloom  in  the  late  autumn,  the  first  flowers  should  be  left 
to  develop.  For  a  later  display  nip  out  the  trusses  which 
show  now. — S. 
