143 



FLOWER-aAEDENING AT KEW. 



There are but few places where the public 

 caa see flower-gardening on a large scale 

 gratuitously. True, there are flower-beds 

 in the parks, and there is that fine old 

 gai'den at Hampton Court ; but the school 

 in whicli the people may bast study artistic 

 flower-gardening is, undoubtedly, the Royal 

 Botanic Garden at Kew. In that establish- 

 ment, which is in every way worthy of the 

 nation which supports it, this beautiful art 

 is carried out most thoroughly. We do 

 not, indeed, find many of the newest varie- 

 ties used in filling tlie beds, for it is much 

 better to depend upon plants whose useful 

 qualities have been well tested ; but, as we 

 shall presently see, the latest improvements 

 in the mode of planting the beds ai'e fol- 

 lowed out. We no longer find beds planted 

 with one kind of plant ; almost every one 

 is edged with a plant which shall enhance 

 the beauty of the other ; and in many beds 

 we find several varieties, the colours of 

 which blend or contrast with each other 

 most artistically." 



We proceed to lay before our readers a 

 few notes upon the manner in which the 

 beds are filled, made on a recent visit to 

 this garden. We may, in passing, observe 

 that the houses were as full of flowers and 

 of interesting plants as usual ; and the beds 

 of rhododendrons, azaleas, and other flower- 

 ing shrubs were perfect masses of brilliant 

 colour. In walking through the garden, it 

 was difficult to believe that we have but 

 recently passed through such a severe 

 winter, scarcely any of the trees and shrubs 

 sliow the eff"ects of the frost. 



It will be recollected that, along the 

 principal promenade, the beds are arranged 

 with a circle on each side of an oblong, 

 making a group of three beds on either 

 side; then there is another rectangular 

 bed, and then the group of three is repeated 

 through the whole length. The beds are, 

 of coiirse, made to correspond on either 

 side of the broad gravel path. The first 

 four circles, two on each side, are perfect 

 bouquets. The centre is a large old plant 

 of the Golden Chain geranium ; from this 

 extend four rays of Baron Hugcl, the 

 spandrils are filled with Lady Plymouth, 

 and tlie whole edged with lobelia and 

 Gazania splendens. The oblong is filled 

 with Lord Raglan verbenas, edged with 

 Cerastium tomentosum. Then comes an 

 oblong bed filled with Calceolaria amplesi- 

 caulis, three rows along the centre ; two 

 rows of Perilla Nankinensis on either side, 

 and edged with variegated mint mixed 

 with Mangle's variegated geranium. The 



circles of the second group are planted with 

 heliotrope and AgeratumMexicanum mixed. 

 There are two rows of Flower of the Day 

 geranium along the centre of the oblong 

 bed, with two rows of Brilliant geranium, 

 and two of Purple King verbena to finish 

 with. This is a very efl"ective bed, and is 

 frequently repeated in other parts of the 

 garden. The next bed is filled with dwarf 

 standard roses, mignonette is coming up 

 among them, and there is an edging of 

 stocks. The circles of the next group are 

 filled with perilla, edged with Mangle's 

 variegated geranium, with an outer line of 

 Gazania splendens. The rectangular bed 

 is planted with Punch geranium (this 

 scarlet has superseded almost all the rest 

 here, as it seems to suit the locality) ; the 

 bed is edged with the common variegated 

 mint. Tliere are three rows of verbena 

 Purple King along the centre of the next 

 bed, then two lines of tropa^olum Tom 

 Thumb, and an edging of cerastium. Then 

 come two more circles filled with verbena 

 Moonlight and Lord Raglan, and an oblong 

 of Calceolaria amplexicaulis edged with 

 Purple King. Then come more roses, 

 treated as before ; and by the side of some 

 paths which here intersect the principal 

 walk, some beds of dahlia Zelinda, edged 

 with two rows of C;ilceolana aurea flori- 

 bunda, and a few others which are repe- 

 titions of beds previously described. Still 

 following the promenade, we come to the 

 next circular beds, which are planted with 

 verbena Lord Raglan, edged with Moon- 

 light ; and an oblong of Calceolaria am- 

 plexicaulis, surrounded by a double line of 

 Purple King verbena. Then a bed of 

 Purple King, tropajolum Tom Thumb, and 

 cerastium. The next circles are filled with 

 purple orach (A triplex hortensis rubra) ; 

 this is at present of a very bright crimson 

 colour, quite as eflt'ective,but not so sombre- 

 looking, as perilla. A friend of ours who 

 had employed this latter plant rather too 

 freely last year, appeared to have put his 

 garden into mourning. The bed of which 

 we were speaking is surrounded with Man- 

 gle's variegated geranium, which shows up 

 the colours well by contrast. This is fol- 

 lowed by a bed of geranium Punch, edged 

 with variegated mint. Then more roses, 

 and then the circles of heliotrope and age- 

 ratum, with Tropojolum splendens. Then 

 a repetition of the Flower of the Day and 

 Brilliant bed, and then an oblong with 

 three rows of Calceolaria amplexicaulis 

 along the centre, with two of perilla and 

 two of Mangle's geranium. The next cir- 



