191 



BEDDING EFFECTS AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. 



According to custom, we offer a fevr 

 remarks on the most beautiful bed- 

 ding effects produced this season at 

 the Crystal Palace. Next month we 

 shall give a few examples from other 

 great places. The promenade plant- 

 ing at the Crystal Palace is fully 

 equal to any previous triumphs at the 

 same place. The principal display i3 

 on the chord line of the great bow in 

 the centre of the second terrace, where 

 the rose acacias are. The beds are 

 alternately circles and oblongs, and 

 the planting makes a ribbon series of 

 the oblong beds, the continuity of 

 which is interrupted at regular inter- 

 vals by the colours in the circles. The 

 planting is exceedingly simple, but 

 rich beyond description — finer colour 

 has indeed never been accomplished. 

 The oblongs have two rows of Stella 

 in the centre, next a band of Chris- 

 tine on each side (but not carried 

 round the ends), and edging of Ver- 

 bena Purple King. The circular 

 beds consist of Trentham Rose Ge- 

 ranium, with band Calceolaria flori- 

 bunda all round, and edging of Alma 

 geranium. 



Another grand piece of colouring 

 may be seen in the series of beds 

 which accompany the principal walk 

 down from the entrance to the Palace. 

 The first series of beds extends from 

 the flight of steps next the principal 

 entrance to the great basin, and from 

 thence commences the second series, 

 which sweeps round with the walk in 

 two semicircles. In the first series 

 the beds are oblongs and circles alter- 

 nately, their width nine feet, and the 

 length of the oblongs about seventeen 

 feet. The oblongs contain three rows 

 Crystal Palace Geranium in the centre, 

 next two rows Christine all round, 

 next two rows Calceolaria Prince of 

 Orange, and for margin one row of 

 Purple King Verbena. The circles 

 consist of a central blotch of Perilla, 

 next a circle of Trentham Hose Ge- 

 ranium, then one row of Gaines's 

 Yellow Calceolaria, and margin of 

 Geranium Manglesii. In the sweep 

 round the basin the planting is on the 



same plan, but with different colours, 

 thus : — Tnree rows Trentham Eose, 

 two rows Calceolaria amplexicaulis, 

 two rows Crystal Palace Scarlet Ge- 

 ranium, edging of Purple King Ver- 

 bena ; the circles are Perilla, Christine, 

 Brilliant, and Manglesii. 



On the Pose Mount there are 

 several interesting examples, of which 

 the following are a selection ; the beds 

 are all circles : — Lady Plymouth 

 Geranium and blue Lobelia, plant and 

 plant all through, edged with Mrs. 

 Pollock ; all the flowers of the 

 geraniums removed. This is very 

 chaste. Troprcolum Lobbianum Con- 

 queror, a seedling of Mr. Gordon's, 

 and which is in the hands of Messrs. 

 F. and A. Smith, of Dulwich, may be 

 recognized by its profusion of fine- 

 formed, deep scarlet flowers, the finest 

 of all the bedding tropseolums known. 

 Geranium St. Clair and Purple King 

 Verbena, single circles of each alter- 

 nately all through. Geranium Lady 

 Alice edged with Geranium Gipsy 

 Queen. Lady Alice surpasses Tren- 

 tham Pose, and is therefore a most 

 desirable variety. We know not who 

 has the stock of it. Gazania splen- 

 dens, edged with Arctotis repens, a 

 fine bed in the morning, if the sun 

 shines. Silver Queen Geranium and 

 Verbena Melindres, plant and plant 

 all through, edged with golden ivy- 

 leaf. 



The great triangular beds on the 

 Rose Mount are planted thus : — No. 

 1 (nearly opposite the entrance from 

 the railway station), Stella centre, 

 broad band all round of Christine, 

 edging of Flower of the Day. No. 2 

 (going toward the Palace), Cybister 

 centre, surrounded by Lord Palmer- 

 ston, edging of Cloth of Gold. No. 

 3, Trentham Eose, band of Lobelia, 

 edging Flower of the Day. No. 4, 

 Geranium Fothergillii, band of Crys- 

 tal Palace Scarlet, edge of Purple 

 King Verbena. No. 5, Cottage Maid, 

 Christine, edging Gnaphalium lana- 

 tum. No. 6, Geranium Cerise Unique, 

 band of Calceolaria aurea floribunda, 

 edging of Lobelia Prince Arthur, 



