370 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



the path-side, as seen in the plan, -^ere formed of a small clump of the 

 dark-foliaged Ajiiga reptans, encircled by the pink double Daisy, which 

 was acrain encircled with Viola cornuta. On the fountain-side the 

 Ajuga was still employed as a centre to the circles, but surrounded by 

 Aubrieta purpurea, encircled by the variegated foliaged double Daisy. 

 This arrangement appeared to be perfect, and the mass of colouring 

 very fine indeed. Mr Quilter stated that it took seven thousand 

 Daisies to plant this bed alone. Looking at this display from either 

 side of the garden on entering, a kind of irregular but large mass of 

 colouring was perceptible ; but as the visitor approached it, the exquisite 

 arrangement became quite clear, and the mass of blended colours rose 

 up, as it w^ere, to meet the eye. Of all the manifold aspects of the 

 gardens here, this scroll-bed was the most striking, and a sight of it 

 would have amply repaid a journey from London. 



In a flower-garden that exhausts above a quarter of a million of plants 

 at bedding-out time, there must, of necessity, be many details that it 

 is impossible to sketch within the compass of a paper of this extent. 

 It may be stated, however, that there is a broad border under the wall 

 on each side of this garden, some 10 feet in width, formed into diamond- 

 shaped panels by the use of the dwarf Spruce Fir. On two sides of 

 the garden these panels were filled alternately wdth blue, yellow, v;hite, 

 and purple Pansies ; and on the two other sides with blue and white 

 Forget-me-not and Silene pendula, used in distinct masses of colour. 

 The angles, back and front, w^ere filled with Cerastium tomentosum, 

 which comes into flower almost at the same time as the spring-bloom- 

 ing plants ; and when the occupants of the beds are changed, it is 

 simply necessary to clip the Cerastium with a pair of shears, and then 

 it likewise does good service as a foliaged plant the summer through. 



It would tax the ablest pen to do justice to these grounds and their 

 extensive floral decorations. The horticultural world should know how 

 much is being done in the somewhat uncongenial neighbourhood of 

 Birmingham to create and foster a love for flowers, and the incidents 

 of horticulture there ; and it should also know that the most gratifying 

 results, both in a professional and a social point of view, have sprung 

 from what has been so well attempted. The somewhat cynical Ameri- 

 can essayist who wrote of the English people that "they are proud and 

 private, and, even if disposed to recreation, will avoid an open garden," 

 could not have visited the Aston Lower Grounds. To these gardens come 

 visitors of high and low degrees. In the presence of flowers and their 

 intimate surroundings, the distinctions of caste seem to be (temporarily 

 at least) laid aside. They still teach the great lesson drawn from their 

 simple beauty by that wondrous Teacher of old, "that Solomon in 

 all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." K D. 



