152 THE FLORIST. 



We omitted to name that, connected with the house, on the west front, 

 is a plant conservatory, which is kept constantly gay with plants in 

 bloom, and which can be thrown' open to the morning gallery. The 

 balcony garden, as we have before stated, is directly in front of the house, 

 and is divided in two by a centre walk leading to the pavilion, through 

 which a fine view is obtained of the country beyond, and likewise of a 

 loggia, at the extremity of the lower garden. 



To describe any of these gardens without referring to a plan, is almost 

 a hopeless task. The principal feature in the design of the balcony 

 garden is a group of four large beds on each side the centre walk. 

 These have raised stone borders, wide and massive ; next a band of 

 turf; and between the turf and box edging inside a band of white sand. 

 This gives a high architectural finish to the garden, and is, besides, 

 quite in keeping with the walls, balustrading, vases, and other archi- 

 tectural accessories which surround it. 



The great object in this garden is to have large masses of colours ; 

 hence it was imperative that the beds should be large, to produce a 

 grand eff'ect, and rich warm colours are only employed for the like 

 purpose — four of these beds are scarlet, two purple, and two blue. 

 The scarlet beds are planted in this way : — In the centre, .Shrubland 

 Scarlet Geraniums ; next, a band of Punch Geraniums ; then a 

 band of Mangles' Variegated, followed by Tom Thumb ; the edging 

 to finish being a band of " Harkaway," a very dwarf scarlet Geranium. 

 When in full bloom, nothing can exceed the richness of these groups, 

 as regards arrangement of colour. 



The two purple beds have for centres a mass of " Prince's Feather;" 

 surrounding this, " Love-lies-bleeding ; " next. Geranium Purple 

 Unique ; followed by a band of Golden Chain, and finished off by an 

 edging of the Baron Hugel or Princess Royal Geranium, with a well- 

 defined horse-shoe leaf, from which the flowers are taken off, that they 

 may not interfere with the colour of the bed. 



The two blue beds are planted with a centre of Salvia patens, mixed 

 with the Blue Chinese Delphinium (Larkspur) ; next a band of the 

 African Lily (Agapanthus) ; then a band of Lobeha racemosoides ; next. 

 Golden-chain Geranium, finishing with an edging of Baron Hugel, as 

 for the purple beds, the scarlet flowers also taken off. 



Two long square turf plots flank each side of these beds, forming 

 altogether a balcony garden. These have a tracery pattern in white 

 sand with stone tripods, and in the centre a fine plant of Libocedrus 

 chilensis, planted by H. R. H. Prince Albert, when he visited Sir 

 Wifliam and Lady IMiddleton in 1851. 



The eight beds described above are connected by a stone pattern and 

 three circular beds. The centre one is planted with Hydrangeas, and 

 the one on each side with Yuccas. There are stone boxes planted with 

 Humeas, and the same on each side the centre walk, planted with 

 Portugal Laurel, in imitation of Orange trees, for which they are 

 excellent substitutes. The borders under the retaining wall at the top 

 nearest the house, which supports the terrace walk, is planted with 

 Hollyhocks in lines, fronted with Lady IMiddleton Geraniums, a rosy 

 coloured scarlet raised here by Mr. Beaton, and very valuable for bedding 

 purposes. 



