1870.J GARDEN RECORDS. 85 



as usual, but the flowers of a fine hue, and, as when cultivated in pots, of the finest 

 form ; and round this a capital gold and bronze Pelargonium Mr Gibson intends 

 to try again, so much was he pleased with it, it being dwarf in habit and very 

 effective. Near this was an oval-shaped bed, having in the centre Vitis hetero- 

 phylla variegata, the leaves nicely edged and blotched with silver. Round this was 

 a line of Lonicera aureo-reticulata, nicely coloured, and therefore a good contrast, 

 edged with Teleianthera (Alternanthera) versicolor, here an exquisite edging plant, 

 the dark bronze and bright red leaves blotched with white ; but it must be borne 

 in mind that the enclosed subtropical garden at Battersea Park is highly favour- 

 able to the wellbeing of tender bedding plants, that altogether fail in exposed and 

 wet situations. The next bed was of a long oval shape, facing towards the walk, 

 having at the back three lines of variegated zonal Pelargonium Mrs Pollock, Louisa 

 Smith in the centre, and Lady Cullum in front. Between each of these sections 

 of variegated zonal Pelargoniums was a line of a so-called dwarf Ageratum named 

 Prince Arthur, but much too tall-growing for such an arrangement, as it buried 

 the Pelargoniums. Mr Gibson remarked that a dwarf-growing blue Ageratum 

 was much needed in the flower-garden, and this has no doubt been found in 

 Ageratum Imperial dwarf, to the admirable qualities of which Mr Plester calls 

 attention on another page. Lady Cullum was very fine and effective in this rela- 

 tion, and bids fair to take the lead as a bedder among the variegated zonal Pel- 

 argoniums. Close by this bed was another of circular shape, almost wholly filled 

 with Crystal Palace Gem, one of the golden-leaved section of bedding Pelargoniums, 

 in praise of which too much can scarcely be written. Then came one of those 

 beds so peculiar to Battersea Park, and so unusual elsewhere — namely, one of 

 circular shape, filled with various forms of the Erythrina. In the centre was a 

 disc of the old E. crista-galli ; round this, E. Madame Belanger ; encircling this, in 

 its turn, was E. ornata, very fine indeed; then, on the outside, Madame Bel- 

 anger appeared again, a very fine dark form that deserves to be more frequently 

 seen in gardens ; then a circle of Heliotrope Miss Nightingale, and a margin of 

 Sempervivum barbatum bearing yellow flowers. The Continental horticulturists 

 have certainly done much of late years in the way of improving the Erythrina, 

 for there are now several fine and varied kinds well worthy attention. Still 

 another circular bed, having in the centre Gaiety, bedding Pelargonium ; round 

 this was Beauty of Calderdale, one of Wills's gold and bronze Pelargoniums, quite 

 dull-looking, and had been so all the summer. To quote Mr Gibson's expression, 

 " It had not behaved well with him." Round this was blue Lobelia, next Wills's 

 new golden Christine bedding Pelargonium, a nice edging plant, but of a rather 

 "rniffy" habit; round this Alternanthera paronychioides, and an outside edging 

 of Echeveria secunda glauca. These two outer circles composed what may be 

 truly denominated " a perfect edging." Now came in view a raised side-border 

 edged with Viola lutea grandiflora, a grand yellow summer bedding plant, which 

 as far transcends the ordinary form of V. lutea, both in the size of the flowers 

 and effectiveness, as the new V. Perfection does the old V. cornuta. Bedders- 

 out, who find the yellow Calceolaria unmanageable, and who are sighing for yel- 

 low bedding plants, should keep their eye on this ; and some large-flowering forms 

 of V. lutea, report states, will shortly be offered. Here came into view a central 

 mass of the old Honeyflower, Melianthus major, a tender evergreen plant, requir- 

 ing shelter during winter, and having a kind of silvery sheen spread over its 

 leaves. 



Some of the new golden-leaved Coleuses were bedded out here and there, and 

 though we could not become highly enamoured of what we saw of their adapta- 

 bility for bedding purposes, yet Mr Gibson said he was not disposed to give up 



