1870.] GARDEN RECORDS. 31 



this ; and I have not noticed that those taken up with the haulms 

 green have shrank more afterwards than those where the haulm was 

 withering. 



As to the merits of the various flowers we are not likely to differ. 

 I have only to add that, large as some of the new flowers are, they are 

 far surpassed by some which are in process of multiplication, and I 

 do not believe that we have yet reached the Ultima Thide of this beau- 

 tiful flower. D. Deal. 



GARDEN RECORDS. 



NO. I. 



BATTERSEA PARK, LONDON, S.W. 



In a paper read not long since before the Central Horticultural Society by Mr 

 Joseph Newton, the well known landscape gardener, who has just returned from 

 a visit to America, occurs this passage on subtropical gardening : "This has been 

 introduced into the London Parks wherever the gardenesque has been employed, 

 but not in the American Parks which I have just visited. Having studied this 

 subject both at home and on the Continent, I am able to speak with some degree 

 of confidence, and I can safely attest that Battersea Park carries off the palm for 

 subtropical gardening." That is certainly a flattering testimony to the genius 

 and ability of Mr John Gibson, the superintendent of Battersea Park; and the 

 general impression will prevail that it is a truthful one. Having for ourselves 

 inspected Mr Gibson's handiwork, the first of our " Records " shall be some account 

 of what has been done at Battersea Park in the past summer, and how it looked 

 on the occasion of our visit at the end of September. 



Entering the Park in company with Mr Gibson from the Chelsea Suspension 

 Bridge, we were conducted along the east end of it, by the Brighton Railway, 

 through what has hitherto been something akin to a neglected waste, but which 

 was then being changed in its features, for the excavators were at work, and bent 

 on giving a new character to the aspect of the scene. What had been a rough un- 

 even bank was being converted into a broad walk, between banks of shrubbery and 

 ornamental trees ; and about half way along the distance was the spot w r here it is 

 intended to construct a rockery, with cool shady walks about it, and other acces- 

 sories. "When these improvements are worked out, Battersea Park will have 

 additional features of interest of no common order. 



Then issuing into the broad drive on the south side of the Park, which i'uns 

 from the east in a westward direction, we caught a glimpse of the pile of artificial 

 rock-work Mr Gibson had constructed in a prominent point of that piece of land 

 surrounded by the lake, and which is known as the continent. It is intended to 

 bring a water-fall over the rock-work, and when it is accomplished, it will 

 considerably enhance the appearance of this part of the park. On the opposite 

 shore, and near to where we were standing, a huge shrubbery bank was being 

 formed, with a garden in a lower level between it and the lake ; and this will be 

 reached by pleasant winding paths, which were already being constructed. 



On either side of the drive many of the hardy annuals used for floral effect 

 during the summer were still gay, especially the varicoloured double Helichry- 



