354 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[December, 



Variety is always pleasing, and at this season 

 study a little how to have differences from last 

 year at little cost. It is often as easy to have 

 change at a small expense, and as pleasing, as 

 when a large sum is involved. 



It is a pleasure to note the progress of taste in 

 ornamental gardening. Railroads and public es- 

 tablishments were at one time the leading exem- 

 plifications of beastliness in their horticultural 

 surroundings, now they often lead off in garden 

 beauty. Summer boarding-houses for fashionable 

 people were also until recently far back among 

 barbarians, but many of these now have beautiful 

 gardens and grounds. Altogether we feel proud 

 of our twenty-six years of labor ; for surely we 

 must have had a hand in this progress. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



CARPET-BEDDING AT W. J. GORDON'S, 

 GLENVILLE PARK, CLEVELAND, O. 



BY EDWARD ROBERTS, CLEVELAND, O. 



There has appeared from time to time in the 

 various horticultural journals a considerable share 

 of adverse criticism with regard to the good taste 

 of what is known as "carpet" or "patchwork" 

 bedding. Numerous attacks have also been made 

 upon it by would-be smart writers in the daily press, 

 whose knowledge of the subject about which they 

 wrote was, to say the least, extremely limited. 

 Yet notwithstanding all the abuse which has been 

 heaped upon it, the fashion has more than 

 held its own, as is evidenced by its increasing 

 popularity year after year. I have no intention 

 however to enter into a defence of the merits of 

 the "patchwork-quilt" system, within the limits of 

 the present article. Doubtless like most other 

 things on this mundane sphere too much of it 

 would be likely to create nausea. My intention 

 just now is to merely place before your readers a 

 brief, unvarnished description of some of the 

 more striking combinations which I saw in the 

 gardens at Mr. Gordon's charming residence at 

 Glenville. 



Before entering into details a few prefatory re- 

 marks descriptive of, or at least giving some idea 

 of the general appearance of Glenville Park, may 

 be more or less to the purpose. In the first place 

 then, I may state it is of considerable extent, con- 

 taining nearly two hundred acres. As regards 

 situation, nothing could possibly be more delight- 



' ful, commanding as it does some of the most beau- 

 tiful views to be found on Lake Erie. The surface 

 is of an undulating character, and hill and dale, 

 wood and water, all combine to make up a series 

 of landscapes of rare beauty. Nor has art been 

 altogether overlooked by Mr. Gordon in laying out 

 his lovely demesnes. But then it has been intro- 

 duced with such good taste, and in such excellent 

 keeping with the surroundings, that we are per- 

 fectly justified in saying that 



'• this is an art 

 Which does mend nature, — change it rather : but 

 The art itselt is nature." 



I here have special reference to the rockwork 

 and grotto that overlook the lake, and which have 

 been put togetlier in such a natural way as would 

 be almost certain to deceive any but those who 

 have had considerable experience in such work. 

 Were it not for fear of trespassing too far on the 

 editor's kindness, I should like to enter into some 

 particulars with regard to the formation of this 

 rockwork. I should also like to speak of the 

 crystal spring which flows within its subterranean 

 chamber, and from which chamber a secret stair 

 leads to the summit of the pile, after reaching 

 which it would be necessary to call to mind all the 

 superlatives with which we are acquainted to do 

 anything like justice to the glorious view which 

 bursts upon our sight. All this, however, must be 

 left to the imagination of your readers — possibly 

 the wisest course to adopt under the circumstances 

 — as well as the many other points of interest to 

 be met with by the visitor, and return to the special 

 subject I intended in commencing this article. 



Entering by the eastern gate (which is contiguous 

 to the dwelling-house), we at once find ourselves in 

 the flower-garden and attention is immediately 

 arrested by a large oval bed of Dracaena termin- 

 alis, surrounded by a band of Funkia variegata, 

 and having an edge of Echeveria secunda glauca. 

 The color of the Dracaena was wonderfully rich, 

 very "much more so" than when under glass, and 

 the contrast between it and the Funkia and Echev- 

 eria made up a picture of rare beauty. Close by, 

 under the shade of some noble old forest trees, 

 is a large tent elegantly fitted up and offering 

 a most welcome retreat from the heat and glare of 

 the mid-day sun, its attractions being greatly 

 enhanced by having some noble specimens of 

 palms and cycads planted around and partly 

 enclosing it. Amongst others are noticed the 

 following as being exceptionally fine, viz. : Cycas 

 revoluta, Cibotium Scheidii, Dicksonia antarctica, 

 Cyathea medularis, Caryota urens, Seaforthia ele- 



