794 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



Ripiiiaii> and il was nut muil ilit beginning; ol llic l''lli 

 i-ciilnr)- ihai reclamation was linally ettectetl. Thf land 

 litre lies so low that it is necessary to maintain pnm[)ing- 

 stations to raise the water from the drainage <Iitches and 

 discharge it into the rivers. Formerly windmills were 

 used for this purpose, bnt nowadays steam furnishe> the 

 motive power for the pnmpa. 



The soil of this region is almost entirely vegelahle in 

 origin and is in fact used as a fuel in the same way that 

 turf is used in Ireland. We had ocular proof of its com- 

 bustible qualities, for, in many places along the railroad, 

 great holes, often twenty or more feet in diameter, had 

 been burned in ii. Owing to the extreme drought which 

 was prevalent over the whole of the eastern part of Eng- 

 land, these turf fires could easily be started by sparks 

 from the railway engines. In a normal season, there is 

 little danger of this kind in the Fen district, as there is 

 tisually a sujier-abnndance of water. Indeed, it is re- 

 ported that there have been occasions when the farmers 

 have had to harvest their hay crop in boats! 



On leaving Cambridgesliire one gets into an up-land 



region characterized by a sandy soil and scanty herbage. 



much of which consists of heather and various species 



of Erica. This section supports an immense population 



of rabbits, which can be seen by the hundreds from the 



windows of the railroad train if the journey is made in 



the late afternoon. .So many were in view on the occasion 



of our trip that we mused upon the slaughter that would 



ensue if some of our Nimrodic gardening friends from 



America, with suitable armament, were given free rein 



in that district. 



-i' ^ -i: 



Our main reason for visiting Farlham Hall was to see 

 in bloom the collection of hybrid montbretias which have 

 been raised in this garden, but on reaching the estate we 

 found that these were far from being the only interesting- 

 things in evidence. 



The Blue Garden, an area of perhaps one-half an acre 

 enclosed with red brick walls, was wonderfully beautiful 

 at the time of our visit. The main feature in this gar- 

 den was made up of box bordered beds of Pcrovskia 

 atriplicifoUa. This semi-.sh.rubby plant from Afghanistan 

 and Western Tiiibtt is eminently adapted for .vcrophytic 

 conditions of existence as was amply proved by its thrift- 

 iness and vigor in the dry soil of this garden. It is a 

 charming plant, with flowers of a delicate shade of lav- 

 ender blue, which harmonizes well with the silvery tone 

 of its foliage. It is moderately hardy and will survive 

 the Winter in the vicinity of New York if planted in well 

 drained sandy soil. 



Other flowers that were making a fine display in this 

 garden were: Thallctrum dipterocarpum, the blue 

 meadow rue which is now fairly well known in this 

 countr)-, Ccratostigma WUlmnttuc. a new species of lead- 

 wort closely allied to the well known C. pluiiibagiiwidcs. 

 C. Willmottuv, however, differs from the last named in 

 having paler blue flowers, and in blooming throughout 

 the whole Summer. Convok'ulus niaitritaniciis, a semi- 

 trailer from the Mediterranean region, that is feared not 

 to be quite hardy in our climate, was another interesting 

 plant in this garden. Dclphininni and Aster amellns were 

 also used. ^Nlany tubs containing the African blue lily. 

 .IgapaiiHius luiibcUatiis. were ])laced at important points 

 and served admirably to lireak the flatness. 



The Rose Garden is another feature at Earlham TTall 

 This is a sunken garden, its outer boundaries formed by 

 a terrace wall of stonework put togetlier without the use 

 of mortar, and suitably furnished with wall plants in 

 great variety, which grow luxuriantly in the cliinks be- 

 tween the stones. The walks are of red brick which time 

 has mellowed to a pleasant shade, and between (hem and 



llir beds are strips of grass, which form a pleasing set- 

 ling liir the ruses. These are planted in rather narrow 

 betls whicli a!k)w about three rows to each. Only one 

 \arietv is phuited in each bed. 



( )n the terrace surruuriding the Rose ( iarden is a 

 Iiruad herbaceniis l>urder, backed with trees, wdiich con- 

 tains a great variety uf ])l;uUs !)oth uf the well known 

 and rare species. 



The Rock tjarden at Earlham is most pleasinglv laid 

 out and here again there is a wealth of rare plants. There 

 were some remarkable specimens of shrubbv New Zea- 

 land Veronicas which would indicate that the Winters 

 are not severe in this section of the country. One plant 

 in particular of Veronica ciiprcssoidcs, three or four feet 

 in height, and as much in diameter, w'as especially worthy 

 of admiration. It is very seldom that this species is 

 found in gardens in England over one foot or so in 

 heigh.t. A]>out the Rock Garden, and serving to shut it 

 oti somewhat from the rest of the layout, was a fine col- 

 lection of trees and shrubs. Incidentallv one of the note- 

 worthy things abotit English gardens in general, is the 

 fact that so many estate owners are interested in culti- 

 vating rare plants and new introductions, and are not 

 satisfied to worry along with a commonplace material. 



At I'larlham a great deal of attention is concentrated 

 (111 the production of new varieties of JMontbretias. These 

 are Iridaceous plants wdiich are now includetl under 

 Tritonia by the botanists, but which will always be rec- 

 ognized under the older name of Montbrefia bv the 

 gardeners. Montbretias have long been a favorite in 

 hjigland. and to a limited extent in this country, both 

 as garden plants, and as cut flowers, their culture being- 

 similar to that accorded to Gladiolus. 



The kinds most generally grown in the old days were 

 .1/. Pottsii, a species with yellow flowers tinged with red. 

 about one inch in diameter, and M. Crocosmwfiora, an 

 orange shaded form, with individual flowers two inches 

 in diameter. It is a bi-generic hybrid between M. Pottsii 

 and Crocosinia aurca. 



The Earlham Montbretias are a vast improvement on 

 the old funiis, in size and substance of flow'ers ; many 

 have individual blooms as much as five inches in diameter 

 the number of flowers produced on an infloresence. and in 

 their great range of coloring. 



The genealogy of these new hybrids is probably some- 

 what involved and perhaps no record has been kept of 

 their parentage, but in all probability they were evolved 

 from M. Pottsii and M. Crorosinccdora. At Earlham, 

 improved varieties raised at Westwick House were used 

 as a base for the production of their new hybrids. 



The variety that Mr. Morris considers the best is "His 

 Majesty." which received a First Class Certificate from 

 the Royal Horticultural Society. This is a free flower- 

 ing form with individual blooms five inches in diameter. 

 The follow-ing description of its color is quoted from the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle : "The center of the flower is 

 colored yellow, and this shades into brilliant crimson 

 scarlet, the latter color being distinct at the tips." This 

 varietv must have made a great hit for I have a letter 

 from Mr. Morris stating that he put a prohibitive price 

 of five guineas a bulb on "His iXIajesty" but was obliged 

 to part with some of them even at that price ! 



Although this is evidentlv a fine variety, it did not 

 make so much impression on us at the time of our visit 

 as the one called "Queen Charlotte."' This has a fine 

 br-mching spike w-ith manv flowers, in color, yellow, 

 ranging into orange red toward the tips of the petals. 



.'\nother good variety is "Queen Boadicca.'" This is 

 notable for the roundness of the flower and tlie width of 

 [Continued on page 798) 



