THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



313 



among them. Contrasting with these arc the gnuip- 

 lets of Lihuni eandichim, the white Madonna Lily, 

 Lychnis chalcedoniea, with its fiery scarlet clusters ; 

 gorgcoii^ l'ei}nies, holh here and hy themselves in 

 other beds nearby; frontal jilantings of Antirrhinums, 

 Verbenas, Sweet Williams and Godetias. These group- 

 ings were not promiscuous, but were massed in colors 

 of one kind, thereby getting the liest and fullest tone 

 effects. -\way behind, or in line with the Delphiniums 

 stood rank upon rank of stately Hollyhocks, and here 

 and there the Ijold, handscjine foliage of the Plume Popp\' 

 (Bocconia cordata). 



German and Japanese h-ises colonized and flourish- 

 ing in almost wild prodigality as an adjacent feature in 

 this part of the garden, deserve notice. So do the beds 

 of fine leaved Japanese Maples. The late flowering 

 Ligustrum Ibota (white), reminded one of the display' 

 of the Persian Lilacs that had lieen in bloom some 

 time earlier. Some of the recently introduced Nephro- 

 lepis ferns were planted at a corner where two paths 

 diverge. This was under the shade of trees, and 

 strongly flowered plants of the orange colored Primula 

 Bulleyana were intermixed. Touches like this greatly 

 interest the advanced student of gardens and flowers. 

 Then not far away another bend of a border, this time 

 in front of shrubs and just clear of the shade of the 

 trees, was devoted to regal Pelargoniums — those beau- 

 tiful plants that used to plague the life out of us in 

 our English and French and German gardens when we 

 so carefully grew them in pots in greenhouses. How 

 easily they- were overwatered and sickened and died ; 

 how prone they were to the attacks of aphides ! .\nd 

 the drying oft", and the pruning 'back and repotting. 

 Yet here they were smothering themselves in bloom 

 in the rudest of health and vigor, as if expressing satisfac- 

 tion at being free from the trammels that man imposes. 



Beside the play house already mentioned there is a 

 large open-air swimming tank. \ tennis court is an- 



other recreational i^rovision, wdiile as distinctive from 

 the purely ornamental there are very comjjact fruit 

 gardens of nearly an acre, comprising Ixaspberries, 

 liardv Grapes, IMackberries, Strawljerries and other 

 tilings, all closed about with a tall wire netting screen; 

 and an ample vegetaljle garden away down out of 

 sight near the river. 



The glass houses, too, yield Melons, Cucumbers and 

 liiniatoes, although some of these are grown in un- 

 heated frames, and Roses, Carnations, Sweet Peas, 

 Chrysanthemums, Gardenias, ferns and foliage plants 

 mainly fill the span-roofed greenhouses. 



-V Pine-needle patii under Pine trees and Hemhicks 

 skirts tile outer grounds ;ind amund the fruit garden, 

 the needles being brought from Pennsylvania woods 

 annually so that the soft, carpet-like surface with its 

 faintly resinous odor, remains fresh and clean always. 

 The Pine-needle walk is hedged about with Rhodo- 

 dendrons, wild ferns (Aspidiuni). and here, too, has 

 the Lily of the Valley become naturalized. 



Lastly may be mentioned the formal Rose garden, 

 a pretty geometrical rosary of long, rectangular beds 

 on the grass, with otlier crescent shaped ones filling 

 in the corners. Standard as well as bush Roses were 

 here, the standards having their stems bound in hay 

 bands to prevent snn scald. They were loaded with 

 l:)looni — Druschki, Mrs. Laing, Ulrich Brumier and 

 others. In the beds we see Rayon d'Or, the new 

 golden yellow, flowering freely. General McArthur is a 

 fine red, but the collection as a whole contained nian_\- of 

 the finer hybrid perpetuals and hybrid teas. 



One cannot but think that Rlr. Perkins and family, 

 together with their friends, must greatly enjoy the 

 peace, quietude and refreshing storehouse of charm, 

 beauty and interest of their wonderful estate — won- 

 derful because so complete in its many features, be- 

 cause of its rus in nrbe eft'ect, and because of the gen- 

 eral excellence of its subjects. 



FROM 



ti;rr.\( 1-; oxe r.ooKs out uevoxd the pergol.\ ox the woRr.D-REXowxEn iiud.sox river 



P.AST THE ESTATE. 



WHICH FLOWS 



