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The HorlicuUivml and Journal 



in front of the gate, and in the center of the 

 principal garden, is the hirge conservatory, 

 and in front of this is a plaza of perhaps 200 

 feet squai-e, surrounded by a raised turf em- 

 bankment of two feet. Each side has an 

 entrance of descending steps, and on each side 

 of the steps are large tubs with noble speci- 

 mens of agaves, usually five teet in height. 

 Within this plaza are grouped not far from 20 

 flower beds, each containing a different ar- 

 rangement of plants. One bed contained in 

 the center a tall spruce, the ends each a 

 juniper, and the intermediate spaces were 

 packed close with standard roses. Another 

 bed, circular, had an arbor vitse, six feet high, 

 in the center, and completely surrounded with 

 the Cineraria maritima. A third bed had a 

 juniper in the center, and the rest filled with 

 a solid mass of petunias in bloom. A fourth 

 had an arbor vitae in the center, surrounded 

 by the Lemon Verbena. The center bed, 

 star-shaped, contained two vases with agaves, 

 mounted upon stone pedestals, and the rest of 

 the bed was filled with scarlet geraniums. 

 Four junipers, eight feet high, graced the 

 corners. Another year, when visiting there, 

 these beds were filled with vincas only. Two 

 small oval beds contained in the center an im- 

 mense colocasia, and the rest was filled up with 

 caladiums. These beds were each duplicated 

 exactly opposite each side of the center path. 



One of the most striking scenes was a long 

 hedge, reaching from this plaza to the tower or 

 pavilion, consisting of Japan quince, smoothly 

 cut and very symmetrical, four feet high. 

 Between this and the turf-covered walk was a 

 row of striking cinerarias, and backed with 

 the still more showy flowers of the Phlox and 

 Cleranium. 



A special feature we noticed here in the use 

 of flowers, is the frequent use of popular flow- 

 ers, easily grown, and which most people know. 

 Annuals, perennials, verbenas, geraniums, 

 vincas, roses, etc., are used in the utmost pro- 

 fusion, and few others. There is really little 

 attempt at the fashionable garden diversion of 

 the present day — subtropical gardening — for 

 indeed the place is so full, there is little room 

 for it, and there is absolutely no lawn until 



we pass beyond the wall into the immediate 

 ground of Mr. Shaw's own residence. 



Around the plaza extends a grand walk, 

 and along this are laid long beds of infinite 

 varieties of flowers, and curious plants. A 

 good feature is, that each plant or bed has a 

 stake designating the name. Thus people see 

 and learn, without asking troublesome and 

 needless questions. We noticed in juxtaposi- 

 tion the Fountain Plant [Aviarantlms saltci- 

 folius), echeverias, verbenas with scarlet eyes, 

 portulaceas, perpetual roses, geraniums, etc., 

 etc., alternating with each other. Outside of 

 this walk, the gardens are made up of succes- 

 sive strips of lawn, evergreen, hedges and 

 flower borders. At one part of the garden, 

 all paths and beds converge towards the tower ; 

 then back of the conservatory all are arranged 

 to meet the gravel walk, which passes close to 

 the wall. One border we remember was de- 

 voted entirely to paeonias, coleus and zinnias. 

 Another and very large border, say 50 feet 

 wide, contained specimen plants of cannas, 

 ricinus, low-growing shrubs, spiraeas, magno- 

 lias, arranged in due order back of each other, 

 according to height, from lowest to highest. 

 Even the Sunflower was not despised, but 

 hung its huge head modestly, as though it 

 knew it were in the presence of more brilliant 

 society. Stretched along the wall, 10 feet 

 high, is a large trellis, covered with a mass of 

 the luxuriant Trumpet creeper, whose blos- 

 soms show such a dazzling glory above the 

 dark green of the leaves. Close along this 

 wall is a long row of roses, each named. In 

 another part of the wall is a long space de- 

 voted to a trellis for climbing i-oses. In fact, 

 from the opening of spring to the end of sum- 

 mer, every day can show something in bloom, 

 and the visitor can always come each week, 

 and see something new unfolding its delicate 

 blossoms. In blooming time the gardens are 

 a wilderness of roses. They grow everywhere, 

 and in one bed it was a delight to me to see a 

 real hedge of them, all kinds mixed, and very 

 strong and healthy. Farther up the large 

 wall we meet other climbing plants — the old 

 familiar Cottage Honeysuckle ; then the 

 American Ivy, or Virginia Creeper ; then a 



