September 1, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICTJLTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



169 



of appearance without destroying breadth of effect. An 

 engine-house is visible in the distance, which supplies the 

 lake with fii-esh water. We are told that on proceeding east- 

 ward and sovith of the lake the Itose-ground and other in- 

 teresting scenes of floral beauty present themselves. 



From the fountain a long broad walk runs westward, 

 planted with a row of young Elm trees at each side. Turning 

 from the end of the broad walk to the right we pass north- 

 ward to a most interesting scene. On the south of Biucchi's 

 refreshment-tent are two crescent-shaped beds. At the 

 back, near the shi'ubs, are Hollyhocks, then Phloxes of 

 vai'ious colours, then Chrysanthemum fi-utescens album, then 

 Victor Emanuel Scarlet Geranium, then Minnie Geranium, 

 then yellow Calceolaria, edged with Lady Plymouth and 

 Lobelia sijeciosa alternately and diagonally. In front of 

 each crescent are seven beds : the 1st, an oblong, with brown 

 Calceolaria, edged with Geranium peltatum variegatum. 

 2nd, A circle, Anthony Lamotte Geranium, edged with 

 Lobelia Paxtoniana. 3rd, An oblong, Stella Geranium, edged 

 with Little David Geranium. 4th, A circle, filled with Cal- 

 ceolaria Canariensis, a splendid bed. 5th, An oblong. Miss 

 Nightingale Heliotrope, edged with Bijou Geranium. 6th, A 

 circle, CentaureacandidiBsima, edged withLobeliaPaxtoniana. 

 7th, An oblong, SteDa Geranium, edged with Anthony La- 

 motte Geranium. The opposite is a duplicate of the above, 

 with the exceijtion of a circle centered with Madame Vaucher, 

 a variety with large trusses of well-formed piu-e white blos- 

 soms. Going round fi'om each end of the ten'ace, at the back 

 are Dahlias ; then Gaines's yeUow Calceolaria, edged with 

 Nierembergia gracilis. Then, proceeding westward on the 

 broad walk, the next scene is an opening into the Park 

 between high mounds pictui-esqiiely disposed, but the effect 

 is man'ed by two beds planted with Hollyhocks. A few 

 yai'ds fiu-ther on a fine lawn opens up, displaying a varied 

 landscaxje to the wooded hills beyond, with chiu'ch-spu'es, 

 villages, and the Crystal Palace glittering in the sun. The 

 varied and serpentine plantations on the left beside the 

 walk are in part edged with Gaines's yellow Calceolarias, 

 Pentstemons, Catmint (Nepeta amethystina), backed with 

 Dahlias. The next bit of flower garden comprises an oblong 

 with two circvdar beds ; the fh'st cii'cle contains Geranium 

 Hendersoni, edged with Cloth of Gold Geranium ; the ob- 

 long, two rows of Amaranthus melancholicus ruber in the 

 centre, then one row of Centam-ea candidissima, edged with 

 another row of Amaranthus ; the other ch-cle. Scarlet Gera- 

 nium, edged with Bijou Geranium. 



Still farther on the right are to be seen thi'ee large 

 circles. The first contains Punch Geranium, edged with 

 Geranium peltatum vai'iegatum ; the second. Crimson Unique 

 Geranium, then a white Pelargonium like Pau-est of the Fair, 

 then Punch Geranium, then Pink Geranium, edged with 

 Baron Hugel Geranium; the third, Trentham Eose Gera- 

 nium, then Punch Geranium, edged with Geranium jjeltatum 

 variegatum. On the left are several beds : — A cu-cle filled 

 with Canna indica, the fine foliage waving in the breeze ; 

 another circle of Tritoma uvaria, edged with Nepeta ame- 

 thystina ; an oblong. Geranium Hendersoni, then Chi-istine 

 Geranium, edged with Stella Geranium ; two circles. Bijou 

 Geranium, edged with LobeUa speciosa ; another bed with 

 a lot of Geranium Hendersoni in the centre, then Trentham 

 Eose, then Geranium peltatum vai-iegatum, edged with 

 LobeHa speciosa; an oblong, Stella Geranium, then Com- 

 mander-in-Chief Geranium, edged with Pink Geranium ; 

 two small circles, Madame Vaucher Geranium, edged vrith 

 Little David Geranium. On the right are three circles ; the 

 fii'st, Minnie Geranium, if I recollect rightly, edged with 

 Tx-entham Eose Scarlet Geranium. A large circle filled 

 with Coleus Verschafielti — one of the most ornamental and 

 pictui'esque-leaved plants yet introduced, amongst which it 

 almost stands unrivalled for rich and gorgeous colouring — ■ 

 edged with Centam-ea candidissima, is one of the most mag- 

 nificent beds in the place: the secret of success here is 

 having retained them in pots. The tluid is a circle of 

 Tritoma uvaria, edged with Minnie Geranium. 



We have now ai-rived at the lodge gate on the west side. 

 A short tm-n and you are on a walk leading east by south 

 through a shrubbery vrith a ribbon-border on each side, then 

 across a portion of the lawn, and you enter what we were 

 told is called the Italian garden. On turning to the right, 

 the fii-st bed which presents itself is fUled with Musa Caven- 



dishii, Dracaena purpurea, and D. terminalis, and carpeted 

 with Arctotis repens mth its long silvery branches that lite- 

 rally stick to the ground. The bird's-eye view of the fiowery 

 vista beyond is most attractive. The next bed is an oblong 

 filled with Humea elegans plunged in pots. Beds of Canna 

 indica edged with Statice succeed. The Cannas are highly 

 ornamental, producing a very rich and oriental effect by 

 then- large, broad, massive foliage terminated by racemes 

 of crimson or scarlet variously-lobed fiowers. The other 

 beds consist of Variegated Periwinkle plants (Vinca ele- 

 gantissima) and Yuccas. The circular beds opposite eon- 

 tain Vesta Geranium, edged with Minnie Geranium ; Punch 

 Geranium, edged with Geranium peltatum variegatum; 

 Minnie Gerauiiun, edged with Baron Hugel Geranium. 

 There are in addition beds of Caladiiim giganteum and Ficus 

 elastica. A long serpentine bed gay with yellow Calceo- 

 larias and Cxeraniums ; and beds of Vinca rosea alba and 

 V. rosea oceUata. The Cloth of Gold Geranium is very 

 conspicuous as an edging to some of the beds. 



On the circuit as you approach a portion of the lake the 

 large fi-osted foliage of the Salvia argentea as an edging is 

 also a conspicuous object. Then come acii-cle of Vesta Gera- 

 nium, edged with Mountain of Light Geranium ; two oblongs 

 with Bijou Geranium and edgings of Lobelia speciosa ; then 

 a ch-cle of Golden Chain Geranium, edged -nith Lobelia 

 speciosa ; another circle of Coleus Verschaft'elti, edged with 

 Centaurea candidissima. A crescent-shaped bed on the 

 higher ground in front of the shrabbery filled with Wigandia 

 caracasana is singular for its very lai-ge foliage. An edging 

 of Farfugium graude is also worthy of notice. 



From what has been faintly described it may, perhaps, be 

 inferred that the rare collection of plants bedded out at 

 Battersea Park is not surpassed, if it is equalled, in any other 

 liai-k, pleasiu-e gi-ounds, or flower garden in the kingdom. 



The broad space between the road and the river Thames 

 from Chelsea New Bridge to near Battersea Bridge is partly 

 mai-ked out for improvements ; and to judge from what has 

 been done by Mr. Gibson, we may confidently esiject that 

 such a fine site wiU be converted into a magnificent land- 

 scape scene. W. Keane. 



MASSING OF COLOUES AT LINTOK PARK. 



I AM tempted to add a few words to the praises given in 

 your last Number to the splendid residts of Mr. Eobson's 

 grouping single colours in masses. 



It cannot have escaj^ed the notice of those who have seen 

 Eubens" masterpieces that that great master of colour pro- 

 duced the main tone and effect of his paintings by the very 

 same com-se now taken by Mr. Eobson — a judicious use of 

 his deep blue and deep red. The same effect may be seen, 

 arising from the juxtaposition of two, or at most three, 

 brilliant colom-s without any attempt at shading, in the 

 illuminations with which old missals, &c., are filled, pro- 

 duced by the busy idleness of those comical mediasval verte- 

 brates, the monks. So that the grouping in question arises 

 from the purest taste, as well as being productive of the 

 most artistic results. — H. 



DEYI^T4 E VEELASTING-FLO WEES — 

 GLADIOLUS DISEASE, &c. 



In No. 124 of The Journal op Hobticultuke is an in- 

 quiry how to dry Everlasting-Flowers — apparently a very 

 simple thing, but in fact not so. I have been in the habit 

 of hanging Xerauthemum and Acrocliuium up by the flower- 

 stalk, the flowers downwards ; but find that in doing so the 

 flower when dry is very apt to break off the stalk, being then 

 very brittle. I now cut them off with a sharp knife just 

 before the flowers expand, and then lay them flat on a shelf 

 in the gi-eenhouse, full in the light. This causes them to 

 expand and di-y with the flower in the proper position. 



When tliey are wanted for use I procui-e some wheat 

 straw, 4 or 5 inches long, as may be requii-ed, and insert 

 the flower-stems in them, and then make bouquets in any 

 fasliion desu-able. 



I will add that to do this I collect in the fields and woods 

 handsome Grasses just before they tm-n white or ripe ; these 

 intermixed a little tastily make very handsome ornaments 



