8 



JOUBNAL OP HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEH. 



[ July 2, 1868. 



ceolaria Aurea floribunda was a failure in some degree, though 

 not to the same extent as at eome places, Lintou for one. 

 The blanks left by plants partly dying off, or at all events 

 ceasing tlooming long before they ought to have done, led Mr. 

 Skinner, the very able and intelligent gardener here, to threaten 

 to do away with if, as another variety of taller growth seemed 

 not to be so affected. Among Verbenas Purple King and 

 Crimson King were the greatest favourites; while a seedling 

 Petunia, or, rather, plants propagated from a seedling of a 

 former year, seemed to have prospered better than this plant 

 usually does in most places. 



A large flower bed in another place now caught my eye, and 

 I left this interesting group and proceeded to the new attrac- 

 tion. I found that it was a circle placed so as to be well seen 

 from an important window facing the north, which, notwith- 

 standing what may be said about looking out in that direction, 



is certainly the very best point to view flowers from ; for as 

 many of them open to the south only, the brightness they present 

 on that side contrasts strongly with the appearance which they 

 have when viewed in the contrary direction. Of course the 

 bed was far enough from the house not to be shaded by it, and 

 the flowering was all that could be desired. This bed, repre- 

 sented in the accompanying figure, is 4.j feet in diameter, and 

 is annually planted with bedding plants arranged to form a 

 pattern, of which that now given is perhaps not the best ex- 

 ample, as it is altered each year ; a fresh disposition of 

 plants for winter ornament is likewise made. The bed is 

 placed on the lawn, trees and shrubs being at no great distance 

 from it ; but it is not bounded by any walks. Its appearance 

 from above must be like a piece of rich embroidery, and with 

 the exception of the Calceolaria the plants seemed to have all 

 done well. 



FLOWEK BED AT EAST SUTTON PLACE. 



a. Pelargrinium Stella, edged with a tall yellow Calceolaria called Visco- 

 sissima. and in the centre of all a group of Humea elegans, 



2. Verbena Purple King In eight compartments, edged with the same 



Calceolaria ns that used in No. 1. 



3. Pelargonium Shottlsham Pet, silver-edged, forming the groundwork. 



As will be seen by the above, the varieties of plants used 

 were not numerous ; nor is it advisable that they should be so, 

 as the most pleasing results are often obtained by a judicious 

 selection of the most simple colours. In the present arrange- 

 ment I believe an outer edging of Golden Chain was contem- 

 plated, but abandoned for want of sufficient plants, and it is 



4. Calceolaria Anrca (lol'ibuuda in a single line or ring, separating the 



centre from the ■ 'iter band. 



5. Verhena Crimson ! r.g in thirty-two circles, each edged with Ceras- 



tium. Lobelin Lieniosa forms the groundwork on both sides, as 

 well as an edgiL,^ next the turf. 



questionable whether it would have been any improvement. The 

 single line of Calceolaria Aurea floribunda (4), after flowering 

 well in the early part of the season, died off very much, and 

 thus in some degree injured a design which, as those who have 

 such things know, is rarely perfect in all its parts ; but, taken 

 as a whole, the bed may be regarded as a great success, the 



