3G2 



JOUENAL OF HOETICDLTUKE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



[ November 12, 186J. 



steps leading np to the conservatory dividing the groups from 

 each other. The beds in both were planted alike. The centre 

 is a group of lobed beds, with two circular beds on each side, 

 and a triangular bed between each pair of circular beds. The 

 central group was filled with a mixture of flowering plants ; the 

 narrow-lobed border, surrounding the group, with Golden Chain 

 Pelargonium. In the two triangular beds the centre was formed 

 by a fine standard plant of Madame Vancher white Pelargonium, 

 and the ground beneath it covered with a scarlet Verbena. In 

 each of the circiilar beds are handsome standard Laurustinuses. 

 Here the straight portion of the walk terminates, and curves 

 gradually towards the south-west, leading to the pleasure 

 grounds and park, and from thence to the kitchen gardens, which 

 are about half a mile distant. On the south side of this walk 

 there is a handsome panel garden, .SoO feet long and 42 feet 

 wide, surrounded by grass. It is about 4 feet below the walk, 

 and a handsome flight of stone steps at each end of the terrace 

 communicates with the garden. There is a sloping bank of 

 grass between the first walk, which is parallel with the mansion, 

 and the panel garden. This portion I shall designate i;. The 

 west end consists of a group of twelve beds. The centre of the 

 group is an oblong bed, the central portion of which was planted 

 ■with Pelargonium Clipper ; then there was a double row of 

 Christine, and at the outside, next the grass, an edging of 

 yellow Calceolaria. There are four corner beds, which were 

 planted to pair crossways, the centre of two of them being filled 

 ■with Pelargonium Flower of the Day ; then there was a band of 

 Lobelia speciosa, with an edging next the grass of Cerastium 

 tomentosum. The other two were planted in a similar manner 

 to those just mentioned, the only difference being the substitu- 

 tion of Pelargonium Bijou for Flower of the Day. There are 

 four circular beds in the intervals between the angle beds. 

 Those on the north and south sides had a standard Pelargo- 

 nium for the centre, with a groundwork of Coleus Yerschaffelti 

 and Centaurea candidissima ; the other two, facing east and 

 west, had for their centres standard Calceolarias, with a car- 

 peting of Iresine Herbstii and Centaurea candidissima. This 

 ■was the first time I had ever seen standard Calceolarias used in 

 any bedding arrangement. They were exceedingly fine plants, 

 each with a clean stem about 3 feet high, and above this a fine 

 head trained to a wire frame, and completely covered with 

 bloom. The vaiiety used is Amplexicaulis, and this mode of 

 training is certainly novel and effective, giving at intervals a 

 pale primrose tint, which is very pleasing, and producing along 

 with the bright colours beneath a beautiful combination, with- 

 out that vulgar appearance too often met with where the 

 common yellow Calceolaria is extensively used with scarlet and 

 other brilliant tints. 



On the east side of this group there are three round beds ; 

 the centre one was filled with Heliotropes trained in tho 

 form of pyramids about 8 feet high, and completely covered 

 with flowers, which diffused a sweet perfume, and helped to 

 tone down the bright dazzling colours of the two large pyramids 

 of scarlet Pelargoniums on each side of it. 



At this point a walk 12 feet 6 inches wide crosses the terrace 

 from north to south, the north end facing the entrance to the 

 conservatory ; and at the east end of the terrace there is another 

 cross walk, of precisely the same width as that at the west end 

 of the terrace, and beyond it another group of beds planted 

 just the same as that last described. Between these two cross 

 ■walks, and directly opposite the principal portion of the man- 

 sion is the finest and most elaborate display in this division. 

 There are three groups of beds, forming a very pleasing and 

 tasteful arrangement even in winter, for the beds composing 

 it are interspersed with evergreen shrubs, which relieve the 

 bright floral display in the summer, and prevent the beds 

 assuming a barren appearance in winter. They may, however, 

 be filled with spring-flowering plants or evergreens, but I forgot 

 to ask Mr. Eutland whether such was the plan adopted or not. 

 In the centre of the middle group, if my memory serves me 

 rightly, is a vase considerably elevated above the level of the 

 ground, and it was filled with Tom Thumb Pelargonium. Round 

 it there are eight beds, with semicircular ends, also planted with 

 Tom Thumb, and between these eight handsome plants of 

 Thuja aurea. On the east and west sides of these beds there 

 are oblong beds, with the siJes facing the central group 

 slightly incurved. The centres of these were filled with a Petunia 

 called Smith's Superb, abeautilul crimson-shadod purple, some- 

 thing like the old Countess of EUesmere. It is one of the 

 finest and most useful in colour I have ever seen, and was con- 

 spicuous among all the other colours which were employed in 

 the arrangement, bright and beautiful though many of them 



were. Surrounding this Petunia, in each bed was a broadband 

 of Mangles's Silver Variegated Pelargonium ; its neat silvery 

 foliage and pink flowers looked very pretty in conjunction with 

 the beautiful crimson purple of the Petunia. 



Directly behind the oblong beds just referred to was a pair 

 of very handsome pyramidal Box trees. Partly embracing 

 these, is a sort of winged scroll on each side of the Petunia 

 beds. The ends of the scroll were filled with Pelargonium 

 Golden Chain, which is still one of the most useful of our 

 bedding Pelargoniums. Eight and left of these scroll beds are 

 round beds, having on each side a somewhat triangular bed 

 slightly incurved on three sides. The round beds had in 

 the centre of each a standard scarlet Pelargonium, with a 

 groundwork of white Verbenas ; and the other four beds were 

 planted as follows : — Centre, Beaton's Silver Nosegay, one of 

 the finest of all the Silver-leaved Pelargoniums, bearing above 

 its foliage a dense mass of violet-shaded rose-coloured flowers, 

 which looked extremely beautiful ; next came a broad band of 

 Lobelia speciosa, then an edging next the grass of Cerastium 

 tomentosum. These four beds, and the two beds with their 

 centres filled with the Petunia mentioned above, I considered 

 the finest of the whole series. Those who do not possess these 

 old but valuable plants should lose no time in procuring them, 

 in order to propagate them for a splendid display next year. 



The next beds are round, having for their centres standard 

 Calceolarias, and the ground carpeted with Purple Iving 

 Verbena. Surrounding each of these is a series of beds, eight 

 in number, having straight ends. In the centre of each 

 ©f these was a standard Calceolaria, the ground covered alter- 

 nately with Verbena Purple King and Tweediana. These had 

 a very pretty effect. Next to the beds last referred to is a 

 pair of circular beds filled with Calceolaria Amplexicaulis pyra- 

 mid-trained. The plants were about 6 feet high, and a perfect 

 mass of bloom. A pair of crescent-shaped beds, incurving 

 towards the pyramids, comes next ; the centre being filled with 

 Pelargonium Stella, with a broad band of Mangles's Silver 

 Variegated next the grass. 



This concludes the principal division, b, and in reading this 

 account, it must be understood, that after describing the two 

 end groups, I commenced in the centre of the main group, ex- 

 tending right and left from the central group of beds to the 

 walks which cross the terrace, dividing the group of beds on 

 each side from the main or central one. 



At the south end of tho cross walks a flight of steps brings 

 us down to another level, and here another broad gravel walk 

 traverses the whole bngth of the division of the garden de- 

 scribed above. This noble walk is 20 feet wide, and 350 feet 

 long. On its south side there is another fine green sloping 

 grass bank, and between the bank and the gravel walk a level 

 margin of grass about 4 feet wide. On this there are planted 

 at intervals of about IS feet, the finest standard Portugal 

 Laurels I have ever seen. To a casual observer, it would 

 appear that the whole of these fine trees were in tubs, standing 

 on square blocks of stone, and I was on the point of asking Mr. 

 Eutland how he managed to keep such large trees luxuriant in 

 tubs BO small, and containing such a small quantity of soil. 

 I began to fancy he had been giving them Standen's Gar- 

 dener's Friend, as it had served him so well with Azaleas and 

 Camellias, but Mr. Eutland said, pointing to the splendid row 

 of trees, " This is one of many of Mr. Kelk's excellent ideas." 

 These trees are planted in the ground, two pieces of stone have 

 been made to fit closely together, a place for the stem of the 

 tree being cut out of the centre of the stones, then an ordinary- 

 looking square Orange tub, about 2 feet C inches square, and 

 about the same in depth, has been fitted round the stem of each 

 of the trees. The stone on which the sides rest forms the 

 bottom. Into these square tubs soil has been filled round the 

 stems to within an inch or two of the top, then on the soil a 

 covering of neat white-looking stones is placed. This finishes 

 Mr. Kelk's system of potting his Portugal Laurels, and every 

 one who has seen this splendid row of trees, will say that Mr. 

 Kelk devised an exceUeut plan of deceiving the eye, and pro- 

 viding for the well-being of the plants. They are in fine health, 

 with beautiful straight stems, and finely-formed beads of bright 

 glossy green foliage, which give a very fine effect to the terrace. 

 On the other side of tho walk, and between the terrace wall, 

 which is very substantially built, there is another margin of 

 grass, about 10 feet wide, on which there is a chain of flower 

 beds (c in plan), which runs parallel with the walk for about 

 125 feet. At each end of the terrace these sections are cut in two 

 by the walks which cross the three levels from north to south,, 

 both leading by a fine flight of steps through the terrace wall 



