September 26, 1805. ] 



JOURNAL OF IIORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



247 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



THE RIBBON-BORDERS AND BEDDING-OUT 

 AT OULTON PARK. 



HE kitchen gardens here arc 

 in extent ahout four acres, 

 inside the walls, and they 

 are nicely sheltered from 

 the east and west muds Ijy 

 large trees in the park. The 

 principal approach to them from the hall is through the 

 arhoretum and flower garden ; they are very pleasantly 

 situated, sloping gently to the south. A main walk passes 

 through them from north to south, and they are divided in 

 the centre by the Peach-wall, famed in years gone by for 

 its line Peach trees, none of which now remain, for they 

 were lolled by the severe fi-ost of 1800-01. This wall 

 nins straight across the centre of the gardens from east to 

 west. 



On the north side of the gardens are tlie forcing-houses, 

 vineries, Peach-houses, &c., and on each side of the walk 

 leailing fi'om tlie flower gardens to the ^dneries, is a 

 border 10 feet wide ; these borders, when I came to Oulton 

 five years ago, were filled with old Apple trees, many of 

 them in the last stage of decay ; beneath the Apple trees 

 the borders were in summer tilled -v^-ith annuals, a few 

 Geraniums, &c. I at once asked to be allowed to clear 

 all the old trees away. This was done ; then about .10 feet 

 of the old Peach-wall was brouglit very abruptly into view. 

 There being only a narrow doorway through this waU lead- 

 ing into the upper gardens, I at once suggested the clearing 

 away of tliis portion of the Peach-waU, so that the luie of 

 ^'ision shoidd not be interrupted. Tlds was after a little 

 while agreed upon, the breach in the wall was made to the 

 desu-ed width, and a nice pillar was built on each side to 

 lude the ends of the wall as much as possible. A splendid 

 position for ribbon -borders was thus opened out, with a fine 

 backgi'ouud of trees beyond. 



Wicn we had cleared the centre wall away another diffi- 

 culty presented itseK — the portion of the nortli-boimdary 

 wall tlu-ough which there is a doorway leading into the 

 frammg gi-ound became very unsightly ; tins difficulty was 

 overcome by raising a large mound immediately in front of 

 the walk. This was done by diivmg a lot of oak stumps 

 into the ground, one tier above another ; there in the 

 summer time are planted Humea elegans and large Scarlet 

 Geraniiuus, and evergreens in the winter. Tliis completely 

 hides tlds portion of the wall ; that on tlie right and left is 

 covered ^Wth the lean-to vineries and foreing-liouses, and 

 the mound is a beautiful object when seen from the bottom 

 of the walk, wliich is 140 yards long. The wall is com- 

 pletely hidden, and the graceful Humeas waging gently in 

 the breeze, give it a very eharmmg appearance. The eli'ect 

 of this mound is very much unproved by two or tlu'ee 

 No. 23;.— Vol. IX., New Sebtes, 



gi-oups of Humeas, which arc placed iu the centre of the 

 ribbon -borders right and left of the walk, as you pass 

 through between the Peacli-wall ; these are backed up by 

 Dahlias, and in the front close to tlie edge of the walk 

 are placed some Fuchsias. The Humeas, Dahlias, and 

 Fuchsias, are planted alternately, the ribljon ro\vs covering 

 the groimd beneath (hem. This portion of the borders is 

 planted as follows : — 1st row, next the gravel- walk, !) inches 

 vdde, Cerastium tomentosum : 2nd row. Lobelia speciosa, 

 dotted at inteiwals i\ith Geranium (iolden Fleece, tlien 

 comes a mass of Verbena Maonetti, Princess Victoria, 

 4 feet ^\'ide, this is backed by a liand of Geranium Bijou, 

 If-i inches ivide. This arrangement forms the centre of the 

 border, it is planted just alike on each side of the walk ; 

 the mass of the little'Verbena, as seen coming from either 

 up or do-svii the garden, has had a cliarming eft'ect, it has 

 been the admiration of all who have seen it. It is in 

 coloiu- a beautiful violet-shaded magenta. It is a hybrid 

 I obtained last year by crossing the little Maonetti, Im- 

 peratrice Elizabetli, with Velvet Cusjliion. Tliis variety 

 has obtained during the past summer the higliest award the 

 Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultiu'al Society could 

 give it. I have little doubt but that it \\ill become one of 

 the greatest favoiuites amongst the novelties for bedtling- 

 piu'poses next year. The flowers are of mucli larger size 

 than tliose of the Maonetti section. The liabit is all tliat 

 could be wished, and the gi-oimd is covered with its beauti- 

 ful trusses of brilliant flowers from a very early period in 

 the smumer till the frost comes in October. It can be kept 

 iu cold pits m perfect health all through the whiter months. 

 It strikes very fi'eely, and is altogether one of the most 

 chaste and beautiful plants for flower garden decoration I 

 have ever seen. Avery large plat of Dahlias, witli the gi'ound 

 between them covered with it, has a very charming ap- 

 pearance. Mr. Gibson wUl, no doubt, turn tliis to great 

 advantage, by planting it amongst his fine-foliaged plants 

 at Battersea Park, wiien he becomes aware of its adapta- 

 bility for that purpose. 



Having described wdiat is planted on the mound at the 

 top of the ribbon-borders, also the arrangement of the 

 centre, I will now^ proceed to describe the principal borders 

 north and south of the Peach -wall, or centre of the gardens-. 

 Hitherto, I have each year planted the borders on each side 

 of the walk aUke, but this season for the sake of more 

 variety I have planted each border dift'erently. 



On enteruig the kitclien garden from the flower garden 

 or south side, the right-Iiand border is planted as follows, 

 lieguming from the gravel: — 1, Cerastium tomentosum.^ 

 ■2, Lobeha speciosa, dotted at every 4 feet with a plant of 

 Geranium Golden Fleece. S, Verbena Maonetti Princess 

 Victoria. 4, Verbena Pm-ple King, dotted at the same dis- 

 tance m the row-s as the LobeUa with Geranium Christine. 

 Care was taken in planting to have the Geraniums planted 

 alternately, .-^o that each plant of Golden Fleece should 

 form a triangle with two plants of Christine. !S. Geranium 

 Flower of the Day. 6, Calceolaria Gaines's Yellow (tliis I 

 find one of the best for standing all weathers'). 7, Gcra- 

 niimi Boule de Feu. 8. Piu-ple Zelinda DahHn. 0, and 

 last, a narrow row of Calceolaria Amplcxicaulis. This 

 No. 857.— Vol. XXXIV., Old Series. 



