Oc/olior 10, 1805. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUHE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



293 



Lpa'lin^' eastward from tlie house is a Kuiik ■walk -winding 

 Hh'oukU llio shrubbery, the aRreeabIn eoohiess of which at once 

 obtained recognition ; near one end is a rustic arbour, circular 

 in form, and embowered in trees, tho panels in the interior 

 decorated with branches of trees laid on moss in such a manner 

 as to show the character and direction of tho si)ray. A pretty 

 idea this, and not only pleasing but instructive also. Iteturn- 

 ing tliroupli tho croquet ground we see to the rit;ht largo masses 

 of Holly, in front of which on a gentle incline is a rilibon- 

 bordcr tilled with the customary gay and effective bedding 

 plants. Here is a terrace wall, against which is trained tlie 

 Gnaphalium lanatum, its silvery foliage contrasting well with 

 tho red bricks ; while grand spiral columus of tho Hnmea olo- 

 gana rise at given distances above the wall. Ascending four 

 steps we aro in the Italian flower garden, which surrounds the 

 house ou the east luul soutli sides. The small patlis are of 

 white spar and gravel, and designs in dwarf Box ab(U\nd. There 

 is a fountain in the centre, and single specimens of Thuja 

 aurea, -1 feet high and as much through, and perfect in colour 

 anil form, Irish Yews, and Irish .Junipers are judiciously in- 

 troduced. There aro also beds of the beautiful Jimiperus 

 tamariscifoUa forming a complete carjiet of silvery-green fo- 

 liage ; these are occasionally watered with manure water. Tlie 

 majority of the beds are tilled with the usual bedding plants, 

 gay enough in their season, but winter is also deprived of its 

 gloom by margins of Ivy, the Box, and other evergreens above 

 mentioned, which retain for the garden a furnished appear- 

 ance when the flowers of summer are departed. Fiptures and 

 ornamental vases sparingly and judiciously introduced aid also 

 in tho attainment of this end. 



From the terrace fronting the house is a wide and extensive 

 view commanding the valley of the Lea, with the Essex hills 

 beyond ; Nether Hall, Nazing church, Epping Forest, and 

 Monldiam's Hill are prominent objects. In the park fronting 

 the house are good specimens of timber trees, the tops only of 

 some visible, owing to the ground falling rapidly at a short 

 distance from the house ; the Codrus deodara, Scotch Pine, 

 and the narrow-leaved English Elm were also conspicuous ; 

 while to the west were groups of various trees, between which 

 the open country beyond, nicely undulated, was distinctly 

 visible. We approach the conservatory, which adjoins tlic 

 mansion, and is built on the ridge-and-furrow principle, the 

 dimensions 50 by 60 feet. The pillars in the interior are 

 covered with various creepers, of whicli the Jasmiuum granili- 

 florum, Passifloras, Fuchsias, Habrothamnus, and Geranium 

 Unique are in full bloom. In the centre, planted out, are mag- 

 nificent specimens of Camellias, some 12 feet high, others 12 feet 

 in diameter, perfect in shape, with leaves black as ink, and 

 plentifully adorned with flower-buds. As the leading prizes for 

 Camellias at tho London spring shows were won by flowers 

 taken from these specim^ens, it may be interesting to know the 

 mode of culture adopted. So soon as the flowering is over 

 the house is kept warm for about two months, and the trees 

 syi'inged freely. During this period the growth is made and 

 flower-buds set ; the plants are also watered freely during the 

 season of growth with water in which sheep-manure is steeped ; 

 they are watered twice only in winter. The flower-buds are 

 thinned out early in autumn, and not more than one bud is ever 

 allowed to a leading shoot. The variety known as Elcgans 

 has produced flowers 8J inches across, and other sorts are 

 proportionally fine. Sundi-y Azaleas, and greenhouse plants, 

 and hanging-baskets — at this season mostly filled with Ferns — 

 are also in the conservatory. There is a vestibule between the 

 di-awing-room and conservatory, and this is furnished with 

 various articles, rare and beautiful. The beds of the conserva- 

 tory are margined with a pretty green moss, and the paths 

 are of white spar. There are, in addition, several plant-houses 

 well contrived and well built. In the stove we obseiTed very 

 fine specimens of Crotou variegata, Cissus discolor, Ixora coc- 

 cinea well set with bloom, Francisceas, Cyanophyllums, and a 

 plant of Cypripedium insigne in fiJl flower. In the rosery 

 many of the autumnal Roses were stUl beaiatifully in bloom. 

 Ten-ace walls, w-hich abound, were covered iiriucipally with 

 Roses, Pyracantha, Cydonia, Forsythia, Ampelopsis. Magnolias, 

 Jasminums, and Weigelas. 



We are now on our way to the pinetum, and passing some 

 beautiful specimens of Gold Hollies on the lawn west of the 

 house, we are confronted by a plant of Picea nobilis glauca, 

 till recently out of health, but restore^l by digging round it, and 

 filhug the trench made with fresh loam and cowdung. Here, 

 also, are fine trees of .Tuniperus chinensis, Pinus pyrenaica, 

 P. excelsa, V. strobus nivea ; Abies Nordmauniana, A. pinsapo 



(20 feet high, a perfect specimen), A. Douglasii o(i fret, A. cc- 

 pbalouica 20 feet ; a huge bush of Taxua adprcssa bearhjg fruit, 

 and smaller plants of Pinus Hartwegii ; the variegated lied Cedar 

 (Juniperus virginiana foliis aureis), and many of the choicest 

 kinds. Passing under a rocky archway we encounter a sunk 

 cave or grotto, built by Mr. Pulham, and which realises the end 

 sought in being doliciously cool. We also sight screens of Ivy, 

 which answer perfectlj-, and an arcade of climbing Roses. 



Although trees anrl flowers form tho greatest attraction of 

 this place, fruit is by no means overlooked. The Cucumber- 

 house, in which the Telegraph Improved is the favourite, is 

 full of fruit, many from 20 to 21 inches long. In the lato 

 vinery only was tliero any fruit, but the early vinery showed 

 signs of liaving done w-ell. Capital Black Hamburghs, both 

 as regards size and colour, and Muscats, and Lady Downe'?, 

 the two latter sorts in pots, w-ere slul in line condition. 

 One Muscat Vine in a pot had borne fourteen bunches ave- 

 raging a pound weight each, and the benies on Lady Dowue's, 

 were like Dam.spns, both in size and colour. There is also a, 

 walled kitchen garden well stocked w-ith the best and most 

 useful fruits, whild tho sides of the walks are planted with 

 pyramidal Pears and Apples. The following Pears wero very 

 line — Beurro. Su]:>erfin, Triomphe cle Jodoigne, Seigneur d'Es- 

 peren. Grand Soliel, Bourru Diel, Bcurru d'Arcmberg, Beurrfi 

 d'Amanlis, Passe Colmar, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Chaumontel, 

 and many others. 



Many objects which wo have missed in this somewhat hasty 

 survey, might form matter of comment, but tliis article is 

 already exceeding the bounds anticipated. Mr. Trussler, who 

 manages the garden, has recently invented a van with glass rooj 

 and heating apparatus for conveying plants to the spring shows, 

 which your readers will, doubtless, hear more of in the future. 

 That such a contrivance was necessary more than one ex- 

 hibitor will, we believe, be ready to testify, for at the spring 

 shows this year many of the plants sent arrived at the shows 

 frozen stiff, and were not only unfit for competition, but re- 

 tm-ned only to he consigned to the rubbish-heap. — W. P. 



rOLEMONIUM CCEP.ULEUM VARIEGATUM 



(Vakteoated Jacob's Ladder). 



Few if any of the native plants of Britain are to be met with 

 in the flower gardens of the present day. Perhaps they do 

 not deserve a place among the gay and select few that aro 

 considered effective enough to play their part in the summer 

 flower gardening now so fashionable. The rage in certain 

 quarters is all the other way, and the natives of more sunny 

 climes are being pressed into out-door service ; but these latter 

 will never become common in the gardens of this country. 

 Two considerations will, of necessity, tell against anything like 

 a popular attempt at turning our stove plants into the open 

 air, even in our finest summers. First, the expense of rearing 

 and wintering them, and above all the very few localities where 

 the climate will allow of them being planted out with any 

 reason.able hope of their remaining respectable, to sa3' nothing 

 of making progress. For this reason the examples being so 

 ably set to us of planting tropical plants out-doors is not at all 

 likely to benefit the millions, especially of Scotland. If we are 

 to have any new blood introduced into the present parterre 

 system of planting in the shape of new materials, they must 

 be hardy enough to at least look respectable diu-ing siunmer 

 and autximn, to do without stove heat in winter, aftd if hardy 

 enough, to cope with our frosts improteeted all the better. 



The subject named above cannot be charged with tenderness. 

 In this respect it is a thorough Briton ; and in point of appear- 

 ance all summer and autumn it has a grace and beauty all its 

 own. Almost every gardener must be acquainted with the 

 common form of Jacob's Ladder, and this is a variegated va- 

 riety of it with much more white or cream colour in its com- 

 position than green. I have had it here for several years, and 

 it has grown in favour verj' much, and has this year been used 

 as single plants in blue groundwork and as an edging to beds ; 

 and few bedding plants have pleased so much. Some amateurs 

 have exclaimed, on first seeing it, " Oh ! what a pretty Fern ! " 

 and it has all the appearance and much of the grace of some 

 of the Fern ti-ibe about it, its leaves being pinnate. It lasts in 

 full beauty the whole summer and autumn, and shows no dis- 

 position to flower. 



Some years ago I directed attention to the Centanrea ragu- 

 sina as a bedding plant, and the patronage it has met with has 



