296 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ October 10, 1865. 



■with a good band of Cerastium Biebersteiuii between it and 

 the gi'ass. Although I have in a previous article condemned 

 the Iresine, I am now compelled to retract my words, and to 

 assign the cause of its being condemned to the want of knowing 

 how to manage it properly. Many valuable plants are lost by 

 a too hasty judgment being pronounced upon them before they 

 have been subjected to various kinds of treatment. For the 

 last six weeks this has been by far the most beautiful bed in 

 the flower garden ; it presents such a beautiful outline to the 

 eye. There is not that flat appearance which the Amarauthus 

 presents, and the colour is magnificent — far surpassing the 

 Amaranthus either for distant effect or close inspection. What 

 the plant appears to want is more moistuiethan it has received 

 from natural som-ces this season. The soil it likes is also 

 very rich, and it requires a more shady position than I have 

 seen accorded to it at many places this season. If grown 

 under these conditions I have little doubt but that it will yet 

 become a favourite in our gardens. Then, again, the nature 

 of the plant was almost worked out of it by frequent decapi- 

 tation in the spring. I have proved in many other instances 

 that very few new plants are so good the first year they are 

 Bent out as they are the second ; it takes them a long time to 

 regain their proper strength and character after being subjected 

 to the high-pressm-e system of propagation. From what I can 

 Bee of the Iresine now, I think that in a more wet and humid 

 season it will far sm-pass the Coleus, so that it will be worth 

 while to keep a sufficient stock of it to give it a fair tri^l next 

 year. 



To the right of this is a bed of one of my new seedling 

 Verbenas edged with Viola cornuta. The Verbena is a bright 

 cerise or cherry in colour, and the Viola is a rich slate blue, 

 or mauve. This bed has been surpassingly beautiful ever since 

 the first week in July. The Viola still keeps its place in my 

 estimation as one of the most chaste and beautiful plants for 

 flower-garden decoration I have ever seen. It will be equally 

 valuable for spring bedding as it is for the summer. It com- 

 mences blooming, if the weather is not too severe, in March, 

 and continues without any intennission till it is completely 

 cut down to the ground by the frost in autumn. No doubt 

 some valuable hybrids will be obtained by crossing this with 

 some of the garden varieties. I shall turn my attention to 

 this in the spring, if I am spared, and have httle doubt that I 

 shall be able to produce other colours in this Viola, with the 

 .same habit and constitution ; and if this can be done it will be 

 a gi'eat addition to our plants suitable for bedding-purposes. 

 I hear that Mr. Tyerman, of the Liverpool Botanic Gardens, 

 has a beautiful blue Viola called montana. This I think 

 cannot be the same as mine, as his is described as blue. I 

 shall, however, send him a bloom of mine to see if they are 

 identical : if they are not, then we have two great acquisitions 

 in the way of bedding plants suitable for spring, summer, and 

 autumn decoration. 



The next bed a little to the left of the Verbena and Viola, 

 has its centre filled with Verbena Velvet Cushion, and a margin 

 of Mangles's Variegated Geranium. This bed has been very 

 much admired ; it is now (October 7th), a blaze of floral beauty. 

 Another large bed a Uttle to the right of this has a centre of 

 Beaton's Stella Geranium, with a wide row on each side of it 

 of Lobelia speciosa ; around this is a row of Lady Plymouth 

 Geranium ; and between this and the grass. Claret Queen Ver- 

 bena. This has had a very fine effect. The opposite bed to 

 this is filled with Amaranthus melancholicus ruber, with an 

 edging of Viola cornuta. This bed has been, and is still, re- 

 markably fine. The I'ich colour of the Amaranthus is so much 

 toned down by the soft and pleasing colour of the Viola, that it 

 has attracted .aU eyes to it immediately on entering the garden. 

 The effect when seen at a distance is grand in the extreme. 

 A large circle near the two last-mentioned beds has a centre of 

 Geranium Christine, then 2 feet of Verbena Purple King around 

 this, and a margin of Geranium Golden Fleece, 1 foot wide, 

 next the grass. This bed has also been very good. 



Behind the bed last described is a large circular bed raised 

 on blocks of wood similar to that at the top of the ribbon- 

 borders. A fine specimen plant of Humea elegans forms the 

 centre. On the lower tier of blocks are six large Humeas, then 

 the whole of the space between the Humeas is filled with Gera- 

 nium Boide de Feu. There is also a thick row of Boule de Feu 

 planted all round the outside of the wooden blocks next the 

 gi-ass, so that no wood is seen. This forms a perfect pyramid 

 of scarlet, which is much reheved by the Humeas, and it has 

 altogether a very imposing effect. It is placed just opposite 

 the mouth of the tunnel leading to the pleasure gi-ounds and 



pinetum. As you come up from the pleasure grounds it stands 

 just in front, and prevents the eye from catching the whole of 

 the flower garden at once ; and w'hen seen from the opposite 

 side of the garden it forms a nice centre or cuhniuating-poinf; 

 to the whole arrangement of beds in the garden, which is laid 

 out after no particular form, the beds being all irregular. This 

 being the case, it is a very difficult matter to arrange the colours 

 in the beds so that they may harmonise well as a whole. 



Eight and left of this pyramid are two large beds filled with 

 Gladioli. Amongst these are planted Canua chscolor, C.Warsc- 

 zewiczii, some of the Caladiums, and Cyperus alternifohus. 

 This is the first time I have tried the Cyperus bedded out. It 

 grows remarkably well. I have no doubt that the variegated 

 form of this would grow equally well if planted in a warm and 

 partially shaded place. This, by-the-by, is one of the most 

 beautiful things for effect in a bouquet that I have ever used, 

 if one spike is puit in the centre and about three smaller ones 

 around it ; they should be so arranged in the bouquet that they 

 may appear a little above the flowers, this gives the whole a very 

 graceful appearance, and relieves the monotony of the colours 

 very much. It also does away with that flat appearance too 

 often seen in bouquets. 



The ground between the Gladioli, Cannas, &c., is covered with 

 mixed oolom-s of Verbenas, and near the edge plants of Ama- 

 ranthus melancholicus ruber, LobehaPaxtoniana, &c. Behind 

 those beds are several more large plants of Humea elegans, 

 which, as seen in the distance, give a very nice finish to the 

 GladioU, Cannas, &c. Beyond this are raised banks planted 

 with HoDyhoeks, Dahhas, Phloxes, and miscellaneous bedding 

 plants. 



Another bed of one of my best Verbenas of last year. Lady 

 Binning, edged with Lobelia Paxtnniana, has been very fine. 

 This is one of the very best scarlet Verbenas in cultivation, the 

 colour is very brilliant, and the habit all that could be wished. 

 This bed has been so dazzling that it has been almost im- 

 possible to look on it for any length of time, especially when 

 the sun is shining on it. This Verbena stands the weather 

 well, and is altogether a very desirable variety. Besides the 

 beds described above there are many others filled with Stocks 

 and Mignonette, and various other bedding plants. I have only 

 selected the above as being the most striking and containing 

 many novelties which are not yet generally known. 



There is a long terrace walk leading from the Hall to the 

 flower and kitchen gardens. On each side of this are a number 

 of beds, 2 feet square, cut out on the grass. These are filled 

 with standard Roses, large specimen Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, 

 and at intervals of about 30 feet a pair of large plants of 

 Humea elegans ; around these are placed plants of Iresine 

 Herbetii and (ieranium Golden Fleece, the gi'ound about the 

 Eoses being covered with various coloured Verbenas, and the 

 best varieties of Tropteolums. This arrangement has been 

 very much aihnired. Amongst the Fuchsias Carter's Meteor 

 has been very conspicuous, appearing in the distance a perfect 

 piUar of gold. 



Time will not permit me to describe my own trial garden. 

 This, with the novelties it contained, must be left for another 

 occasion. I must leave the description of the general character 

 of this fine old place to more able hands, and must soon resign 

 its management, and bid farewell to aU its associations, with 

 the proud feeUng that I have done all in my power to raise it 

 from utter ruin to its present improved state. — J. Wills. 



CLOTH OP GOLD GERANIUM. 



There must be something materially wrong with the soil in 

 which Mr. Flitton's Cloth of Gold Geraniums are gi-owiug, as he 

 says his plants have all the requisite shelter, &c. I may state, 

 for his information as well as " B. F.'s," that I have fom- beds 

 of Cloth of Gold and Amaranthus melanchohcus ruber planted 

 plant for plant, and edged with Lobelia speciosa, and I can 

 assure Mr. FUtton and others that no beds up to September 

 have succeeded better than these. When they were being 

 planted many shook then- heads, and I confess my own 

 hopes were not very sanguine on the matter, knowing that 

 they would have to withstand the bitter east winds off the sea, 

 from which they are separated about 200 yards. These beds 

 are so beautiful and the contrast so fine that I intend planting 

 them on a large scale next season. I shall also prepare the 

 soil by improving its texture, something in the way that Mr. 

 Pearson describes. 



By the way, it is not every gardener that can do as Mr 



