448 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUrjE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ November 28, 1865. 



No. 6. 8. In tlie one, Geranium Gleiidinning's Scarlet, a some- 

 what BtroDg grower, edged with Ageratum in two 

 rows ; and in the other Geranium Vivid, also scarlet, 

 edged iu the same way. 



7. Geranium Bijou, silver edged, in the centre ; a hand 



of five rows of Lobelia and Gazania mixed, with 

 a margin of Golden Chain, and a specimen plant 

 of Ceutaurea at every 8 feet iu the line. 



8. Calceolaria Aurantia multiflora, edged with PerUla. 



9. Geranium Christine in the centre, with an edging of 



three rows of Verbena Charlwoodii. 



10. Verbena Purple King in the centre, edged with two 



rows of Geraniimi Flower of Spring, a silver-edged 

 variety. 



11. Geranium Stella in the centre, with one row of Gera- 



nium Flower of Spring, and a row of Lobelia speciosa 

 and Gazania mixed next the Box edging. 



12. Geranium Stella in the centre, with two rows of Gera- 



niiim Madame Vaucher next the Box edging. 

 12a.Geraninm Tom Thumb in the centi-e, with three rows 

 of Variegated Alyssum as an edging. 



13. Verbena Crimson King in the centre, then two rows of 



Variegated Alyssum, and one row of dark-leaved 

 Oxalis next the Box edging. 

 ISa.Verbena crimson seedhug, the same as the above, with 

 two rows of variegated Polemonium, instead of 

 Alyssum, and one row of dark Oxalis. 



14. Centaurea ragusina in the centre, then a line of Lobelia 



speciosa, and an edging of Geranium Cloth of Gold. 



15. Geranium Trentham Rose in the centre, with two rows 



of Purple King Verbena as an edging. 



16. Calceolaria Aurantia multiflora, edged with PerUla. 



17. Geranium Flower of Spring in the centre, with five 



rows of LobeUa and Gazania mixed around it, and 

 an outer edging of Golden Chain Geranium. 



18. Lobelia, a good blue seedling, speckled with Gazania, and 



an edging of Cerastium. 



19. Border nest boundary wall, which, beginning at the Box- 



edging, was planted thus : — 



1st line. — Arabis lucida aiu'eo-variegata. 



2ud, 3rd, 4th, and 5th lines. — Lobelia, a pale blue variety, 

 forming a broad mass, having single specimen plants 

 of Centaurea at 8 feet apart. 



6th line. — Geranium Mrs. Pollock ; and in the same line 

 Irish Yews are placed at 24 feet apart. 



7th line. — Geranium Little David (scarlet). 



8th line. — Geranium Christine, alternately with silver- 

 edged Geranium Flower of Spring. 



9th line. — Geraniums Vivid and Madame Chardine al- 

 ternately ", both strong growers. 

 10th hue. — Tritoma uvaria in fine flower. 



The southern boundary to this garden is a fine Beech hedge, 

 clipped as closely and as truly as a wall could be built. At the 

 east end are the remains of the old Castle ; the sloping turf forms 

 a good finish to the garden in this direction, and from the ele- 

 vated position of the building the flower-beds have a magnificent 

 appearance. The view in the opposite direction commands an 

 extensive range of well-cultivated country, of the rocky mound of 

 Berwick Law, some 110 feet high, and beyond that of the Bass 

 Eock about the same elevation, while all the intervening country 

 is level, and s mi ling with the most productive crops of grain. 

 Looking westward the view is over an equally fertile district 

 extending to the hills which encircle the Scottish metropolis ; 

 southward the Lammermuir hUls may be seen in the distance ; 

 while northward the broad estuary of the Forth, and the oppo- 

 site coast of Fife, form the most imposing features. Leaving to 

 antiquarians the task of describing the Castle and its history, 

 and making our way to the entrance, let us describe the flower 

 garden, on tm-f, on the west side. This garden has the ad- 

 vantage of being more regular in outline than that just de- 

 scribed, and presents a more pleasing aspect on paper. It is 

 also surrounded by features defining it clearly from other 

 objects, and, as will be seen, its anangements ai'e purely geo- 

 metrical. Beginning with the flower-beds as numbered on the 

 plan, they are planted as follows ; — 



21. Geranium Sutton's Perfection, edged with Geranium 



Madame Chardine. 



22, 23. Geraniimx Bijou, edged with blue Lobelia speciosa. 



24. Calceolaria canariensis, edged with Lobelia speciosa. 



25. Geranium Little David, edged with Golden Chain. 



26. Same as No. 25. 



27. Verbena Purple King, edged with Geranium Flower of 



Spring. 

 "29, 29. Calceolaria canariensis, edged with blue LobeUa. 



30. Intersected with a line of Centaurea ragusina, and right 



and left of this a line of Geranium Christine ; the 

 remainder is filled in with Scarlet Geraniums. 



31. Same as Nos. 25 and 26. 



32. Same as No. 27. 



33. Same as Nos. 25, 26, and 31. 



34. Same as No. 24. 



35. 36. Geranium Queen of ^Queens, edged with LobeUa. 

 37. Same as No. 21. 



A. A. Two vases in a recess of evergreens, with a seat be- 

 tween them. 



D, D. Araucaria imbricata, each 30 feet high. 



E, E. Cupressus Lawsoniana. 

 P, F. Irish Yews. 



G, G. Cedrus deodara. 



H, H. Araucaria imbricata. 



I, I. Irish Yews. 



The oblong gardens above described both abut on a wilder- 

 ness or shrubbery adjoining the Beech hedge. This wilderness 

 is intersected by walks curving in various directions ; but there 

 is an open space partly suiTounded by a piece of old Yew hedge, 

 where a bowling-green is formed, and no better place could be 

 found for it. The remainder of the ground is more or less 

 covered with trees and shrubs, with a fair sprinkling of Ferns, 

 nmning up to the base of the old castle. Some aged Yews 

 must have seen several generations of the human family pass 

 away since they erected then- sombre heads ; nevertheless, they 

 were probably planted subsequent to the troublesome times 

 when such fortified dwellings were necessary. I find, however, 

 that I must take leave of Dirleton, and again casting a wonder- 

 ing look at the many-coloured parten-e on the north side, I 

 leave this enchanting spot. I made, however, notes of a few 

 plants, which Mr. Thomson grows most successfully, and of 

 those of which he has a greater stock than most people, and 

 these notes I now offer. 



Ccntam-ea rartmina. — Leaving it to botanists to decide 

 whether the sj:\eeific name above given, or candidissima, is 

 the right one, there seems no doubt but they are both the 

 same. The plant seems to thrive remarkably well here, and 

 whole Unes of it are uniform in shape, and the leaves are free 

 from that curUng-up and dying to which they are subject in so 

 many places. It is one of the greatest acquisitions to the 

 garden, and by its convenient habit suits any combination of 

 plants. 



Polemonium cceruleum iHirleyatmn. — This plant, as Mr. Thom- 

 son has elsewhere described, resembles a Fern, its fine pin- 

 nated leaves gi-acefuUy falling over each other ; and each being 

 tipped with a broad margin of white, occiipying fully two-thirds 

 of the leaf, it has a neat and handsome appearance. In habit 

 it wiU assort with Lobelias and plants of similar growth, and 

 Mr. Thomson states that it rarely runs to seed. The UabOity 

 to do this is a great defect with Cineraria maritima and some 

 other ornameutal-foliaged plants. It cannot faU to be popular 

 wherever it is kno'.vn. 



Arabis lucida varicgata. — Seems to thrive remarkably weU 

 with Mr. Thomson. Its clear green leaves are margined with 

 a broad band of yellow, occupying fully two-thirds of the sur- 

 face. The plant, as is weU known, is very dwarf, perhaps more 

 so than Arabis caucasica variegata, which seems to elongate 

 more into stalk, and its foliage is very (Ufferent, and tipped 

 with a creamy white instead of the yellow of A. lucida. It is 

 somewhat remarkable that the latter will not thrive with me, 

 although the other has done so for a dozen years or more. Mr. 

 Thomscn thinks Ai-abis lucida variegata as graceful as the 

 golden Geraniums, which it resembles in colour. 



Tritoma nvaria. — Masses of this as healthy and vigorous as 

 Sedges by the side of a swamp, and sending up flower-spikes 

 5 feet and upwards in height, with plenty in succession, were 

 to be met with in great abundance. Mr. Thomson also has the 

 improved variety, for it can harcUy be called a distinct species, 

 but considers that the old one is the more abimdant bloomer; 

 as a backing to some of the borders this plant looked very fine. 



Geranium Queen of Queens. — A silver-edged variety, with the 

 marking very clear and good ; its habit was more spreading 

 than Bijou. 



Verbena Crimson King. — A fit companion to Purple King, re- 

 sembUng that popular variety in all its featmes, excepting in 

 the colour, which, as the name impUes, is a bright crimson, 



