Juno 1, 1870 1 



JOURNAL OP HORTIOULTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



429 



fore, that euoh trying times afford instruotive lessons of much 

 practical value. My deduotions from the pasfling season may 

 thus be embodied — 



1. A south-west aspect is the best for Peaoh and Nectarine 

 trees on open walls. 



2. Coping-boards, valuable at all seasons of the year, are 

 especially so in spring to protect the blossoms, almost invari- 

 ably ensuring a good crop of fruit. 



3. Exposed angles or any position at all liable to cold 

 draughts from the north-east should bo avoided, and trees in 

 Buoh positions should have shelter afforded them. 



4. Plenty of clean water and painstaking are the best anti- 

 dotes for the attacks of insects. 



5. In a cold spring defer removing any young growth or 

 blistered foliage as long as possible, in order to afford the 

 healthy growth the benefit of its shelter. 



0. When the young growth is thinned let it be done thoroughly, 

 retaining enough stout shoots for the following season, and 

 no more. 



7. Avoid overcropping. — Edwaed Luchidrst. 



BELVOIE CASTLE.— No. 2. 



THE SEAT OP THE DUKE OF RUTLAND. 

 Rescming my notes on the spring gardening I must reluct- 

 antly quit the Duchess's garden, and passing under an arbour 

 formed of strong oak posts, where Mr. Ingram intends planting 

 a collection of choice climbers, we come to the old terraces. 

 Here we have on all sides another fairy scene — a dazzling 

 blaze of floral grandeur which I cannot find words to pourtray. 

 There are three terraces about 2 feet above each other planted 

 in ribbon lines in the order they are named. The first terrace 

 had rows of Arabis, Aubrietia, Primroses, Erica carnea, and 

 Daisy aucubajfolia. The second terrace, beginning at the back 

 row, with Saxifraga cordifolia, Alyssum saxatile compaotum, 

 Tulips, Aubrietia, red and white Daisy, and blue Pansy. The 

 third had for the back row Alyssum saxatile compactum, 

 Variegated Thyme, Arabis, red Daisies, and dark Pansy. Turn- 

 ing to the right on the opposite side the walk was another 

 group of beds, which I cannot leave without a passing remark. 

 They are on a sloping bank, and are like beautiful pictures set 

 in a framework of living green. The first bed was Russian 

 Violet, just over; the second bed, groundwork of Saxifraga, 

 with rings of red, white, and blue Hyacinths in distinct colours, 

 and an edging of Sedum glauoum and Sedum acre aurenm ; 

 the third bed had a white-flowered Erica in the centre, 

 encircled with Arabis albida variegata, next Myosotis dissiti- 

 flora, and a margin of Lamium maculatum aureum ; the fourth 

 bed was mixed Hyacinths, dwarf Wallflowers and Talips, with 

 a raised edging of Echevtria secunda glaaca, which had stood 

 oat all the winter. But the most effective bed in this group was 

 in the form of a star, and was really the most happy arrange- 

 ment of colours I ever saw. The blending of the variegated 

 Daisies, creamy Primroses, Aubrietias, Arabis, Ac, produced a 

 charming effect. The mixed bed is not the least effective 

 feature of the spring garden. It is also the experimental bed 

 for proving recent introductions. In this bed I noticed a large 

 assemblage of plants put out for tiial, intermixed with a few 

 old tried friends. The following appeared worthy of note, and 

 may give an idea of what the mixed beds contain ; — Myosotis 

 dissitiflora, Seilla siberica and bifolia, Wallflower very dwarf 

 (Ware's strain), dwarf Heaths, Anemones of sorts, Hepatica 

 angulosa and other sorts ; Epimedium, a plant of slender 

 foliage and Orchid-like flowers, but too fugitive for general 

 massing ; Pansy, yellow and blue ; Alyssum saxatile compao- 

 tum; Cardamine; Polygala Chamosbuxus, a dwarf hardy shrub 

 that blooms very early, and grows about C or 9 inches high ; 

 Orobus vernus, double Primroses of sorts, and Aubrietia 

 (Ingram's strain). The last bed in this group was planted 

 with seedling Oxhps, a very choice strain, edged with Eaonymus 

 radicans variegata. 



We now ascend a flight of rugged 8tep3, and reach the rocky 

 heights above. There is no small degree of skill observable in 

 the formation of this rocky garden. Every stone lies on its 

 natural bed, and appears in its natural place. There is a great 

 degree of naturalness and artistic excellence displayed, yet at 

 the same time the usual rock-bnilders' trick is avoided ol piling- 

 np bare stones merely for the sake of a rugged surface. It 

 presents quite a ruinous appearance with the rough parts of 

 the stones fully exposed, but with plenty of space left for the 

 nil development of the individual plants. It is well known 

 bat Mr. Ingram possesses considerable knowledge as a geolo- 



gist, and this he has brought into exercise in the formation of 

 this grand piece of rookery. The groat object aimed at has 

 been to imitate the bold and natural cliffs which abound on 

 every hand. The rockwork at Belvoir I consider the most 

 perfect imitation of natural rock that can be found, and as the 

 stones year by year become more coloured by the weather it 

 may be mistaken for natural rock. Here every plant was at 

 home, and blooming in great profusion. There were large 

 healthy clamps of Uentiana verna, which formed a striking 

 contrast with the brilliant Doronioum anstriaonm ; broad 

 patches of Aubrietia, in proximity to a fine variety of Lunaria. 

 Cyclamens also appeared to find a genial home, and Primula 

 cortnsoides amosna was throwing-up numerous flower stalks, 

 and would soon be all aglow with its charming flowers. There 

 were also clumps of Heaths, Variegated Thyme, Myosotis dis- 

 sitiflora, Lithospermum prostratum, and Sedums and Saxi- 

 fragas in great profusion. On every inch of space and in every 

 niche and crevice there is some object of interest worthy of 

 observation. On the lower side of the main walk was another 

 large rookery, and indeed the natural formation of the ground 

 favours this style of gardening. Mr. Ingram has taken advan- 

 tage of the position, and has appropriated it to the most orna- 

 mental of purposes. The plants that draped this rockery were 

 much the same as those noted above. 



Near the rockery were several other groups of beds, all 

 beautiful in their arrangement. The first bad in the centre 

 Saxifraga crassifolia and White Hyacinths, next a belt of 

 scarlet Tulips, with another of Oxlips, then a broad band of 

 pink Aubrietia, this again encircled with red Daisies, and an 

 outside margin of Gentiana verna. A very striking bed was 

 carpeted with Sedum acre aureum dotted with Erica carnea 

 and yellow Tulips, with Heuchera lucida for an edging. The 

 last combination I shall mention was Rhododendron ferrugi- 

 neum and Saxifraga crassifolia, interspersed with yellow Daffo- 

 dils and edged with Euonymus radicans variegata. The Rho- 

 dodendrons many of them had pushed into bloom with the 

 fine weather that occurred the first week in April, though the 

 heavy fall of snow had marred the early flowers ; but the unex- 

 panded buds were just ready to open, and not only herbaceous 

 and alpine plants, but also the Rhododendrons appeared to 

 rise superior to climatic disadvantages. In warm and cosy 

 nooks clumps of Camellias were planted, and large bushes 

 that had stood the storms of a dozen winters were pictures of 

 health and beauty. 



I had only time to take a hasty run through the kitchen 

 gardens and take a rapid glance at Mr. Ingram's extensive 

 reserve grounds for his spring bedding plants. These gardens 

 are approached from the Castle by a broad walk passing through 

 a wood of remarkably fine trees. The entrance gates, of which 

 there are three, have fine supporting piers, and are spanned 

 by Gothic arches of noble dimensions. The garden contains 

 within the walls eight acres, and with the outer enclosed parts 

 and orchard comprise an extent of fifteen acres. There is a 

 range of lean-to hothouses 300 feet in length, and subdivided 

 into six compartments. Five of the houses were devoted to 

 Vines. Most of the Vines have been in bearing for the last 

 twenty-five years, and never fail to produce satisfactory crops 

 of fruit. The houses are started in rotation, so as far as possible 

 to circle the year with a supply of Grapes. The last fruit 

 had been cut for several weeks, but what remained in the 

 fruit room was in fine condition. The earliest house would 

 be started about the commencement of the new year, and 

 the bunches were rather more than half developed. Each 

 Vine had its complement of fruit to tupport ; but it is Mr. 

 Ingram's practice to allow abundance of foliage, which keeps 

 up a corresponding root action. The foliage of the Vmes in 

 the houses that were started was large, and bore the impress 

 of health and vigour. One house was entirely devoted to the 

 Muscat of Alexandria, a second to Black Hamburghs, third to 

 Black Alicante, and two others to mixed late sorts. The 

 sixth house in the range was for Peaches. These were trained 

 near the glass, and the trees were carrying a handsome crop 

 of early fruit. These houses are all used for plant culture 

 and Strawberry forcing. On the many shelves were plants in 

 all stages of growth, some with fruit ready to gather, and 

 others just throwing up their trasses of bloom. I noticed 

 some gigantic Azaleas that had been brought from the Castle 

 as large as ordinary Laurel bushes, also fine Palms and other 

 ornamental-foliage plants. Large quantities of plants are 

 grown for decorative purposes, and when they have stood in 

 various parts of the Castle for five or six weeks at a time it 

 requires all the skill of the gardener to restore them to their 



