FIELD MEETINGS. 185 
portraits, which, with other valuable paintings, adorn the walls 
of Orchardton. 
Professor Scott-Elliot accompanied the visitors through the 
beautiful gardens and hothouses, pointing out and explaining 
many rare and valuable plants. Placed in a highly favoured 
situation for the growth of comparatively tender plants, and 
lending themselves, by their picturesque position, to the adorn- 
ment prompted by a refined taste, the gardens and grounds at 
Orchardton are particularly attractive, both in their arrangement 
and in the plants to be found there. Since Mr Robinson- 
Douglas succeeded to the estate many improvements in these 
have been effected. The grounds are now amongst the most 
beautiful in the Stewartry, and they were much admired by the 
party. The avenue, bordered on either side by handsome trees, 
is also beautified by large masses of rhododendrons, not quite 
past bloom when the party visited Orchardton. At the garden 
front there are also many large beds of azaleas, which were still 
in bloom on Saturday. Here, and elsewhere in the grounds, are 
many choice shrubs, several of which are not to be met with 
elsewhere in the Stewartry, and some bloom well here which are 
not to be found elsewhere in Scotland in flower. The botanical 
members of the party were much interested in some buddleias, 
among them being the rare colvillei, which has flowered at 
Orchardton for the first time, and whose flowering is probably 
unique in Scotland. Another rare plant in this country is one of 
the crinodendrons (Tricuspidaria lanceolata), a beautiful shrub, 
with large crimson flowers on long pendant stalks. It is only 
_ hardy in a few favoured places in Scotland. This is grown in 
the rock garden, which is a beautiful little spot, furnished with 
many choice rock plants and shrubs, such as bamboos, Japanese 
maples, the New Zealand broom (called Notospartium Car- 
michzlae), cytisuses, and a host of others, arranged in a natural 
Way among the rocks, through which little runnels trickle, widen- 
ing out into small pools in which gold fish disport themselves, 
and some of the smaller exotic water lilies grow. A small 
artificial lake has also been constructed here, and this is 
margined with choice moisture-loving plants; while the water 
hawthorn or aponageton and a number of the new hybrid water 
lilies flower freely in the pond. In the shrubberies and on the 
walls are many choice things, such as the New Zealand 
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