2 6 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lviii. 



portion of the fernery, the stones are covered with various 

 liverworts. 



Of late years several interesting features have been added 

 to the garden. In 1887, Mr. Jenner, to utilize a piece of 

 ground left vacant because unfit for ordinary garden pur- 

 poses, conceived the idea of converting it into an iris 

 garden. The ground was wet and clayey, and in digging 

 out the clay, water was found at a depth of two feet. Good 

 loam and peat soil having been substituted, the ground was 

 laid out in square beds, with gravel walks intersecting them, 

 the edges of the beds being formed by chips of granite 

 set on end. Some of the best varieties of Iris Kcenipferi 

 were imported from Japan, with which the larger beds were 

 filled. As many of the other species as could be obtained 

 were planted separately, along with the best varieties of Mont- 

 hretia. The Japanese irises proved to be magnificent varieties, 

 mth enormously large blossoms, both single and double 

 flowers, in various shades of colour. At the edges of the 

 beds are rows of the early-flowering Siberian Ii^is reticulata 

 planted thickly, which in spring is very effective. All the 

 plants are now thriving luxuriantly here, and what was 

 little better than a clay pit, is now one of the most 

 interesting features of Easter Duddingston garden. In 

 1889, the "Alpine Levels" were formed. This is an 

 arrangement for growing alpine plants in beds — not as 

 single specimens, but in masses. The beds are 32 in 

 number. Each bed measures 9 by 7 feet, and is sub- 

 divided into four parts, to contain individually one species 

 in mass, and as their flowering periods vary, the plants are 

 so arranged that the interest is kept up throughout the year. 

 The subdivision of the large beds into four is effected by 

 longitudinal and transverse rows of an exceedingly dwarf- 

 growing juniper — Junipcriis commurds hihertiica compressa. 

 Several specimens of this, planted in the original rock-garden 

 thirty-two years ago, are at present only two feet in height,, 

 and are compact, symmetrical, handsome bushes, although 

 the)' have never Ijeen cut or pruned. The large beds are 

 edged with stone, and a gravel path runs round each. 

 Numerous bulbs are planted on both sides of the stone 

 margins, including snowdrops, snowflakes, winter aconite,, 

 crocuses, and anemones, which in spring are a beautiful 



