260 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
VICTORIAL PARK: 
BY GEORGE GORDON. 
pee erg1OTORIA PARK has long been celebrated for its high 
— keeping and for the great excellency of the annual 
display of summer bedders; but we are bound to say 
that in no previous year has it been better kept, or the 
bedding display been more thoroughly satisfactory, than 
in the present season. The spacious lawns are throughout remark- 
able for the neat appearance they present, and for the fine, deep 
green colour of the turf; and the bedding arrangements are charac- 
terized by great taste and extreme richness. In the matter of 
floral embellishments, Victoria Park, notwithstanding its being 
situate at the east end of the metropolis, is in no way second to the 
more important parks at the west end; and the majority of the 
hundreds of professionals and others who come up to London 
annually to inspect the various displays of bedding plants in the 
public parks, make a point of visiting it. The park is rich in trees, 
especially of willows and thorns, which are represented by collec- 
tions remarkable for their completeness; and although it is sur- 
rounded by densely-populated neighbourhoods, and has large 
manufactories on all sides, the trees do not appear to have suffered 
in an appreciable degree from smoke, for they are in the most 
excellent condition, and are now sufficiently developed to show the 
true character of the species represented. In addition to the 
dressed parts of the park, which are highly coloured with bedding 
plants in summer, there is a very large cricket ground, an ample 
space for gymnastic exercises, and great breadths of turf over which 
the visitors can ramble according to their inclinations. There are 
also spacious lakes for boating and bathing. Altogether, the park 
affords a most delightful retreat for the residents in the neighbour- 
hood, the greater proportion of which are not overburdened with 
this world’s goods ; and it is so well appreciated that it is quite 
unnecessary to recommend those who reside near the park to visit 
it. But we would strongly advise those who are specially interested 
in flower-garden decoration, to visit the park before the cold weather 
puts an end to the bedders. ‘That they would derive much pleasure 
from the visit there can be no doubt, and it is equally certain that 
they would pick up hints which hereafter may be turned to good 
account. 
On entering the park at Shore gate we have immediately before 
us two large circular blocks of evergreen shrubs enclosed with bor- 
ders about six feet in width. These borders are richly coloured with 
flowering and leaf plants. If instead of proceeding down Shore Place 
we turn up the drive to the left, we shall soon reach the great geo- 
metrical scheme, which consists of about forty large beds. This is 
one of the chief points of interest in the park, as well it might be, 
for the beds are filled chiefly with zonal pelargoniums, and make a 
grand display of colour. They are edged with dwarf-growing plants 
