September, 1916. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



219 



The Grounds and Gardens of Craigleigh 



Mrs. R. B. Potts, Hamilton, Ontario 



TUCKERMANN said that "to' 

 analyze the charm of flowers is 

 like dissecting music ; it is one 

 'if those things which it is much better 

 to enjoy than to attempt to under- 

 stand." This verdict I heartily con- 

 curred in when, after returning from 

 enjoying some hours at "C;aigleigii," 



The perg'ola at Sir EJd'niund Osier's is lined with 



yellow and dark coleus and is covered with all 



kinda of hardy creepers and roses. 



the beautiful home of Sir Edmund 

 Osier, in Rosedale, Toronto, a garden 

 lover asked me "what had impressed 

 me most when visiting the garden?" 



Some one has wittily but truly de- 

 scribed the gardens seen on this con- 

 tinent as follows: "Too often the Am- 

 erican garden is likely to resemble the 

 literature of the period, in being strik- 

 ing, curious or wonderful. Often it is 

 of the "look-at-me kind," made to be 

 stared at. 



"Craigleigh" is "wonderful" and 

 "striking," but it is far from being in 

 any of the classes named. It is as dis- 

 tinct from these, as a work of arl is 

 from a crude chromo. The thing that 

 most impressed me on the occasio', of 

 my first visit to this garden and whicli 

 has been re-stamped on the memory ot 

 each recurrent one, is the quiet, restful 

 harmony of the wliole — ^the complete 

 balance of all the parts. "How rest- 

 ful!" wa,s the first thought to shajic 

 itself definitely, though it might reason; 

 ably be expected that "How l)eauti- 

 Mil!" would have been the first, for' 

 beautiful it has been at all times and 

 reasons, when a visit has been a happy 

 l)ossibility. 



The pen pictures here given have 

 been "drawn from memory." They 

 consist of a series of "memory 

 sketches" rather than a drawing from 

 a "single sitting"; the main features 

 remain, but details differ with the sea- 

 sons. The first problem has been just 

 where to begin, as there are many 

 each worthy of a separate 



phases, 

 article. 



Let 

 border, 

 curves 



us start with the herbaceous 

 which sweeps in digiiifietl 



from the gates, skirting the 

 velvety lawn until it reaches the con- 

 servatories. This border, at every visit, 

 reveals new pleasures to a flower-lover. 

 Here are new combinations Avhich in- 

 vite study and merit the praise be- 

 stowed ; groupings lovely in their har- 

 mony; individual plants which attract 

 attention and hold the visitor to "wor- 

 ship at that shrine." It is safe to say 

 that some of the deepest pleasure found 

 here comes from the fact that all the 

 old-time favorites are not "eon.spicu- 

 ous by their absence"; and that size — 

 or should one say bigness, since the 

 "big" is so lauded tonlay — of bloom 

 does not always cause the verdict of 

 banishment to be executed. Here, too, 

 single varieties dare to proudl}' lift 

 their heads, though the popular acclaim 

 is for "double." One may see also 

 mow varieties of old favorites, so if the 

 'old order passes, giving place to the 

 new, it is because the new is really 

 worthy. Throughout this long border 

 there has never been a single jarring 

 note, at any time observed, and though 

 touches of strong color are at times in- 

 troduced, they are but to tone up the 



softer and less striking ones, and so 

 prevent "weakness." In this border 

 foxgloves have revealed themselves in 

 more than ordinary beauty, for the 

 beautiful primrose colored ones neigh- 

 bor with the soft rosey mallows, Avhile 

 just beyond the glorious blue of the 

 delphinium and stately hollyhocks 

 made a lovely background. 



At the rear of this border, from the 

 entrance to the houses just beyond the 

 steps into the formal, paved garden 

 with its fountain, bright with gold fish, 

 comes the shaded walk — the pergola — • 

 to stroll down which on a bright, sunny 

 day, proves a joy to be remembered 

 long afterward. On the right, looking 

 over the wide border, many choice bits 

 are revealed — it may be the sweep of 

 the lawn, with its magnificent trees, or 

 some new view of the occupants of the 

 border. On the left is the rockwork 

 with its floral adornment of ferns, 

 aubretias, columbines and other favor- 

 ites, until the gate of the vegetable gar- 

 den is reached. Then comes the revela- 

 tion of the useful-beautiful, and here 

 one can join in Mr. Allan's, the head 

 gardener's, enthusiasm, as he points 

 out the large and varied collection of 

 vegetables that are grown. 



Returning through the pergola, be- 

 fore reaching the path to the paved 

 garden or greenhouses, one notices the 

 potentillas, with their strawberry-like 

 leaves and dainty flowers, with ranun- 

 culus, and pansies in the niches, and 

 the corners with ferns and auriculas 

 and other delightsome things. 



At "Craigleigh," one bright spring 

 day, some time was spent very pi'ofit- 



The chr.v.santh<mu.ms in the coni»ervatories at Craigleigh last fall were a delight to all who 



saw them. 



