^'otcs and GlcaniuQ's. 



121 



Heuchera, which will be much sought after for spring betiding, and edged with 

 cerastium ; tlie long beds are filled with similar materials, with the addition of 

 Silene, Myosotis, ?m.(S. Arabis alpina ; and the whole of the beds on either side 

 are planted to match. This is the most charming display in spring bedding I 

 have seen. Passing over the bridges, and through the rhododendron grounds, 

 &c., we reached the top terrace, covered with spring flowers, which I need not 

 enumerate, as every sort of spring flower is brought into requisition at Osberton. 

 Leaving this garden, we have a peep at a little one enclosed with yew hedges, 

 where the same lovely sight presents itself — flowers everywhere. I could 

 almost have fancied that it was summer, and we were in the height of the bed- 

 ding season. In addition, I may mention that the general stock of plants in 

 the houses, and especially some fine specimens of crotons, sanchezias, dipla- 

 denias, allamandas, &c., pot vines, melons, and cucumbers, looked remarkably 

 well. Strawberries are forced extensively here, the favorite being President. 

 The pines are showing fruit nicely, and the peaches are swelling their fruit vig- 

 orously. J. H. C. Having read with much interest from year to year the 



articles in your pages describing the beauties of Cliveden and Belvoir in the 

 spring of the vear, I have often wondered and regretted that we had nothing of 

 the sort to see in this country. Latel)', however, I was agreeably surprised to 

 learn, that in the neighborhood of Dublin, at the marine residence of Lord Gough, 

 "spring gardening" had been carried out to a large extent for some years past. 

 Recently I took the opportunity of calling, and was so much pleased with what 

 I saw, that I am induced to send you a \&\v particulars, which may be of interest to 

 some of your readers. St. Helen's, which was the late Lord Cough's favorite resi- 

 dence, is situated close to Booter's Town, on the south shore of Dublin Bay. 

 The mansion stands on elevated ground facing the north-east, and is surrounded 

 by a demesne of a hundred and twenty acres, densely wooded, especially to the 

 east and north-east. The ground undulates in the most picturesque manner. 

 The terrace and flower-garden, which is four hundred feet square, lies directly 

 under the north-east front of the mansion. Standing here on the upper terrace, 

 we get a full view of the " spring bedding." The second terrace, which is com- 

 posed of two square grass-plats, has a large circular bed in the centre of each 

 square, with four oval and four circular beds round the edges of the squares. 

 The large central beds at once challenge attention, and are effectively filled with 

 crimson beet as a centre, surrounded by scarlet anemones, and next three cir- 

 cles of color composed oi Myosotis sylvatica, Alyssiiin co/iipactum, and Aubri- 

 etia purpurea, \\-\Q latter very eflfective indeed. The other eight beds in each 

 square are bedded so as to produce various designs in corresponding pairs, and 

 are planted with golden-drop wallflower, Iberis seiitpervirens, polyanthus, 

 Arabis variegata^ double and variegated-leaved daisies, Alyssuin compaciuin, 

 Aubrietia purpurea, cerastium, Cliveden blue pans}-, dark wallflower, Stachys 

 lanata, and Myosotis sylvatica. There is a chain of beds on each side of tins 

 terrace, each bed being filled with plants of distinct colors ; viz., double white 

 daisy, Saponaria calabrica, Alyssuin, Arabis variegata, Myosotis, and Aubrietia 

 variegata. The angles at the back of this chain are filled with dark wallflowers 

 edged with cerastium ; the front angles being dark crimson beet and Arabis va- 



