70 A Day among the Rhododendrons, 



purple beech affords a beautiful contrast of color ; and the view from the 

 platform at the summit, looking over the terraces and lake to the wooded 

 hill on the farther bank, is of surpassing beauty. 



Strongly contrasting with the Italian garden, in which art is carried to its 

 height, and the more so from its close proximity, was the rockery and grotto 

 of stumps, where the wildness of Nature is most successfully imitated. This 

 had just been planted with a great variety of beautiful flowering and foliaged 

 plants, including ferns, among which were many British species, aquilegias, 

 spireas, caladiums, begonias, sedums, callas, marantas, &c., with a variety 

 of alpine plants, which in a short time will produce a most beautiful effect, 

 combining the charms of the tropical and temperate regions. 



We had time to give but a glance at the extensive green and hot houses, 

 but in the orchard-house we were interested in seeing the old tree of the 

 Stanwick Nectarine, the first one imported into this country, but bearing 

 a good crop the present season. The crop of peaches, plums, and apricots 

 was heavy, and the trees in a most healthy condition. 



We were also shown in the stove the Alocasia J^enningsii, a new species 

 with a beautifully mottled stem, and a collection of magnificent tree-ferns, 

 imported from England the present season, including Dicksonia antardica 

 with a stem five feet in height, and nearly two feet in circumference, Also- 

 phyla australis with fronds five feet in length, Cyaihea excelsa, Smithii, 

 and sqiiarrosa, with stems varying from one foot to five feet in height, and 

 a fine specimen of Cibotiuin regale, which took the prize at the Universal 

 Exhibition in Paris. That very rare and beautiful plant, Anthurium Scher- 

 zerianum, was also in bloom ; as were fine specimens oi Allamanda Schottii, 

 Stcphanotus floribundus, and Lapagjria rosea. Mr. Harris remarked that 

 he had used eight thousand pots of bedding-plants to decorate the grounds 

 this summer. The lofty and spacious conservatory adjoining the mansion 

 was gorgeous with gloxinias, calceolarias, geraniums, fuchsias, and other 

 brilliant flowered plants, all in the fullest bloom. Outside was a large 

 specimen of the Mtisa ensete ; and on either side of the entrance to the man- 

 sion two remarkably firm A.raurarias, in tubs, the limbs of which have been 

 aptly compared to branches of green coral. 



We find that we have entirely omitted to mention the masses oi Kabnias, 

 which, at the time of our visit, were beginning to show their flower-buds : 



