and Suburban Gardens. 339 



distinguished by the number and richness of its masses of flowers, and the 

 characteristic merit of the gardener in his being able to keep up a succession 

 of flowers in every bed throughout the whole season. We were particularly 

 struck with the masses of roses, the flowers of which were following those of 

 different white narcissi, the latter having been in bloom before the roses were 

 in leaf. We found masses of florists' bulbs ready to be removed, or to have 

 pots of rapidly growing green-house plants inserted among them, so as to 

 cover the bed in a short time. Crocuses, snowdrops, hyacinths, &c, were 

 succeeded by mignonette ; and crown imperials, fritillarias, &c, by pelargo- 

 niums, fuchsias, &c. Some of the finest masses we saw in 1828 were those 

 of Czkckia Liliastrum ; Linaria alpina, which was growing most luxuriantly 

 on a cone of white flints, and covering them with its sea-green leaves and 

 purple blossoms ; Erodium jMalachoides, rare and beautiful ; Papaver nudi- 

 caule, numerous new varieties raised from seed; Erythrina Crista galli; masses 

 of Cistus, and of Helianthemum on rockwork, numerous varieties ; Colchicum 

 autumnale, alternating with Crocus vernus ; Gladiolus cardinalis ; pelargo- 

 niums in great variety ; heliotropes; Alonsoa, &c. Sprinkled over the lawn 

 are several choice exotic trees and shrubs ; and there are, besides these and 

 the flowers, some beds devoted to peat earth plants ; and, in the lower part of 

 the garden, beds of Azalea, -Shododendron, Kalmza, &c. Besides numerous 

 standard roses, there is a bower or tent formed by a circular arcade of fes- 

 toons, and by other festoons from the circumference to the centre. The 

 whole being of stout wire, nothing is seen but the roses. These consist of 

 innumerable varieties of the Indian roses budded on the Rosa arvensis, so 

 that the whole is covered with bloom from the beginning of May till the com- 

 mencement of frost. From this garden we proceed along a straight walk to 

 the old flower-garden, the orangery, and the conservatory ; the latter adjoin- 

 ing the house. Thus far as to our visit of June 7. 1828. On our present 

 visit (May 28. 1834), we took the left-hand road from the lawn front of the 

 house; and, passing a large catalpa, Crataegus cordata, a scarlet horsechest- 

 nut, a salisburia, and some groups of rhododendrons, azaleas, and some other 

 American shrubs on the left, and some fine cedars and spruce firs, with their 

 branches sweeping the ground, on the right, we arrived at the orangery above 

 mentioned. The walk through the old flower-garden has received the ad- 

 ditional decoration of a handsome row of vases, on plinths, on each side; and 

 the straight walk mentioned above, which leads from the old flower-garden to 

 the new one, is buttoned, as Horace Walpole would have expressed it, with 

 green Chinese flower-pots, containing ornamental plants in flower. On enter- 

 ing the flower-garden, we found it increased in extent, and, if possible, in 

 beauty. The first thing which struck us was the same bed of Czackia Lili- 

 astrum, now in full bloom, as it was in 1828, on June 7.; a proof that this 

 season is at least ten days earlier than the same season of that year. We 

 found many new beds added, particularly some of peat earth, containing select 

 American plants, and the newest azaleas. In two borders, one along the 

 laurel arcade, and the other in front of a range of hot-houses, are a number 

 of new plants, introduced from Italy last year by Mrs. Palliser, Mrs. Marryat's 

 daughter. Several of these are now coming into flower for the first time. 

 We have been favoured by Mrs. Palliser with a list of all the kinds introduced, 

 whether by plants or seeds ; and it includes not only the kinds now living, but 

 those which have not vegetated, or have vegetated and have since died. 

 One species of Ficia deserves particular mention, as likely to become a 

 forage plant. As a proof of its hardiness and earliness, it has been in 

 bloom here all the winter ; it is now almost out of flower, and the lower 

 seed pods are beginning to ripen. Two or three seeds of this species {V. 

 tricolor), with which we were favoured, we have sent to Mr. Gorrie, who 

 will prove its worth with reference to the climate of Perthshire ; and we shall 

 have other opportunities of sending seeds to other agricultural experimenters. 

 The beds of roses struck us as particularly luxuriant : some of them con- 

 sisted entirely of Scotch roses, and others were only bordered with th .t 



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