TEE GARDENERS' CEBONICLE. 



239 



as they spread quickly and send np a great number 

 of stems. Like most perennials or herbaceous plants 

 they delight in rich deep soil, and succeed best where 

 they can have plenty of moisture. 



MoNTBRETIA CROCOSMIFLOEA. 



This is a beautiful Iridaceous plant, much too 

 seldom seen in gardens, and is a much brighter and 

 finer kind than the better known M. Pottsi, as it has 

 considerably larger flowers of a more brilliant hue, 

 partaking of the colour of the last named and Tritonia 

 anrea, from both of which the plant has been raised ; 

 and it ought, like the latter, to be sufficiently hardy 

 to stand the winter if planted in a sheltered spot 

 out-of-doors, as in a border under the foot of a wall 

 the Tritonia does remarkably well with us, and 

 affords scores of spikes for cutting. 



The habit of Montbretiacroeosmiflorais spreading, 

 and the plant has leaves very like those of the 

 Gladiolus, and the flowers are borne on stout branch- 

 ing stems, in the same way as those of the Tritonia. 

 The soil most suitable for growing the Montbretia is 

 a rich deep sandy loam, in which the creeping roots 

 run and spread freely, and if left out for the winter 

 it is advisable to protect by laying a few inches of 

 leaf-mould over the bed. If grown in pots the same 

 treatment required for the Tritonia aurea will be 

 found the most suitable, and that is to stand the 

 plants out in the open during summer, as under 

 glass they are apt to suffer through red-spider 

 attacking the foliage. J. S. 



FELIXSTOWE. 



[See Supplementary Sheet.] 

 Let those in search of a sensation betake them- 

 selves to the town of Ipswich in early June, and 

 then avail themselves of the branch railway to Felix- 

 stowe. They will not have gone far before they find 

 themselves traversing immense Gorse-covered com- 

 mons, so radiant with glowing colour, so heavy with 

 rich perfume, that there is no difficulty in realising 

 the statement made, that Linnreus, astounded at the 

 sight, rendered thanks to God at the prospect of an 

 English common. Dull, indeed, must he be who 

 could pass unmoved such a sight as that of these 

 extensive commons when ablaze with Gorse-blossom. 

 That is sensation number one, only to enjoy it to 

 the full you must be there almost to the day. We 

 passed those same commons only a few days later to 

 find their radiance wonderful indeed, but perceptibly 

 less than before, and the rich full golden hue of the 

 Gorse giving place to the thinner, paler, more trans- 

 lucent yellow of the Broom. A few minutes more 

 and the train passes through the Orwell woods- 

 another sensation for the tired eyes of a cockney — 

 and then, emerging from these woods, the train 

 comes to a halt at Felixstowe. What a place ! Did 

 ever heart sink lower than ours at the first sight of 

 this dull, dreary, dusty place, with apparently all the 

 horrors of a place of seaside lodgings without any 

 of its advantages. The " shatterydan," guiltless of 

 paint and never cleaned, and the raw-boned steeds, 

 looked appropriate certainly, but not alluring. 

 However, the animals moved along at a pace far 

 from consistent with their woebegone appearance, 

 and just as we were wondering where we were going 

 to, and how much further off our goal could be, a 

 gleam of many-tinted colour glinted through the 

 trees, contrasting exquisitely with the soft tender 

 hues of the foliage, a cosy-looking hotel oped its 

 hospitable gates, and, we were taking our rest in the 

 hostelry presided over by Mr. Quilter, whose taste 

 as a gardener was known to us before, and whose 

 skill as a caterer we found to be on a par with his 

 love of gardening. It is astonishing how quickly the 

 charms of that comfortable plane made us forget 

 the depressing impressions caused by our first descent 

 upon the sand dunes. A very short time and we 

 found ourselves purring with content and saying that 

 it wasn't such a bad place after all. We would sleep 

 upon it, and decide in the morning. And decide 

 we did, our decision being in no slight measure 



influenced by the pretty garden, a portion of which 

 is shown in our illustration. There are, as we soon 

 found, all sorts of attractions at Felixstowe for the 

 geologist and those fond of natural history and 

 bracing air — red cliffs so crammed full of fossils that 

 a penknife's blade is all too thick to pass between 

 shell and shell. Besides, there is a sort of curious 

 Hibernicism about the whelk-shells of the Crag (Fusus 

 contrarius). They are many of them left-handed, and 

 this deviation from the ordinary course of things 

 fits in well with the holiday topsy-turvy spirit and 

 the desire to cease, for a time at least, the daily right- 

 handed routine. Then there are the golf links within a 

 walk, and the sand-hills and the miles of sea-coast, all 

 so full of varied interest to the botanist. Not far off is 

 Harwich, quaint and Dutch-like except in its dirt, 

 and there is the shipping and the ride up the Orwell, 

 and the charming park of Wolverston, and the 

 glorious woods of Orwell, and much besides that it 

 would not be in place to mention here. 



The spring garden which attracted so much of our 

 attention is of large dimensions. Trees and grass 

 and the softness of the well-blended colours take off 

 from the formal regularity which otherwise might 

 be objectionable, and constitute a picture, the charms 

 of which frequent inspection only served to enhance. 

 The photograph, taken when the trees ware still 

 leafless, shows the general plan to consist of a 

 semicircle of triangular beds, with a central 

 grass-plot, while the boundaries of the garden are 

 backed up with trees and shrubbery borders, with 

 lines of spring flowers in front. Here are some of 

 the combinations seen in these triangular beds — a 

 groundwork of blue Myosotis dotted with white Tuli ps, 

 surrounded by a band of white Arabis, and then by 

 a similar band of Silene pendula, with a Box edging 

 as an outermost boundary. In another triangle the 

 groundwork was a mass of purple Aubrietia, in the 

 centre of which was a circle, consisting of Silene 

 pendula, dotted with Hyacinths, and edged with 

 Golden Feather. In each corner of the triangle 

 were smaller triangles, filled like the central circle. 



These illustrations may suffice to indicate the 

 contents of the beds as we saw them. Crocuses had 

 had their day, Wallflowers and Daffodils were going 

 off, Hyacinths were on the wane, and Tulips were 

 coming on, while very shortly the bulbs and spring 

 plants would be removed, and Tropxolums, Pelargo- 

 niums of varied hue and many banded foliage would 

 take their place — the edging of Thrift, orBox.Euony- 

 m us or dwarf Lasender remaining as a permanent bor- 

 der. Within the sheltering trees is a belt of shrubs, 

 faced with a wide herbaceous border, rich in variety, 

 and so contrived as to ensure something attractive at 

 all seasons ; thus, at the back were giant Ferulas, and 

 then in successive order, according to height, Trito- 

 mas, Rockets, Irises, Golden Euonymus, Poet's Nar- 

 cissus, white Marguerites, Wallflowers, Asters, 

 white Pinks, Tulips, white Arabis, Myosotis. Silene 

 pendula, &c. From this admixture it will be seen 

 that there can be scarcely a day in the year without 

 flowers of some sort. When one is not in bloom 

 another is, the garden being sheltered, and the 

 climate, despite its being on the east coast, decidedly 

 mild, for are not standard Fig trees to be seen in the 

 gardens as if they were at Worthing? and do not 

 Felixstowe Figs carry the day before them at the 

 autumn shows in the neighbourhood ? Besides this 

 dressed garden, Mr. Quilter has another, in which a 

 central rockery affords a home for all sorts of inter- 

 esting plants, while the well-cropped, well-tilled 

 kitchen gardens attest the presence of a master in 

 the art. 



A few minutes' walk, and the fine residence of Mr. 

 Cobbold is reached. Almost in the sea there is a 

 garden in course of formation, and all the more in- 

 teresting on that account. Shelter from wind is the 

 great desideratum ; this provided, the sea air brings a 

 colour to the petal that i-s a wonder to those familiar 

 with tamer hues inland. The deep violet of the 

 Stocks made one realise how the old Greeks saw the 

 face of their purple heavens reflected in these flowers. 

 One charming part of the garden will consist 

 of a circle or half-circle of rockwork sur- 



rounding a grass-plot, with a bed of Roses, and 

 Carnations in the centre. The rockwork faces to 

 landward, so that the plants are sheltered from the 

 fierce blasts, and nestling under the rocks will 

 blossom into beauty. 



A semi-circular range of houses is in course of 

 erection, and in front is a tennis-lawn, with a foun- 

 tain in the centre, and Rose beds and low rockeries 

 here and there. This bids fair to be very beautiful 

 when "that dreadful wireworm " shall have ceased 

 to revel in the unwonted feast produced by the 

 breaking up of the ground. 



Close behind the sea wall is another rockery of 

 Pulham's construction, with a trickling stream edged 

 by Bamboos and Ferns, and destined to be the home 

 of numerous plants suitable to the spot. Ever- 

 green Oaks and Tamarisks attain large sizes here; 

 while nothing can exceed the depth of colour of the 

 Irises, Wallflowers, and Stocks. There may be a 

 pretty fierce struggle for existence — there must be 

 on the sloping bank facing the sea — but the victors 

 at any rate celebrate their triumph with colours 

 before which the banners and flags of a popular 

 festival look dull and muddy indeed in comparison. 

 To conclude. Felixstowe is not the dreary place it 

 looks, and the Bath Hotel is the very place for those 

 who like quiet and comfort with something to in- 

 terest and attract, and a pretty garden to rest in. 



LISIANTHUS RUSSELLIANUS. 



Foe greenhouse decoration this plant (fig. 2S) is most 

 useful, and considering the beauty of its violet coloured 

 flowers, and the length of time they remain in perfec- 

 tion it deserves more general attention than it receives 

 from those who have to keep up a display of flowering 

 pot plants throughout the year. The plant, whpn 

 well grown, always excites attention and admiration, 

 but still it is far from being new, as it was intro- 

 duced into this country in 1835 from Mexico, and it 

 is, therefore, a matter of wonder that it is not more 

 common in cultivation. Many say that it is rather 

 a difficult plant to succeed with, but ordinary atten- 

 tion ensures good results. In an article before me 

 it is stated that the above plant is " capable of 

 acquiring a circumference of 7 or 8 feet and a height 

 of 3 feet above the rim of the pot, and of simulta- 

 neously exhibiting upwards of 400 flowers either in 

 actual expansion or in different stages of bud." Of 

 course specimens of such dimensions could only be 

 acquired by stopping the plants, but our plan is to 

 let them grow up without pinching them, and by so 

 doing gain useful sized plants with good heads of 

 flowers. 



Seeds should be sown in February in heat, and as 

 they are small should not be covered, placing a piece 

 of glass on the pot shaded with paper until the seed- 

 lings are somewhat advanced. Finely broken crocks 

 or charcoal should be mixed with the soil, as they 

 are apt to damp off should the water not be able to 

 pass away freely. As soon as they are ready to 

 handle they should be pricked off into pans or small 

 pots, employing a porous compost of loam, leaf-soil, 

 sand, with some broken crocks and charcoal, still 

 keeping them in a warm house near the glass in a 

 shadv quarter. When established they should be 

 removed to a pit, or like structure, with an interme- 

 diate temperature, keeping them as near the glass 

 as possible ; shift them on as soon as they require it, 

 and during the brightest and warmest months they 

 can be removed into a cool frame, which will give 

 them strength to stand over the winter, and prevent 

 them becoming spindly and drawn. In January or 

 February they should be shifted on into 48-pots. 

 using good strong yellow loam mixed with some 

 good sharp sand and broken crock. During the 

 winter months they must be placed in warmer 

 quarters than a cold frame — a minimum temperature 

 of 50° is suitable. The strongest plants as time 

 and growth proceeds may be potted in 24's, while the 

 smaller ones of the batch will be satisfied with 

 smaller pots. A close, stuffy atmosphere should at 

 all times be avoided. When the flowers show signs 

 of expanding, the pots may be removed to a cooler 

 structure, where they will last for a long time in 

 perfection. 



L. glaucophyllus is another species now in flower, 

 the flowers of which are much smaller than the 



