xiv. [supplement.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[May 25, 1912 



XT 



Messrs. Pulham, in an ambitious scheme, have 

 prepared a large rocky* glade, with stream, 

 cascade, pool, summer house, and every 

 other refinement of polite luxury. I cannot 

 wholly enjoy the rusty brown of their rock, rather 

 too regularly placed, but the elaborate picture it 

 offers is certainly one to be noticed. 



Mr. G. Reuthe, Keston, Kent, reigns in 

 isolated splendour over several rocky and rather 

 unrestful hillocks, with a moss-edged pool pre- 

 cisely in the middle. There are fine masses here, 

 and many interesting speciee, such as Orchis 

 fusca, 0. mascula, Allium karataviense, Ranun- 

 culus asiaticus and Geranium lancastriense, all 

 shown in splendid groups with a top-dressing of 

 moraine chips that helps to enhance their charm. 



Messrs. T. S. Ware, Ltd., Feltham, give us a 

 rockwork with walls of stones. There is a pool 

 in the middle and a daintily -placed Phormium. 



Messrs. Baker, Wolverhampton, have a noble 

 and decisive scheme, with great blocks almost 

 too rigidly stratified, but broken by luxuriant 

 masses of such brilliant plants as Azalea 

 rofcseflora, Wahlenbergia saxicola, and Edraian- 

 thus serpyllifolius major. Here also there is a 

 pool in the middle, and another small one 

 under a rock, rather improbably packed with 

 Nymphaeas. 



Messrs. Kent & Brydon, Darlington, have 

 compiled an easy rock-garden of pleasant effect. 



Messrs. Jackman's edifice, though large, has 

 too much effort and too little ease; the rock 

 being bold and raw in outline, and not placed 



with any eye for felicity of scheme. 



Messrs. R. Wallace" & Co., Colchester, have 

 achieved one of the most ambitious works in the 

 show, and the result is a great pleasure. From 

 a large undulating rock-garden of suitable rock, 

 with a big pool starred too frequently with 

 stones, one wanders up into a more formal walled 

 garden, and so round again along the crest of a 

 hill in a copse, where Lilies in rich beauty lurk 

 apparently uncultivated. There is also a grotto 

 with Ferns, and Japanese Maples and Wistarias 

 in bowls precisely placed by the creeks and 

 headlands. In the formal garden a fountain 

 plays like a geyser, and Habranthus pratensis 

 blazes almost blindingly, blushing especially 

 scarlet at its pretence of being a " hardy • 

 plant. This excellent exhibit was awarded the 

 cup presented by Queen Alexandra. 



Immediately opposite is Messrs. Backhouse's 

 deep glade, which, beginning with a bog in 

 which Liliums and Cypripediums appropriately 

 run riot, is divided from the dell of Alpines by 

 a steep embankment masked with Fir trees. In 

 the dell, built of great blocks by some convulsion 

 of nature, are many treasures, such as Primula 

 Unique, Pinguicula grandiflora, and the wonder- 

 ful Ranunculus Lyallii. Haphazard Nature seems 

 to have also been responsible for the various 

 colour arrangements in this Cyclopean compila- 

 tion. 



Mr. Maurice Prichard, Christchurch, Hamp- 

 shire, has an even lovelier glade, of which 

 he has made a picture, the only fault being that 

 it is conceived mainly from one point of view. 

 This exhibit, like almost all the others, declines 

 to be happy without a pool, and in this case com- 

 plete success crowns the difficult and doubtful 

 effort. Gunneras and Bamboos are artfully dis- 

 posed, and the main rockwork bank ends in a 

 specially beautiful stone. Sedum pilosum, Silene 



Hooken, Androsace lanuginosa, and Dianthus 

 neglectus are conspicuous among the plants dis- 

 played. (Special Award.) 



Messrs. W. Cutbush & Son, Highgate, have a 

 fine slope of limestone, with deep bays and noble 

 masses of Cypripedium spectabile, Lilium 

 Parryii, and L. Bloomerianum magnificum. 

 At the foot of this was the inevitable bean- 

 shaped pond. (Special Award.) 



Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co. exhibit a rock- 

 garden freelv furnished with plants in flower. 



Messrs. Thompson & Chapman have a small 



and unpretending spaoe in a glade, marred by a 

 small cutlet-shaped bed with four blue Lobelias 

 and a Geum in the middle. 



Messrs. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, have erected 

 & rock and water garden with rather formal 

 work to an insignificant mass of rock. Round a 

 semi-circular lake stretch two wings of pergolas, 

 embracing a plain summer-house, the whole 

 being of imposing and luxurious effect. 



Conspicuous among the larger competitive ex- 

 hibits for a rock-garden occupying 600 square feet, 

 is Messrs. Piper's bold and stately rockwork, 



well schemed and built of dignified blocks, aptly 

 related to each other, with a Fern-filled watery 

 cave, the inevitable pool, and drifts of such beau- 

 ties as Primula Beesiana, P. Bulleyana, and 

 Azalea rosseflora and Wistarias were cunningly 

 disposed. 



Next door the Guildford Hardy Plant Co. 

 have an unpretentious and placid exhibit, with 

 tiny ponds, and Ailanthus plants sitting on the 



tops of little hills. 



Messrs. Whitelegg & Page have an appa- 

 rently small, but deep and well-like excavation 

 built of small flat stones, in wall-like structure. 

 Here, beside a pool, was Primula Lissadell in 

 splendour. There were also a fine form of Aqui- 

 legia coerulea and the copper variety of Ajuga 

 reptans, looking its best among white Erinus. 



Mr. John Wood's erection of singularly beau- 

 tiful stone shows an almost equally singular sense 

 of design and scale. So good, indeed, is the 

 building, that the plants themselves seem almost 

 to feel themselves unworthy of such a noble stage. 

 This exhibit not only deserved the 1st prize, but 



won it. 



Near by, Messrs. Barr & Son's exhibit, a very 



favourable specimen of a rock-garden as most 

 people hope to have it and build it. As in too 

 many cases, Acers and tall things are put on 

 the precise top of hillocks, instead of at the side, 

 to lend height. Nor, I think, need one expect 

 to make Viola gracilis a carpet under a Maple. 

 In the class for an exhibit occupying 400 feet, 

 Mr. R. Tucker has another " sample " rock- 

 garden on its smaller scale. But here a specially 

 interesting collection of plants attract the trained 

 eye, and are none the worse for the painfully rare 

 additional charm of being correctly named. Saxi- 

 fraga Hausmannii is in flower, and many other 

 rarities are gathered around it, including Silene 

 pumilio and Stachys Corsica. And exhibitors of 

 rock-gardens 400 feet in area do not seem to 

 suffer quite that wild passion for ponds that 

 haunts the larger exhibitors. (1st prize.) 2nd, 

 Mr. W. Fells, who has made a deep hollow of 

 reddish sandstone, on which are shown good 

 masses (among others) of Geranium grandiflorum, 

 Delphinium nudicaule, and Convolvulus Cneorum. 



(2nd prize.) 



Mr. Hemsley has a construction of rather bald 

 and bricky rock, boldly and skilfully 

 with — a pool !). At the edge of a 

 Primula farinosa shows 



shelves are 

 glaber in variety, 



Saussumi 



and 



delicately, 

 decurrens, 



lanned (but 

 agged path 



and on the 

 Pentstemon 



even Sutherlandia fru- 



tescens. 



The Misses Hopkins have an exhibit in their 

 usual style. 



Mr. Amos Perry, outside the great tent, has 

 filled one corner with a lovely pool adorned with 

 proper plants (including Papyrus), and the oppo- 

 site niche with a rocky breast that is only less 

 successful than the rich and tropical effect of the 

 little water-garden, so rich and cool, and com- 

 plete. 



Messrs. Bees Ltd., Liverpool, exhibit a 

 rock-garden which was remarkable for its bril- 

 liant flowers. 



MISCELLANEOUS BORDER 



FLOWERS. 



The 2nd 



* ■ • 



prize in a class for herbaceous 

 Paeonies, in a space of 200 square feet, is won 

 by Messrs. Paul & Sons, The Old Nurseries, 

 Cheshunt, whose best plants are grandiflora 

 nivea, Lucrece (a fine pink), formosa alba (semi- 

 double), and M. Jules Calot (semi-double pink). 

 For 20 Violas in flower, distinct, Messrs. 

 Seagrove & Co., Lane End Nurseries. Gledless, 

 Sheffield, are awarded the 1st prize. Mrs. Morri- 

 son, Gladys Finley, Mrs. Henry Wood, Mosley 

 Perfection, Mrs. Gabb, and Ajax are among the 

 best shown. 2nd, Mr. Chas. Turner, Slough, 

 who exhibits White Swan, Blue Duchess, Mrs. 

 Chichester, Mrs. G. F. Gordon, and Admiral of 



the Blues finely. 



Sir Trevor Lawrence's Cup was offered in the 

 class for a collection of hardy herbaceous plants 

 occupying 100 square feet. Messrs. G. and A. 

 Clark, Ltd., Dover, the winners, stage grand 

 trusses of Anchusa, new pink Astilbes, the 

 purple, double -flowered Delphinium " The 

 Alake," showy Pyrethrums, Geum Mrs. 

 Bradshaw, German Irises, and Spiraea 

 palmata. 2nd, Messrs. Artindale & Sons, 

 Norfolk House Hall, Sheffield, with Eremurus 

 and Lupins as features. Anthemis montana, 



Verbascum Caledonia, Trollius, Lilies, Pyreth- 

 rums and Irises are also well represented. 



For 24 Violas, distinct, the 1st prize is made 

 in favour of Mr. F. J. Bell, Crescent Nurseries, 

 Whitley Bay, for a very bright, fresh lot of 

 flowers, noteworthy being G. C. Murray (purple), 

 Evelyn Bell (royal purple), King George (light 

 purple), Helen Paul (light yellow), and Kate 

 Blythe (lilac and white). The 2nd prize group 

 cannot be identified with the name of the ex- 

 hibitor. 3rd, Messrs. Bostock & Sons, 75, 

 Springfield Koad, Birmingham. ^ 



The 1st prize for a collection of Violas or 

 Pansies in a space of 100 square feet is shown by 

 Messrs. Artindale & Son, Sheffield, who have 

 the finest group of Violas in the show. Jas. 

 Pilling, Bridal Morn, Eedbraes, Moseley Perfec- 

 tion and Countess of Eglinton, Miss V. W. 

 Bertram and Minnie J. Ollar are the most showy 

 varieties. 2nd, Messrs. Gunn & Sons, Olton, 

 who have Moseley Perfection, The Gem, Swan, 

 Virgin White, and Kitty Bell in good form. 



In the class for an exhibit of Dahlias in a 

 space measuring 6 feet by 3 feet, the prizes are 

 offered by the National Dahlia Society. The 1st 

 prize is won by Messrs. Stredwick & Son, Silver 

 Hill Park, St. Leonards, whose best blooms are 

 Sweet Briar, Mary Purrier, Red Admiral, Mrs. 

 Stephens, Richard Box and Johannesburg of the 

 Cactus section, whilst good Pompons and show 

 Dahlias are J. Walker, Dazzler, Geo. Brinkman 

 and Donovan. 2nd Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, 

 Crawley, who have plants in pots, of which the 

 smaller forms of the Cactus section are best. 



For a collection of hardy or half-hardy annuals 

 or biennials, occupying 100 square feet, the 

 premier exhibit is by Messrs. F. Smith & Co., 

 Woodbridge, Suffolk. The exhibit contains 

 many of the newer kinds — Rhodanthes, Antirr- 

 hinums, Clarkia Vesuvius (a fine salmon variety), 

 Phlox Drummondii Chamois Rose, Arctotis 

 grandis, and a large selection of others. Along- 

 side is a non-competitive group of border 

 perennials commonly in flower at this season. 



The best group of" Paeonia Moutan, arranged in 

 a space of 100 square feet, is shown by \\ H. 

 Artindale & Son, Nether Green. Sheffield, their 

 fine variety including Pseonia Moutan, Queen 

 Elizabeth, P. Jeanne d'Arc (soft pink), P. Mine. 

 Stuart Low (salmon -rose), P. Louise Mouchelet 

 (soft pink). All these are double-flowered 

 varieties. 2nd, W. West-Neave, Esq., West 

 Court, Bray -on -Thames, for a fine collection, but 

 the exhibit lacked names. 



FRUIT. 



The exhibits of fruit trees, both in the classes 

 and not for competition, are in most cases of ex- 

 ceptional merit, and as regards the trained trees 

 it is doubtful if so fine a show of all the usetul 

 methods of training adopted in the British 

 Isles has ever been seen at any previous 

 gathering. In general condition, in neat- 

 ness of training, and in many eases for 

 their ample crops of fruits, these con- 

 stitute object-lessons of great value to all gar- 

 deners, especially to the younger members who 

 have not had the opportunity of studying fruit- 

 tree training as practised in the leading British 

 nurseries. Both in the large central plant 

 marquee and in the open ground near the 

 rock-gardens, visitors will find much to in- 

 terest them in these exhibits, and they should 

 make a special point of seeing Messrs. VeitcH 

 & Son's contribution, which is really a well- 

 designed fruit garden that admirably tfl. us " 

 trates the special advantages of every practical 

 form of training. It is one of the most instruc- 

 tive demonstration exhibits that can be found m 

 the whole show. 



In the same neighbourhood is also a highly- 

 creditable arrangement of fruit trees from Messrs. 

 Laxton Bros., especially designed to show their 

 excellent methods of growing trained trees in pots- 

 ready for transference to gardens without check 

 or danger. Many of these could scarcely be sur- 

 passed in condition and neatness of training. 



It is often said that British growers neglect 

 the modern science of fruit raising with a view 

 to improvement on sound lines, but these two 

 cases are amply sufficient to answer such doubts 

 as not only has the season of production been 

 greatly extended, but quality has also received 



due attention. 



An interesting comparison may be made as 

 raiTor^s ttArriA r\i thft fruits shown at Chelsea *» 



