as 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 3, 1863. 



their circumference, but circular across, forming more than the 

 half of a globe. This is different from the practice of some 

 people, who must have their circles a dead level. Mr. McDonald 

 stated, with great truth, that " the elevating of the beds added 

 a third to their surface, and different colours were shown-off 

 with much better effect." Second, The beds on each side of 

 these flights of steps were planted to match, as uniformity in 

 such cases is always pleasing. The second and third beds, &c, 

 generally follow suit. Each bed is intended to be a picture in 

 itself; whilst, at the same time, it either contrasts with, har- 

 monises with, or shades into, its nest neighbour. In some beds 

 the colours are contrasted, in others they are shaded ; many 

 Scarlet Geraniums are shaded -down, whilst the variegated sorts 

 are shaded-up. A splendid shaded diamond bed consisted of 

 Mrs. Maylor, Trentham Rose, and Princess Royal. SpitCre 

 Geranium set-off to great advantage the immense trusses of 

 Glendinuing's Scarlet Seedling; and again, Spitfire formed a 

 fine ground for what Mr. McDonald styled the "dazzling Stella 

 of Beaton." Hardly any Yerbenas are used in these terraces, 

 except such a bright sort as Lord Raglan for lighting-up Lady 

 Plymouth Geranium. No Calceolaria is so much esteemed as 

 •amplexieaulis ; and even after the torrents of rain, its bright 

 lemon colour and its large loose trusses or panicles were very 

 charming. Variegated Geraniums are often mixed, not formally 

 but in little groups, so as to present a broken surface. We 

 have forgotten to state that the amplexieaulis Calceolaria is 

 planted in peat and sand, which seems to answer well in the 

 moist climate of Ireland. The best- coloured leaves we have 

 seen out of doors of Farfugium grande were on this terrace. 

 Third, There was every evidence that not only great thought 

 had been exercised in the planting of the beds, but that they 

 had received unintermitting attention ever since in regulating, 

 thinning, and nipping, so that a shoot or flower should not be 

 out of place. The beds, therefore, though full were not crammed, 

 but the plants had room to grow ; and such edging plants as 

 Golden Chain were close to without touching each other. A 

 high finish is given to the whole by the beds being covered 

 neatly with moss, which was as green as if grown in a shady 

 wood. We have tried moss several times ; but in hot weather 

 we could not keep it green, even if the birds would have let it 

 alone. In a few hours they would scatter it over gravel or 

 lawn. These beds at Woodstock would seem to say that the 

 feathered tribe had not learned to scratch and tear there. 



Now for an opinion, for we will not venture to criticise. 

 This terrace of circles is the most telling and massive affair of 

 the kind we have ever seen ; thanks, not only to the planting of 

 the feeds, but to the treasures of our lofty friend Mount Alto. The 

 pearly white spar that surrounds the beds, and the bright red 

 gravel that forms the walks next the glass, render the whole a 

 picture of great beauty. If anything seemed to be wanting, it 

 would be a few elevated plants 'to break the uniform level of 

 -thatmass of diversified beauty; but even on that we should be 

 afraid to venture. In the upper terrace of diamonds, the beds 

 are quite as beautiful and as well managed every way as the 

 terrace of circles, and yet it seemed to us much less satisfactory. 

 This was solely owing to the whole of the triangles on each side 

 being filled with white spar. We do not object to the colour, 

 but to the baldness and low level of the colour, though variety 

 even here would not be unpleasing. Coloured gravels have 

 a good effect round regular clumps, or even in dividing figures 

 in a group ; but we have never been satisfied with them when 

 they formed the only garnishing of clumps themselves, when 

 -these were connected with other beds planted with flowers of 

 tolerable height. Such composition-groups interfere with unity, 

 even as respects level and outline. The raising of certain 

 beds, or of particular plants in these beds, above the general 

 level, has a very different effect from a whole series of beds 

 having patches of colour sunk so much below the general level. 

 To maintain this unity, even as respects the level outline of 

 the picture, the white of these triangles ought to be as clearly 

 seen from a distance as the flowers in the diamonds, which 

 could only be done by either elevating the white gravel or sink- 

 ing the plants, so that the masses of flowers should not be on 

 a much higher level than the gravel, which, of course, would 

 spoil the beauty of the picture. Convinced of the refined taste 

 of the proprietors and their manager, it is not without diffi- 

 dence we express the above opinion ; but, considering the almost- 

 overpowering somewhat-level splendour of the circle terrace, 

 we would be inclined, for variety, to plant these triangles, and to 

 have the central plants as high as, or, rather, considerably higher 



than the central plants in the diamonds. The fine gravels may 

 then be used between and for walks as now. Without such 

 planting, we think more unity would be secured by removing 

 the inner lines of the triangles, filling the whole of the 

 space with one kind of gravel, and having the walk of another 

 colour. There can he no better opportunity for ventilating a 

 subject which is daily absorbing increased attention. Our 

 simple idea is, that a regular clump iu a parterre should be 

 filled with plants ; or, if mere colouring material is used, there 

 should be unity as respects level. 



We now pass on to the circular conservatory that stands a?'' 

 the end of the terrace of circles. The outline of this elegant 

 • house, built by Mr. Turner, of Dublin, is, therefore, peculiarly 

 appropriate. Elegance and lightness are its marked features ; 

 the lofty dome has given the key-note to the inside arrange- 

 ment, the plants being grouped in blunt rounded pyramidal 

 form. In the centre was a fine plant of a dwarf variety of the 

 Date Palm, supported with Musus, JbSedychiums Sarduerianuin 

 and coronarium, the latter adding its sweet white flowers to the 

 attractions of its fine foliage. Then there were fine plants of 

 Begonia fuchsioides, with huge clusters of depending blooms, 

 fronted with fine-foliaged plants of Begonias and other genera, 

 and relieved by noble plants of feathered Cockscombs, gold and 

 crimson, and huge masses of Vallota purpurea, many counting 

 fourteen large flower-stems in a pot. From the roof were sus- 

 pended baskets of creepers and climbers, allowed to hang over 

 the baskets, and also mount on wires. Instead of the common 

 round pot, ovals and other shapes were used ; but. even these 

 did not seem artistic enough for such a. scene. A gentle shower 

 can be sent over these plants from the roof when desirable ; and 

 we may mention here that the hose and the pipe can be freely 

 used in watering elsewhere, which is a great advantage. From 

 the conservatory, over the flower-beds, over the Oaks that back 

 the fine garden seat, a fine outline is obtained of the mountains 

 of Carrigburn. Some lovers of uniformity might wish that 

 another conservatory occupied the site of the elegant garden seat. 



From the steps at L, the sloping lawn on the left side of the 

 Irish Yew-walk, from L to it, though open in places, is massed 

 with shrubs, which conceal all view of a rosery and bulb garden 

 beyond ; these gardens being again blocked-out from each other 

 by masses of Rhododendrons, &c. On the right side of that 

 Yew-walk, and reaching to the boundary farther back than the 

 line of the conservatory, the sloping lawn is open, and on it 

 are clustered the finest specimens, with one exception, of the 

 Pine tribe at Woodstock. 



The walk is terminated by a seat at M, and in the background 

 is a fine plant of the Cedar of Goa, with a diameter of head of 

 50 feet, and the trunk near the base 2£ feet in diameter. On 

 the lawn such kinds as Pinus insignis were as green as if there 

 had been no severe frost in England in 1860 and 1861. Among 

 Araucarias and Deodars was a fine plant of the latter 30 feet in 

 height, which had become diseased when young, and had fresh 

 strength given to it by being grafted on the Larch. The follow- 

 ing were fine plants from 30 to 40 feet in height : — pinus 

 excelsa, Ayacahuite, ponderosa, pinaater, Hartwegi, &c, with 

 recurving branches, and apulcens-.s, with fine graceful foliage ; 

 Abies eephalonica, Douglasii, morinda, &e. ; Picea pinsapo, 

 Webbiana, &e. ; with smaller plants of nobilis, Wellingtonias, 

 and other choice kinds ; also fine, thick, upright specimens of 

 Cryptomeria japonica, and one of the finest specimens we ever 

 saw without protection of the Cunninghamia sinensis, from 

 30 to 40 feet in height. From the end of the walk at M fine 

 peeps are obtained, between these specimens, of the terrace 

 gardens and the ribbon-borders through the gates in the walled 

 garden. At this point we should think the height would be 

 fully 150 feet above the level of the bowling-green. 



Turning now to the left side of the walk we soon enter into 

 a rosery, the beds being oval in form, surrounded with arches 

 for climbers, and a straight walk so arched leading to it and 

 from it from east to west. In an open space of lawn near it 

 stands the exception above alluded to, the unequalled specimen 

 of Araucaria imbricata, above 40 feet in height, and the bole 

 21 inches in diameter near the base. The great beauty consists 

 not so much in the size of the plant as in the density and 

 luxuriance of the main branches, and the drooping character 

 of the branchlets — a beauty of which even a photograph gives 

 little idea unless looked at through a proper glass. Proceeding 

 north-westward we come to a beautiful summer-house close 

 to the boundary, from which fine views are obtained of Brandon 

 Hill, side views of Saddle Mountain, with cottages on the cul- 



: 



'""I a' 'iM Wirr i iiia nf J miT'i 



