JOURNAL OF HOETIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 2S, 1871. 



At the back of these beds are others of larger size, kidney- 

 shaped or BcroU-like, variously filled, some contaiEing Rhodo- 

 dendrons. Oce of the most striking consists of Canna Biborelli, 

 a bold-leaved sort v?ith orange-red flowers, and Canna discolor, 

 carpeted with Coleus, and edged vrith a dark-leaved Beet ; 

 another pleasing bed is of Coleus Terschaii'elti, intermixed with 

 Centaurea eandidissima, edged with the golden-variegated form 

 of Enonymus japonicns, and margined with Eeheveria secunda 

 glauca. 



Turning back now, and making a fresh start eastwards along 

 the Drive, we find a series of small circles round standards of 

 Eobinia inermis, similar to those just described, and for the 

 most part similarly filled ; and farther back a number of va- 

 riously-shapen beds. In the intervening spaces are plunged, 

 care being taken to secure ample drainage by a bottoming of 

 brickbats, Sea., or placed in tubs, Palms, Bananas, Dracsnas, 

 and other ornamental-leaved plants. The finest of these are 

 Chamferops excelsa, Fortunei, andhamilis ; Latania borbonica, 

 Monstera deliciosa ; noble specimens of Seaforthia elegans and 

 robusta, two of the most beautiful Palms that occur in the 

 whole arrangement, or, in fact, that could be employed ; Phre- 

 ■ nix dactylifera, P. reclinata, the Variegated New Zealand Flax 

 quite equal to some of our best exhibition specimens, many 

 line plants of Dracrena indivisa, and two or three speci- 

 mens of the magnificent Abyssinian Banana, Musa Ensete. 

 The last-named are aU that can be desired as regards 

 growth, but the leaves are much torn by the wind, showing 

 its nnsuitabOity for all but the most sheltered positions, and 

 there it has a grand eliect. Kindred plants to this in appear- 

 ance, though not in size, are Musa superba and Strelitzia 

 angusta, which have their foliage uninjured by wind. Among 

 the beds at the back the most noticeable are one of Caladium 

 esculentum, carpeted with Tradescantia zebrina, and edged with 

 the prettily blotched Farfagiim grande ; then an arrangement 

 in which are two heart-shaped beds with Dracsna indivisa in 

 the centre, surrounded with Alternanthera amrena, dotted alter- 

 nately with Sedum Fabaria, edged with Golden Feather Py- 

 rethrum, and marglne.1 with Eeheveria secunda glauca. These 

 beds, and others lifee them, are the perfection of horticultural 

 mosaic work. So even in heigbs, so brilliant in colour, and 

 yet so chaste, it is diflieult to conceive how they were produced. 

 We know the Alternanthera is dwarf, but we know the Sedum 

 is not so dwarf — but Mr. Gibson informed ns that he struck 

 the ends of the flowering shoots of the Sedum, which was easily 

 efifeeted, and thus produced a nondescript plant and an effect 

 which cannot be too much praised. Mr. Gibson makes no 

 secret of the means which he adopted — he wonld not resort to 

 " a dodge," but the means used to secure the end may be 

 worth knowing, and imitated extensively with the best results. 

 Intervening between the two be3s just alluded to is one of 

 iJegonias, carpeted with Tradescantia zebrina, edged with a 

 bronze-leaved Pelargonium, and margined with Mesembry- 

 -anthemum lingnnm, a thick, fleshy-leaved species with large 

 jeUow flowers. The next arrangement is four half-moon beds 

 •of Purple King Verbena, GclJea and Bronze Pelirgoniums, 

 surrounding a circle of that pretty little ornamental Grass 

 Dactylis glomerata variegafa, edged with Echeverias. Then we 

 come to a fine heart-shaped bed of Eucalyptus globulus, India- 

 rubber, and Musa superba, carpeted with Coleus Verschafieiti, 

 edged with Salvia argentea, and margined with Eeheveria 

 metallica. At the opposite end are two more heart-shaped 

 beds, one of which consists of Iresine Herbstii in excellent 

 condition, with the pretty and useful white-edged Euonymus 

 radicans variegatus as an edging ; and in another plants of 

 Musa superba are plunged. Some Rhododendron beds here 

 are interspersed with Acacia lophantha and Aralia papyrifera, 

 which serve to relieve the outline of the Rhododendrons while 

 not in flower. The next arrangement is four demi-lunes of 

 dwarf bronze-leaved Geraniums, interspersed with Viola cor- 

 nuta, having for its centre a circle of Fuchsias panelled with 

 dark and light kinds alternately. These are surrounded with 

 Iresine Lindeni, which is everywhere very efiective, edged with 

 Golden Feather Pyrethrum, and margined on the ramp of the 

 bed with Eeheveria secunda glauca. 



We now turn westward along the north side of Rotten Row, 

 finding plunged on our way fine specimens of Dracaena indivisa. 

 One of the first and most striking beds we come to is Caladium 

 esculentnm, carpeted with Coleus nigricans, and edged with 

 Centaurea acanthifolia, with leaves beautifully cut. At the 

 back of this is a large bed of Ferdinanda eminens, one of the 

 most noble of the plants used in subtropical arrangements ; 

 and adjoining this are beds of Castor-oil Plants, carpeted with 



' Solanums, of Erythrina crista-galli, and of the scarlet-flowered 

 Canna Van Houttei, with the dwarfer bronze-leaved Canna 

 expansa nearer the edge of Golden Fleece Geraniums, with a 

 margin of Euonymus radicans variegatus. Passing on we come 

 to a pleasing circle of Solanum Warscewiczioides, with Cyperua 

 alternifolius as a carpeting, and at the back of it a large shrub- 

 bery diversified with Tritomas, Acacias, and Abutilons; then 

 to a circle of Cannas ; and, reaching the corner of the footpath 

 we find a half- moon of Wigandia caracassana, than which no 

 plant used in subtropical gardening is productive of a more 

 superb effect, noble in habit, and its leaves like the richest 

 fabrics of the loom. Like crimson- clad soldiers in line stands 

 a row of Chilian Beet, the leaf-stalks as well as the blades of 

 which are beautifully coloured, the one most brilliant, the other 

 of a rich but sombre greenish bronze. A bed of Solannm mar- 

 ginatum is singularly effective by its silvery foliage ; in fact, 

 this and S. robustum, of a rich cinnamon colour, are two of 

 the most effective of the genus — indeed, of subtropicals. Among 

 other beds here are one of Eucalyptus globulus, another of 

 the graceful Yucca recurva; others of Cannas Van Houttei, 

 limbata, Chatei, and expansa ; Castor-oil Plants ; Indian-rub- 

 bers ; Polymnia grandis, Caladium esoulentum, Aralia papyri- 

 fera, and Aralia Sieboldii, variously carpeted, chiefly with 

 Coleuses, edged with golden-leaved plants, and margined with 

 Echeverias and other succulents. As prominent among these 

 yellow-leaved edging plants must be mentioned Mesembryan- 

 themnm cordifolium variegatum, which here as elsewhere in 

 the bedding-ont has been used with the happiest effect, and 

 which can be safely recommended from the variety of situations 

 in which it is to be seen — under trees, in sun, and in shade — 

 as a most desirable plant where a dwarf cream yellow edging 

 is desired. 



At the east end of the Serpentine is a dell, in which there is 

 a mixed collection of plants — Tritomas, Cannas, Tuccas, Rho- 

 dodendrons, &c., near the water, and a bank of shrubbery 

 rising to the road above. The whole is neatly arranged, and it 

 is worthy of note that in the valley, with its roots almost in the 

 water, Aralia Sieboldi has stood the last two winters without 

 the loss of a leaf. The position is by no means sheltered, being 

 exposed to the fuU sweep of the east winds, though the plant 

 is a little screened from their force by being in a hollow ; yet 

 its low position near the water would be in the last degree un- 

 favourable to it in those severe frosts with which we in the valley 

 of the Thames are so often visitec', and the only conclusion to 

 be arrived at, is that Aralia Sieboldi (Uke the Aucuba japonica, 

 which was grown in a greenhouse when first introduced, and is 

 now known to be one of our hardiest shrubs), is much more 

 hardy than is generally supposed. 



We will now cross the Park to Stanhope Gate, between which 

 and the Marble Arch there is a long series of beds filled with 

 flowering plants and those remarkable for their leaf-colouring. 

 This portion of the Park, though considerably shaded by great 

 Plane trees, is simply a large flower garden, with the turf close- 

 shaven, like so much velvet, and of the brightest green. That 

 there are no brown patches is in a great measure due to the 

 use of the economical watering-hose on wheels, which, on being 

 connected with the supply pipe, affords without farther labour 

 a watering much more efficient than could be given by hand. 

 Not a fallen leaf could we see, not even the scattered fragments 

 of paper, the remains of fusee-boxes, and the numerous odds 

 and ends which are so often left to disfigure our public places ; 

 no, everything is as clean and as neat as in the best private 

 gardens to which the multitude have not access. Proceeding 

 from Stanhope Gate towards the Marble Arch, all the beds on 

 the right-hand side are edged with Golden Feather Pyrethrum, 

 and margined with the silvery Cerastium tomentosum, while 

 the circles on the left are edg'ed with Iresine Lindeni, one of 

 the finest of our new bedding plants, much more richly coloured 

 than I. Herbstii, and standing the weather well, the outer ring 

 or margin being neat rosettes of Eeheveria secunda glauca. 

 The long beds on the same side are edged with Iresine Lindeni, 

 with a margin of blue Lobelias and Dactylis glomerata varie- 

 gata planted alternately. The beds in this part are chiefly 

 masses of Calceolarias and Pelargoniums, the best of the latter 

 being Amy Hogg, Cybister, Chieftain, Mrs. Laing, Vulcan, 

 Lord Palmerston, and Waltham Seedling. The last-named 

 produces its dark crimson flowers in the greatest profusion, and 

 in this respect is evidently one of the very best. Forget-me- 

 not, deeper in colour than Christine, is scanty of bloom. Ex- 

 cellent, scarlet, is good. The only Calceolaria employed is 

 Gaines's Dwarf, and this, wherever it is met wi'.h, forms dense 

 masses of golden blossom, proving itself, here at least, to be 



