December 15, 1870. 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



473 



even heard of the seeds being parched and used as a substitute 

 for coffee, but we now read that in America they are used for 

 making chocolate (so called) ; for this purpose they are beaten 

 up in a mortar, and the mass compressed into cakes, and it is 

 said to form a most agreeable chocolate without a particle of 

 true cocoa. More than this, the Americans prepare the seeds 

 as a dessert sweetmeat by parching them and beating them up 

 with sugar. 



PORTRAIT OF MR. RIVERS. 



The following additional subscriptions have been received : — 



£ s. d. 



Grundy, Robert, E?q., Bury, Lancashire 10 6 



Lee, Mr. George, Glevedon, Bristol 5 



Prout, John, Esq., Sawbridgeworth 1 1 



Spencer, John, E3q., Bowood 1 1 



Steggatt, F. C, Esq., Weymouth 1 1 



Wise, Thomas, Esq., Boston 110 



NOTES MADE DURING A TOUR IN IRELAND. 



No. 4. 

 THE VICE-REGAL LODGE, PHCENIX PARK. 



Nest to royalty — royalty itself in Ireland — is the Lord-Lieu- 

 tenant, and it is meet he should enjoy a royal abode. Such is 

 the Vice-Regal Lodge, situated in the middle of the noble 

 Phcenix Park ; no better spot could be found, for it commands 

 fine and extensive views of the Park in all its varied beauty, 

 and of the surrounding country, with the Dublin mountains and 

 other hills in the distance. The building is plain but elegant, 

 substantial, and large. The private policies and gardens are of 

 considerable extent, finely furnished with tree3, tastefully laid 

 out, and pretty well maintained. 



In the immediate front of the Lodge a square portion of 

 about two acres bounded on three sides, south, east, and west, 

 by a low balustrade wall, is very beautifully designed as an or- 

 namental flower garden. There is a massiveness, a width, and 

 character about this in perfect harmony with the building that 

 I liked very much; moreover, it was skilfully and tastefully 

 planted, and in perfect keeping, which made it quite pleasing 

 to look upon, and it reflected much credit on Mr. Smith, the 

 very excellent and intelligent gardener. 



The accompanying sketch, for which I am indebted to Mr. 

 Smith, will give a far better idea of it than any mere descrip- 

 tion. Only one half of the design is here shown, as the other 

 is precisely the same. 



The Vi°e-Regal Lodge (a), a photograph of which is shown, 

 stands on a flat plateau of grass, with a long broad gravel 

 walk in front, and another walk leading from the portico, 

 b, through the centre to another broad raised terrace walk 

 against the low balustrade wall on the opposite side, which 

 forms a beautiful promenade, overlooking the Park on the one 

 side, and the flower garden, with the Lodge, on the other. 

 That which make3 this so extremely pleasant to look upon is 

 the great breadth of open and well-kept green grass, and the 

 simplicity of the design. How much more effective are these 

 plain oblong beds when planted, and how much more easily 

 and effectively can they be planted, than those narrow, sharp- 

 pointed figures that look so pretty on paper ! The great 

 number of pillar Irish Yews placed at regular distances along 

 the sides of the main walks, as represented by the little circles, 

 also give the design a very distinct and rather elegant character. 

 Along the balustrade walls numerous vases are plaoed, which 

 were beautifully filled with Scarlet Pelargoniums and other 

 flowers. Mr. Smith, in order to make the plants in the vases 

 produce an immediate effect, adopts a practice which is worthy 

 of being more generally known. It i3 this — tins are made to 

 fit exactly into the interior of the vase, and are filled early in 

 the season with plants, which are kept in-doors until established ; 

 consequently when put in their places the plants produce an 

 immediate effect. 



It will be understood that the design is on grass; c denotes 

 gravel walks, which cut it up into squares ; d represents a grass 

 Slope; E e, vases ; f, a sundial in the centre. 



At the risk of being somewhat tedious, I shall attempt to give 

 some idea of the admirable manner in which this garden was 

 planted. Commencing at the portico, the oblong beds imme- 

 diately in front and stretching round the extremity of the 

 ground, measure about 30 feet by 15 feet. These have all a 

 very neat, trim, and beautiful edging of Cerastium tomentosum. 

 This cuts the connection, as Mr. Smith observed, between the 



green foliage of the plants and the grass, and gives the beds a 

 very dressy appearance, and a kind of uniform framework 

 throughout, which tells well from 'the windows, the proper 

 stand-point to judge from. These beds were all planted with a 

 considerable degree of uniformity, and yet in excellent contrast 

 with one another. After the Cerastium in each bed was a belt 

 2J feet wide all round of some suitable plant ; then the centres, 

 24 feet by 8, were planted with something else. For example — 

 No. 29, which has its brother on the other side of the walk, was 

 planted thus — after the Cerastium, a belt of Lobelia speciosa, 

 dotted with plants of Echeveria metallioa, then another thin 

 line of Cerastium, and the centre Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium. 

 This was very fine. No. 30 had for the centre Pelargonium 

 Amy Hogg, one of the most pleasing and effective of all, and 

 greatly admired in Ireland ; then a belt of Mangles's Variegated, 

 mixed with a few pink Verbenas, and the grey edging. No. 31, 

 centre Pelargonium Madame Rudersdorff, a belt of Golden 

 Chain, and the grey edge. No. 32, centre Pelargonium Cybister, 

 and a belt of Flower of Spring, with the grey edging. From 

 No. 33 to No. 41 the style of planting the beds was somewhat 

 different. The centres were planted with one colour as in the 

 others, the belt portion in oblique bands of colour at about the 

 angle of 45° from the graBS, so selected as to contrast well with 

 each other. When the materials are well chosen as to colour, 

 Sea., and both grow of a uniform height, this looks well, otherwise 

 it has a very untidy irregular appearance. One or two examples 

 may suffice. Take No. 41.— Centre Pelargonium Excellent, 

 then diagonal or oblique bands alternately of Calceolaria Anrea 

 floribunda and Ireeine Herbstii. This looked well, but Cal- 

 ceolarias being such fickle " cattle " now, it i3 hardly safe to 

 trust to them. No. 40. — Centre Pelargonium Christine, diagonal 

 bands alternately of the silvery Centaurea candidissima, and a 

 good variety of dark-leaved Beet ; these contrasted admirably, 

 and both colours harmonised well with the pink Pelargoniums 

 in the centre. No. 36 had in the centre Calceolaria amplexi- 

 caulis, and diagonal bands of the dark-leaved Perilla and Pe- 

 largonium Lord Rokeby, with the grey edge of Cerastium, as 

 in each of the others. No. 37. — The two extreme corner beds 

 were planted with a few sub-tropical plants by way of trial, 

 such as Wigandias, Solanums, Cannas, and Castor-oil Plants. 

 These, although they had grown pretty well, had but a shabby 

 appearance ; the situation is far too exposed for these plants. 

 Glancing now at the centre, or at the centre of either side, 

 where the beds form three concentric circles, there was a very 

 pretty display, although not so pleaBing on the whole a3 the 

 other parts. Nos. 1 and 3 were planted thus — Calceolaria am- 

 plexicaulis, edged with Pelargonium Crystal Palace Scarlet. 

 Nos. 2 and 4, Governor, edged with Centaurea candidissima, 

 which was very effective. No. 5, Indian Yellow, edged with 

 a light-coloured Pansy. No. 6, Calceolaria Prince of Orange, 

 edged with Calceolaria Aurea floribunda. No. 7, Pelargonium 

 Lady Constance Grosvenor, edgod with Flower of Spring. 

 No. 9, Clipper, edged with a yellow Pansy. Jn the outer circle, 

 Nos. 17 and 25, Verbena Purple King, edged with Cerastium 

 tementosum; 18 and 26, Pelargonium Silver Nosegay, edged 

 with IreBine Herbstii ; and No. 22, Pelargonium Madame Barre, 

 edged with Centaurea candidissima compacta, were only at- 

 tractive. Several of the others were filled" with such as Pelar- 

 gonium Lady Cullum edged with Lady Plymouth, and Flower 

 of Spring edged with Iresine Herbstii, the plant which in Ire- 

 land takes the place of the Coleus Verachaffelti. In the vases, 

 which were chiefly filled with Pelargoniums, Governor proved 

 the most effective scarlet. This is a decided improvement on 

 Punch. Excellent is also very effective and suitable. 



Such was the arrangement during the past summer, and it 

 wa3 a good one, doing Mr. Smith much credit. A great im- 

 provement might, however, be easily effected here, which 

 would materially enhance the appearance, and that would be 

 by the addition of a couple of fountains placed in the centre of 

 the circular part. The appearance of water in a hot summer 

 day, with the green graes and pretty flowers, has a most pleasing 

 effect on the senses. Let us hope that some liberal Lord- 

 Lieutenant may make the trial. 



After these summer occupants have gone, the beds and vases 

 are immediately filled with spring-flowering plants, such as 

 edgings of Cerastium and Silene pendula, Hyacinths, Crocuses, 

 Myosotis dissitiflora, Calandrinia, Pansies, Wallflowers, Au- 

 brietias, Narcissus poeticus, Tulips of all shades, Nemophilas, 

 Saponaria calabrica, and Daisies. On this part, however, it is 

 not my purpose to dilate at present, but I hope to return to it 

 on some future occasion. Judging by the splendid materials 

 in preparation for next spring's display, I should say it will be 



