176 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Angnst 80, 1877. 



gome idea of their nature. The beds are in duplicate — some 

 round, others oblong. They are all carpeted with the smooth 

 green Mentha (II. Paleginm gibraltariea). How suddenly 

 popular has thi6 plant become ! How marvellous has been its 

 increase ! No plant, not even Golden Feather, established 

 its position as a general favourite more quickly. But what 

 beside the Mentha ? Let juBt one bed be noticed as an 

 example, an oblong bed 20 feet loDg by about 12 feet wide. 

 The carpet of this square is Mentha. From the centre of 

 the bed rises another bed about 4 or 5 feet long and 3 wide ; 

 it is distinctly above the Mentha level. The sides — the batter 

 — being planted with two tiers of Echeveria secunda glauca, 

 with an inner row, just on the level, of the green Semper- 

 vivum arvense. The surface of the bed ia divided into longi- 

 tudinal panels with curved lines of Echeverias, the interspaces 

 being filled with Alternantheras. In the centre is a plant 

 of Sempervivum tabulseforme in a narrow ring of Golden 

 Feather. At each end of the raised square and at proper 

 distances from it are two round beds raised above the Mentha 

 in the same manner. They are 3 feet in diameter. The 

 edges and centres are the same as in the Bquare elevation. 

 In the body of each centre is formed a star, the rays being of 

 Echeverias and narrow wire-like lines of Golden Feather, the 

 interspaces being filled with Alternantheras in brilliant colour, 

 with a single plant of Pachyphyton in each Epur. The effect 

 is rich yet ohaste. The other beds are of the same character, 

 but with a different and well-wrought-out geometrical pattern 

 in the carpet of Mentha. The narrow golden streaks of Pyreth- 

 rum in these beds have a cheerful effect. "Don't like yellow 

 in carpet beds," does someone mutter ? Well, others do, and 

 even those who do not are provided for: for leave this bril- 

 liant example of flower gardening and follow a twisting walk 

 between the shrubs, stealing a glimpse in passing through the 

 vistas and admiring the Bcenery beyond — richly clad mounds 

 of foliage, smooth dells, and glistening water scenes, and you 

 arrive at another group of beds with not a flower in them, and 

 no yellow foliage. Here note the luxuriance of the " tropicals " 

 — the Wigandias, Cannas, Indiarubbers, Loquats, &c, and the j 

 Fern-like masses of Acacia lophantha. Look at the quiet 

 carpet bed at your feet — no colour there, all is neutral. The 

 carpet is of Sedum glaucum dotted with Cactuses, Haworthias, 

 Gasterias, and dwarf Aloes. Does that please ? " Too tame " 

 is it, Mr. Hyperergic ? Well, pass on, there is much to admire 

 en route — the trees, the shrubs, and the " peeps " between 

 them, and yet another series of carpet beds compels a pause. 

 The beds are nearly all round, and all are planted differently, 

 some soft, some gay, but all beautiful. Describe them. No, 

 an emphatic no. Go and see them and — find fault. Look at 

 the central bed — the scroll. It is called the " jewel bed "—a 

 happy name, for the small bright designs and single plants at 

 wide intervals in the broad green expanse of Mentha render 

 the name appropriate. 



No doubt many turn from these beds with a feeling of dis- 

 appointment. Why ? Because they cannot produce the like at 

 home ; and why not ? Let Mr. Mclntyre answer. He has been 

 a successful gentleman's gardener, and now he is a successful 

 Government park superintendent, but he admits readily and 

 willingly that as a private gardener he could not achieve such 

 high-class decorative results. In a gentleman's garden a 

 hundred things require attention ; the resources are divided, 

 and decoration and bedding can only have its share. Here in 

 the Park it is the one object, and all the resources, all the 

 conveniences, all the skill are devoted to that object, hence 

 success. It is only fair to mention this. Tet let all visit the 

 parks of London who can do bo, for they will gain from them 

 many a hint that will serve them well in their home duties. 



Much more in Victoria Park deserves to be noticed — many 

 excellent isolated beds. In one the new dark green carpet 

 plant Herniaria glabra, or rather an old plant devoted to a 

 new purpose. It is hardy, close-growing, and a rich full green. 

 The rockery so varied with alpine gems, CactUBes, Aloes, Hy- 

 drangeas, Palms, and Monsteras ; the groves and avenues all 

 merit inspection and approval, but the mere recording of them 

 must now suffice. 



The whole of the plants employed are raised and wintered 

 in small houses in the Park. In the summer the houses are 

 occupied with ornamental-foliaged plants, such as Caladinms, 

 Coleusee, &c, with the laudable object of decorating the rooms 

 and tents in which the thrifty inhabitants of the district hold 

 their little exhibitions of window plants and florist flowers. 

 The Colenses after serving their purpose are destroyed, and 

 the Caladinms are placed under the stages, so that they do not 



occupy useful space during the winter. Mr. Mclntyre takes 

 great pleasure in thus aiding his neighbours, and he speaks 

 approvingly of the prudential habits of many of the industrial 

 classes at the " east end," adducing as proof the following 

 fact which is highiy worthy of being recorded. Near the Park 

 is a noble hospital for diseases of the chest, supported by volun- 

 tary contributions. In order to support this institution, and 

 at the same time to command its benefit, workmen's clubs are 

 established in the locality, the members of which contribute 

 their pence weekly until sufficient accumulates to purchase a 

 life governorship. The members then ballot for the purpose 

 of deciding who shall represent them as life governor. It is a 

 most commendable system, and an honour to the district of 

 Bethnal Green. Bethnal Green is really a " green " now and 

 something more. Formerly a waste, a receptacle for broken 

 pots and refuse, it is now an attractive square with lawns, walks^ 

 and flower beds. It was levelled, laid out, and planted by 

 Mr. Mclntyre, who has done his work admirably. The shrubs 

 and trees are growing freely, although a smoky miBt hangs 

 over them almost daily, and a spacious and ornamental 

 pleasure ground is now established. 



Victoria Park is highly worthy of a visit by all who are 

 desirous of seeing effective and artistic flower garden deco- 

 ration, and an inspection of the beds will repay for even a 

 very long journey. It is best reached by rail from the Liver- 

 pool Street station, booking to Cambridge Heath. Many err 

 by going from Broad Street to the Victoria Park station, which 

 is a long distance from the flower beds. 



The Superintendent of this Park, like most able men, can 

 afford to be generous, and he is desirous that the experienced 

 head gardener at the Park, Mr. Bullen, should have his full 

 share of the credit which is due to him for the manner in 

 which the decorations are carried out. — J. W. 



NEW KOSES. 



I seldom: buy these on weak stocks, as my situation is so 

 exposed and unsuitable for infants. The best that I have seen 

 lately are Queen of Waltham and the Star of Waltham. They 

 are very good and specially suitable for exhibiting. They are 

 on weak stocks, and have done wonderfully well for plants on 

 weak stocks. I have ordered six of each on strong Manetti 

 stocks to be reserved for me in the autumn, which I should 

 not have done had they not been worthy. Till Roses are put 

 on strong and suitable stocks and are established in the soil 

 we cannot tell their full merits. It strikes me that new Roses 

 are often written "up" or written "down" — according to 

 fancy, or favouritism, or non-favouritism — before they have 

 emerged from the weakness of infancy. Some raisers cannot 

 do right, and some cannot do wrong. — W. F. Radclxffe. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 Me. Nathan Cole has received the following letter from 

 Balmoral, dated August 25th, 1877 : — " Major-General Pon- 

 sonby is commanded by the Queen to thank Mr. N. Cole for 

 the copy of his work on the 'Royal Parks and Gardens of 

 London ' which he has presented to Her Majesty." 



Accounts continue to reach us from various districts 



on the great virulence of the Potato disease. We can offer no 

 better means of limiting the injury than by spreading the 

 tubers very thinly in sheds and covering them with dry sand, 

 to exclude the air and absorb the moisture. A correspondent 

 suggests dusting them with lime — an experiment which may 

 be easily tried, which cannot do harm and may do good. 

 Potatoes which are infected are better left in the ground for a 

 time until the weather is cooler, than being taken up and 

 stored thickly in heaps, where they often heat rapidly and 

 decay speedily. 



Much damage has been done in various districts by 



recent stobsis asd floods. A Lancashire correspondent writes 

 that " flower gardens are despoiled of their beauty and the 

 plants are seriou^y broken and injured. In the low-lying dis- 

 tricts gardens have been flooded, and many acres of Potatoes 

 and other crops have been underwater." In the south showers 

 heve been frequent, and the flowers in the London parks have 

 lost their brilliancy. The carpet beds, however, look as bright 

 as ever. The Potato disease is spreading, green crops grow- 

 ing, and weeds where undisturbed are making considerable 

 progress. 



Mb, Mowbbat, gardener to the Earl of Leven and 



