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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 6, 1877. 



with twisted panels of Golden Feather, Leucophyton, and 

 Alternantheras, and edged with Euonymus radicans variegata. 

 They are effective, and suitable for the position they occupy. 

 A contiguous bed in striking contrast is a circular one planted 

 with specimen Bnonaparteas in a carpet of golden Stellaria. 

 It is both novel and attractive. Besides the Cannas some 

 other noticeable beds of stately plants are splendid Wigandias 

 and Aralias, edged with Petunias and Gazanias ; Acacia lo- 

 phantha and variegated Maize, edged with Geraniums and 

 Salvia argentea ; Polymnia grandis, with a charming edging of 

 Convolvulus mauritanicus ; Variegated Yuccas, mixed with Lan- 

 tanas and edged with Geraniums and large "rosettes" of 

 Sempervivums ; also Ricinuses and Lantanas, Polymnias and 

 Heliotropes, Grevilleas and Vitis heterophylla variegata, India- 

 orabber Plants, and a ground of Ireeine Lindeni and silvery 

 Artemisia. Such are a few of the large beds, to which the 

 same epithets apply — they are luxuriant, attractive, excellent. 



Some oblong and round carpet beds in this portion of the 

 Park are quiet in colour, clear in design, and chaste in appear- 

 ance. One long bed, wider at one end than the other, contains 

 a row of kite-shaped panels of Alternantheras, diminishing in 

 size from the wide to the small end of the bed. The panels 

 are banded with golden Stellaria and Cerastium, and the bed 

 da also margined with the Stellaria and Echeveria. The 

 angular space between the centre panels and the margin is 

 planted with small Eieinias and Sedum glaucum. Another 

 bed is of the same character, the panels, however, being filled 

 with small plants of Echeveria secunda glauca instead of the 

 JKleinia. Two round beds are also noticeable. One of them 

 has a flowing scroll-like tracery of Leucophyton and Golden 

 Feather, with panels of Alternanthera versicolor grandis and 

 A. amoena, a groundwork of the now familiar and popular 

 Mentha, the centre of the bed and also the margin being 

 planted with Sedum acre elegans — a very pleasing bed. 

 Another distinct bed is planted with four pear-shaped panels 

 of Alternanthera magnifica, banded with Golden Feather and 

 •edged the same as the bed last noted ; the interspaces between 

 the Sedum and the panels are filled with Mentha. A large 

 ■bed, chiefly planted with the Golden Elder, and another with 

 Brugmansias, are in bold contrast with the dainty carpet beds. 

 The arrangements noticed, with a few Geranium beds, speci- 

 men plants of Pampas Grass, Pomegranates and Yuccas, 

 render the decorations of this portion of the Park fully equal, 

 if not superior, to those of any former year. 



Passing to that portion of the Park where the picturesque 

 miniature lakes and islands are the chief attractions a few 

 points by the way demand notice. The first is " Fern Hollow." 

 The turf in this has been newly laid, and the specimens of 

 Tree Ferns, Cycads, Dracaenas, including D. Shepherdi ; Palms, 

 Pritchardia pacifica being especially fine ; a plant of Pothos 

 acaulis, with splendid foliage; Stag's-horn Ferns, &c, are 

 arranged with admirable taste. It is a charming " bit," but 

 not more so than the long vista of Ferns, &c, on the opposite 

 side of the walk. The turf here has also been renovated, and 

 the whole " forest scene " greatly improved. At the end of 

 the vista, which is about 50 yards long, is a plant of Musa 

 ensete, the irregular sides of the narrow shady grove being 

 -deeorated with Tree Ferns, Encephalartos, Palms, and Pan- 

 danuses. Immediately beyond this point is one of the nooks 

 ■or grassy recesses in the shrubs which render this Park so 

 delightful. At the end of the nook, which is flanked with fine 

 beds of Cannas edged with Funkias, is a magnificent plant of 

 Musa ensete. There is no more effective and really artistic 

 sxample of decoration in the Park than this is ; there is not 

 much of it, but what there is is excellent, perhaps because so 

 little effort is apparent for producing an " effect." 



Another group of carpet beds, two large oblongs and two 

 Tounds, arrest attention. They are real carpet beds — that is, 

 the soil has not been raised in one part and elevated in 

 another to produce an irregular surface. The oblongs are 

 very bright, such as a great number of visitors admire. Each 

 bed contains circular patches of Leucophyton Browni sur- 

 rounded with chains of Golden Feather, Alternanthera amcEna, 

 and Mentha. The extreme edge and also the angles between 

 the brighter colours are planted with Sedum acre elegans. 

 The large round beds have a star-like pattern of variegated 

 Geraniums as the central design, the angles being planted 

 with Alternantheras and Echeverias. These beds are edged 

 with Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum. The de- 

 corations in this division of the Park are very effective. Pro- 

 ceeding onwards, "Alpine Point" is reached with its green 

 valleys of Pyrethrum Tchihatchewi, a name which a corre- 



spondent of the Journal once observed he could not pronounce 

 without sneezing, and Leptenella scariosa, hillsides clothed 

 with CactuBes, Aloes, and alpine plants, the higher mounds 

 being planted with Antennaria tomentosa to resemble snow- 

 capped mountains. On the opposite side is a contrasting 

 bed of Ricinus Gibsoni ; another fine tropical bed having an 

 edging of Geranium anemonifolium, the large green palmate 

 foliage of which is distinct and attractive. Passing by Ivy- 

 clad banks a pause is made to admire a bright nook planted 

 semicircularly with the Golden Catalpa and Clematis Jack- 

 manni, with the yellow Canary Creeper associated with the 

 purple of the Clematis on the one hand and a fine bed of 

 Fuchsias on the other. Large plants of Fuchsias in shaded 

 places grow and flower well, and afford an acceptable change 

 from more gay and formal plants. The bed of them here is 

 admired by all visitors. 



There are yet the rockery to admire with its trickling cas- 

 cades — a long, cool, shady walk, the banks being covered with 

 roots and Ferns, and a bright example of flower and foliage 

 grouping on the side near the Thames — the refreshment gar- 

 den. The long semicircular border here is extremely gay with 

 groups of Geraniums, IreBines, and divisional lines of Golden 

 Feather, and a flowing arrangement of Lobelias, Alternan- 

 theraB, and Sedums. The corners of the borders are treated 

 in a particularly artistic manner, the ground being curved and 

 raised to represent some rich cornice work. The same mode of 

 decoration occurs in other parts of the border. The central 

 beds on the two narrow lawns are planted chiefly with sweet 

 flowers. The carpet beds here — three round beds with a con- 

 necting chain, represent what many consider as being the best, 

 as it is the most soft in appearance, carpet bedding in the 

 Park. The ground in the central circle is raised while the 

 end beds are hollowed-out like saucers. The effect is novel, 

 and the concentric lines of Mesembryanthemum and Leuco- 

 phyton have a chaste and admirable effect. Intricate patterns 

 are not the most pleasing, and mixing too many varieties in 

 the same bed is not the most effective mode of decoration, as 

 the excellent association of these two plants only in these 

 circular beds clearly proves. 



Such is Battersea Park in 1877. Once more the public are 

 more than satisfied, and Mr. Rogers's reputation is well sus- 

 tained. On leaving the Park a visitor observed, that " if the 

 people have such delightful places provided for them, what 

 must the Queen have ?" I will try to tell him. — J. W. 



GRAPES SHANKING. 



Can any of the numerous practical gardeners who read the 

 Journal of Horticulture Btate the reason why Grapes grown on 

 the open wall never shank ? I simply ask this question to elicit 

 the opinions of practical men. Why is this ? I have seen 

 Muscat of Alexandria, Grizzly Frontignan, Royal Muscadine, 

 WeBt's St. Peter's. Black Prince, and Black Hamburgh at 

 various places in Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire arrive at a 

 sufficient state of ripeness, and have not a trace of shanking 

 on a single bunch ; yet in some instances I know the roots 

 were not in the most favourable places to insure success. 



My idea is, that the temperature of the night is so much 

 lower than that of the day, that the plant has so far recruited 

 its energies and taken up a Btock of food for the forthcoming 

 day. The temperature on a south wall at midday is frequently 

 130° to 140°, and at night down to 55°, or as low as 50° at 

 times. This is a great range, but it is no more than an ordi- 

 nary Cabbage or Lettuce endures in the open ground. The 

 low night temperature enables the foliage to be completely 

 oharged with food, which has to be digested by the heat and 

 light of the day. — Inquikek. 



OUR BORDER FLOWERS— LEOPARD'S-BANE. 



Small as are the representatives of the family of Leopard's- 



bane they are, with the exception of two or three, anything 



j but common. The name of Doronicum has been altered from 



the Arabic name Doronigi, and the plant was said to have 



I been employed for the purpose of destroying wild animals, 



j hence its common appellation. In our day and country we are 



| happily free from tigers and the like marauders, yet Leopard's- 



' banes deserve more attention than they are at present receiving. 



Common in appearance they may be, but some of them in 



half-wild places and shady damp banksides afford us a grand 



display in the spring and early summer months. When esta- 



! blished, all they require is to be left alone ; they soon increase 



