214 



JOURNAL OP HOETICULTUEB AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ September 13, 1877. 



tion, ie one of dignity and grandeur. The chief residence of 

 a long line of British monarchs is typical of the kingdoms 

 which owe allegiance to the British crown — strong yet peaceful, 

 and varied in elements of fertility and beauty. The views 

 both from the terrace and on it are such as to command admi- 

 ration, such too as are enjoyed not by the Royal Family alone, 

 but also by thousands of Her Majesty's subjects, for the terrace 

 is open to the public on the afternoons of Saturdays and 

 Sundays, a privilege which again typifies the most cherished 

 treasure of the nation — freedom. 



From the commanding eminence is seen on the one hand 

 the Crystal Palace at Sydenham and the Box Hills, and on 

 the other the distant woods of Stanmore and Cliveden. The 

 great schools of Eton and Harrow are still nearer, embowered 

 in the foliage of a boldly undulated and richly wooded dis- 

 trict. Towards the south the Broad Walk with its noble 

 avenue of magnificent Elms stretches away into the distance, 

 and to the north the precipitous side of the hill on which the 

 Castle stands forms one of Nature's bold terraces, which the 

 one on which we Btand, grand as it is as a work of art, is puny 

 by comparison. This, the eastern terrace, the Eoyal flower 

 garden, is about 3 acres in extent, and is semicircular in form. 

 The Broad Walk, which nest the Ca6tle is of course straight, 

 is continued round the enclosure and close to the embattle- 

 ments. From this elevated walk flights of steps conduct to 

 the level of the garden — the plateau of flowers below. The 

 Blope of the terrace between the flights is of turf, as is the 

 general level of the garden, soft and fine, and in the highest 

 condition of keeping; two broad gravel walks also intersect 

 the enclosure. In the centre of the garden is a fountain, but 

 not a majestic one ; by the sides of the walks are several ex- 

 amples of statuary ; on the lawn are specimen shrubs and 

 Conifers, and on the north Bide near one of the entrances is 

 an orangery ; the other entrance is at the corresponding corner 

 of the Castle, the south side. The orangery is placed on the 

 lowermost ground of the terrace, and towards this structure the 

 lawn has rather a bold slope, on which are beds planted wholly 

 with hardy Heaths. Mr. Jones some time ago suggested the 

 erection of another structure near the orangery for the display 

 of ornamental plants, and it is a little singular that when his 

 plan of the proposed alteration was being considered and com- 

 pared with Borne old plans of the terrace, it was found that a 

 Bimilar addition had been proposed eighty years ago, so similar 

 that there was only 6 inches difference between the widths of 

 the houses which had been suggested in the two instances. A 

 want of time for consideration of the matter cannot therefore 

 be urged as an excuse that a structure suitable for beautiful 

 plants worthy of being associated with this beautiful terrace 

 is not yet erected. 



The floral decorations of the terrace are varied, and on that 

 account are the more enjoyable. A long narrow border near 

 the western boundary wall contains old-fashioned plants — 

 garden (not exhibition) Eoses, Antirrhinums, Phloxes, Migno- 

 nette, &c. The flower beds on the lawn are of considerable 

 size and appropriately plain in shape; they are extremely 

 attractive. Most of the beds contain shrubs and Conifers, 

 Yews in variety, EetinoBporas, Thujas, Euonymuses, &c. Be- 

 tween the shrubs are planted such rather tall-growing plants 

 as Ageratums, Pentstemons, and Petunias, surrounded with 

 Geraniums and edged with dwarfer plants of contrasting 

 colours. The most effective Geranium on the terrace is 

 Waltham Seedling ; its profusion of crimson trusses are rich 

 and glowing. Trentham Eose is also well and worthily grown, 

 for its soft yet cheerful colour is very pleasing. As a scarlet 

 Vesuvius is employed, and as a rosy pink Mrs. William Paul. 

 Some of the most effective combinations in the terrace garden 

 were centres of Ageratums interspersed with shrubs, with a 

 broad and brilliant band of Waltham Seedling Geranium and 

 an edging of Geranium Manglesii mixed with Lobelias. A 

 centre of Cineraria maritima, band of Irefine, and edgings of 

 Golden Feather and Lobelias had a fine effect. In one portion 

 of the terrace are examples of carpet bedding, which looks 

 attractive enough when closely examined, but it is not nearly 

 eo well adapted for the position as is the grouping of flowers 

 in large masses and distinct colours. The many shrubs in the 

 beds and specimens on the lawn require more supporting 

 power than carpet bedding affords, and they also at the same 

 time effectively prevent the bold masses of flowers from being 

 in any degree overpowering. Near Her MajeBty's apartments 

 Mignonette is growing freely, a sweet simple flower which is 

 now absent from many flower gardens of lesser note than this. 

 The effect produced by the skilful grouping of trees and shrubs 



is quite worthy of the fine terrace on which they are disposed., 

 while the perfume from the older flowers — Eoses, Phloxes, and 

 Mignonette, render this beautiful flower garden additionally 

 delightful. 



From the terrace a broad drive leads through the Home 

 Park, leaving Frogmore House on the right and the Eoyal 

 dairy on the left, and conducts to the gardens. Near the 

 Castle several acres of the park are kept as a lawn. The 

 drive for a short distance ie near the edge of the great natural 

 terrace, where glimpses are obtained of the slopes below. For 

 quiet, secluded, romantic scenery the slopes of Windsor are 

 pre-eminent. At the bottom of the great dell a cool stream 

 meanders, reached by a series of twisting walks on the other- 

 wise precipitous side of the declivity, which is probably 200 to 

 300 feet deep. The trees in this dell are thick and luxnriant : . 

 and Ferns flourish in their congenial home. A rockery of con- 

 siderable extent is also formed, and from amidst the boulders 

 dwarf Pinuses, Ferns, and other plants spring, while a stream- 

 let trickles down its rugged bed. 



The park, between the slopes and the gardens, contains some 

 magnificent trees. Elms predominate. There are also old 

 Oaks— historical treeB, and thriving Wellingtonias. The drives 

 through the park are many miles in extent ; they are emooth, 

 clean, and in excellent order, and the grass is kept as a lawrt 

 for 4 or 5 feet from the gravel. The labour incurred in the 

 keeping of these extensive drives and their Emooth green 

 margins led Mr. Jones to devise a means of expediting the 

 work, or in other words in having it better done and at less 

 cost than could be effected by mere animal and manual labour-, 

 and he has succeeded admirably. The rolling of the gravel 

 and the mowing of the side lawns is done by steam power. 

 A combined engine of eight-horse power was designed by Mr. 

 Jones, and constructed by Messrs. T. Green & Sons of Leeds. 

 This rolls the gravel better than any horse roller could do it., 

 and draws the mowing machine at the same time. It is 

 also constructed to act as a fire engine and to work at the saw 

 table. It iB found very valuable, and is a credit to the designer 

 and manufacturer. 



The kitchen gardens at Frogmore are very extensive ; the 

 forcing houses and pits are also on a scale of considerable 

 magnitude. The chief range of glass is 1132 feet long and 

 20 feet wide. The houses are neat, light, and durable. They 

 were constructed for use rather than ornament, yet their very 

 utility and good condition have a pleasing appearance. Every 

 house, too, is occupied. There is not an inch of glass toe- 

 much at Frogmore; indeed not nearly enough considering the 

 enormous demands for fruit, flowers, and vegetables, and a 

 large addition of glass is projected — something worthy of- 

 Eoyalty, and which it is hoped will be carried out. Formerly 

 much of the Castle decorations were done by professionals, but 

 now all the plants employed are grown in the Eoyal gardens.-, 

 and everything is done under Mr. Jones's supervision. All* 

 the fruit and vegetables and flowers required by the Eoyal 

 household, whether that be established at Windsor, Osborne., 

 or Balmoral, have to be grown at and sent from Frogmore. 

 That demand is enormous. Fruit has to be sent by the hun- 

 dredweight, and vegetables by the truckload, and flowers in 

 the same proportion. The great establishment is taxed to the 

 utmost, and the best of management is required to sustain the- 

 supply. Every corner of every bouse and pit is occupied in 

 the most profitable manner possible, and every inch of ground 

 is closely cropped. 



It is not necessary to refer in detail to the contents of the 

 several houses. The structure at the east end, which is highe? 

 than the general range, is a tropical plant house, containing 

 Bananas in a fruiting state and many ornamental-foliaged and 

 flowering plants. At the other end of the range is the Camellia 

 house ; and it is noteworthy that although the aspect is sontri 

 and the glass not Bhaded, that there is scarcely a scorched 

 leaf to be seen, but on the contrary the foliage is of the richest 

 green. That the plants receive the best of attention is unde- 

 niable. The remaining houses in the range are devoted to- 

 fruit culture — Vines, Peaches, and Plums. The fruit from 

 many of them has been cut and gathered. The Peach crop 

 has been good, as a remnant of it proves, a few remaining 

 Barrington Peaches weighing 10 ozs., and some have been 

 gathered of the extraordinary weight of 13 ozs. — right royal 

 Peaches as none can deny. The trees are in admirable con- 

 dition and contain not a semblance of red spider. Some of 

 the vineries are planted with young Vines, which are in an 

 excellent and highly promising state ; others are older, yet 

 bear valuable crops of useful fruit — valuable at least until ths 



