The a large part too. It seems as if the plants do not exhaust the 
Summer soil in the way they do with us—big clumps succeed, almost 
Wealth touching each other, and small plants spring up in front and 
of Flower flourish without that half starved appearance, which in our drier 
gardens they so often exhibit. 
Preston Hall garden, of which two pictures are given, is 
certainly an example of the amazing way in which herbaceous 
plants grow. I never saw a greater wealth of colour, or 
healthier looking plants, and yet they had remained undisturbed 
for years, and very little digging or manure could be given to 
the beds, as bulbs grew between all the tall summer flowers to 
blossom in the spring. At the end of July, or early in August, 
according to the season, one is greeted, on reaching the gate in 
the wall, by an entrancing vision of blue—a blue of a wonderful 
tone, the clear Cambridge colour and darker shades, without 
any intermingling of mauve or purple. Spire after spire of 
wonderful Delphiniums, eight and ten feet in height, stand 
in procession down the borders which lie on either side, filling 
the eye with beauty, and making it impossible for the moment 
to notice the other innumerable flowers of every description, or 
the screen of climbing plants which hides the fruit and vegetables 
lying beyond. ‘This screen must have seemed a brave project, 
when first erected. Strong square posts of great height are 
joined at the bottom by a trellis four or five feet high, and are 
connected at the top with chains which swoop from one post to 
another. These are now festooned with Ayrshire and other 
white Climbing Roses, Penzance Briars, Montana Clematis, and 
Spirza Ari@folia, this latter making a wonderful background 
of creamy white to many a bright flower. The Roses are in 
perfection at this time, and the palest blue Delphiniums are to 
52 
