14 



King's House Gardens and Grounds. 



Mr. Thompson, Superintendent of Castleton Garden, was transferred to King's House to be avail* 

 able for supervision of work at the Exhibition grounds. He has been indefatigable in carrying out 

 my plans for the improvement of King's House grounds, and the formation of the Exhibition grounds. 

 The work in one place alone would have taxed the efforts of most men, but Mr. Thompson has worked 

 early and late with the greatest enthusiasm, and with a thoroughness deserving of the highest praise 



The following details are taken mainly from his Report. 



The extent of the Grounds, including Garden, Pastures, and Guinea Grass, amounts to 177 acres. 



A Fern H ouse was erected by the Public Works Department in 1889, to replace the one destroyed 

 by the last hurricane For want of a structure of the kind, the stock of Ferns necessary for house 

 decoration, &c, could not be maintained. This Fernery is 80 feet long, open in front. The roof is 

 supported on rough wooden pillars, it slopes upwards towards the back, and is thatched with palmetto. 

 In consequence of the dense shade of the ginep tree in front, this roof proved too dark, four large 

 windows were put in the roof, but even yet there is not sufficient light. The back of the house is 

 formed below of a stone wall, and above there are moveable windows and jalousies. The ferns are 

 planted in a series of rockeries formed against the wall, — the rockeries alternating with wooden stages 

 to support ferns in earthenware pots Several tree ferns have been brought from Castleton ; some 

 were potted in large tubs, and others were planted out in the borders. The latter have not done well 

 but those in tubs have succeeded. Probably the failure of those planted out was due to the want of a 

 sufficient amount of stones below the roots to ensure perfect drainage. Moss is wired round the stems 

 and if this is kept moist, by syringing, it is unnecessary to give much water at the roots 



A new Rose Garden has been made near the Fernery, but although 130 loads of good soil have 

 been carted to it ; it is still much too sandy. The walks were planted with Bahama grass. 



The trees in the avenue, the Willow Fig (Ficus benj amino) and the Royal Palm (Oreodoxa regia), 

 planted in 1881-82, with a few exceptions, had not grown with any vigour, in fact many died. This 

 was owing to the want of water. Water pipes were laid along the road in 1890 and the trees are 

 shooting out with a rapidity that gives great hopes for the future. A border of shrubs has been 

 formed between the road and the trees, covering a space 100 chains long by 18 feet wide, a breadth 

 of 2 feet next the road being a verge of Bahama grass. Most of the plants have come from Hope and 

 Castleton. When the shrubs grow to their full size, it is hoped that the border will not be more diffi- 

 cult to keep in order than the grass bank. The avenue road has been greatly improved ; it has been 

 relaid, and drains, culverts, and concrete bridges have been made by the Public Works Department. 



Wire fencing, 80 chains long, has been put up to keep stock off the drive, and six gates have 

 been fixed in the fence. 



Seventeen chains of iron fencing along the roads, near the house, had to be moved back to give 

 proper width for the new border. 



At the main entrance 5 chains of wire fencing have been repaired, and a dildo fence (Cereus Swartzii) 

 formed against it to keep stock out. The fence round the East Lodge has been taken away, and the 

 grounds dug, and planted with shrubs and Bahama grass. 



A trench leading towards the west gate, 6 chains long, and 2\ feet deep, has been made to carrv 

 water off the beds, when heavy rain falls. 



Four square chains have been dug, and planted with Bahama grass to form a Cricket Ground 

 and enclosed with 15 chains of wire fencing. 



Several large palms have been removed from various parts of the garden, where there were grow- 

 ing too thickly and planted in the space intended for a Palmetum ; the ground for which, 6 square 

 chains in extent, was dug up, and planted in Bahama grass ( Cynodon Dactylon.) 



Wire grass ( Paspalum Swartzianum J on quarter of an acre has been replaced with Bahama grass. 



All the lawns and verges have been carefully weeded, and vacant spots replanted. 



A hedge of foliage plants has been planted on one side of the house. 



The narrow walk that ran along the north side of the house has been done away with, and a 

 broader walk made a few feet to the north. The main walk in the garden has been widened; the soil 

 has been taken out of some part of it, and replaced by broken bricks and stones to prevent accumula- 

 tion of water. All the walks have been regravelled, they require constant weeding , the avenue road 

 is hoed once a fortnight. All the grass verges have been widened from 4 to 20 inches. 



The two beds in front of the dining room have been entirely replanted. The Croton bed on the 

 north side has also been replanted. All the borders have been forked, and manured several times. 



Several acres of the pastures have been billed, and the Guinea grass pieces kept in order. 



The Pinery has been cleaned several times during the year, and the pines have borne well. 



The drought necessitated a greut deal of extra labour in watering trees, shrubs, and flowers, and 

 I am glad to say there has only been a loss of a few small plants. 



Most of the Orchids have been repotted. The stock of pot plants has been considerably increased. 



After the completion of the Ball Room, a great deal of work had to be done in the way of remov- 

 ing soil from one place to another in order to make the ground level, and a grass terrace and a gravel 

 walk, each 6 feet wide were formed. 



The usual work of attending to the decorative plants in the house, carrying them to and fro, 

 watering, cutting flowers, decorating Ball Room, &e., was considerably increased during the Exhibi- 

 tion season. 



