FLORA 



AND SYLVA. 



Vol. II. No. 21.] 



DECEMBER, 190 4. 



[Monthly. 



TREBAH. 



Along the southern shore of Cornwall, 

 a district favoured by an exceptionally 

 genial climate, are situated many beau- 

 tiful gardens replete with rare and tender 

 shrubs and plants, natives of Australia, 

 New Zealand, Chili, Peru, and other 

 foreign climes, growing in robust heal th, 

 and so attractive yet so diverse are the 

 individual charms of each garden that it 

 is difficult to admit a preference for any. 

 For the natural beauty of its grounds, 

 however, none can excel Trebah, the 

 residence of Mr. E. Backhouse. Distant 

 about eight miles from Falmouth, the 

 house stands at the head of alittle valley, 

 which slopes due south down totheblue 

 waters of Helford River,while on the op- 

 posite shore rises a wooded hil l crowned 

 by the towers of Bosahan. The sloping 

 sides of the valley are steep and irregular 

 in outline and, being well covered by 

 trees, the lower levels are amply pro- 

 tected from both east and west winds. 

 This spot offers a happy home for sub- 

 tropical plants and shrubs, of which full 

 advantage has been taken, with the result 

 that many fine examples of rare plants 

 are to be met with growing with unac- 

 customed vigour in this sheltered sanc- 

 tuary. Amongst the trees are a Portu- 



gal Laurel 60 feet in height, Arauca- 

 ria Cunninghami 40 feet, Cupressus 

 Knightiana 3 o feet, a fine Sequoia (Wi ?/- 

 lingtonid), Picea pungens glauca, Picea 

 bracteata, and an Acacia dealbata of 

 40 feet. The front of the house is covered 

 with flowering climbers, which include 

 Tacsonia mollissima — flowering and 

 fruiting freely, T. Van Volxemii, Bou- 

 gainvillea speciosa, Cobea scandens, Cas- 

 sia corymbosa — which has veiled nearly 

 the whole of agable-end, and Ivy-leaved 

 Pelargonium Madame Crousse, whose 

 salmon-pink flowers have reached the 

 eaves. Of Acacias, besides the large 

 specimens of A. dealbata^ I noted A. 

 cultriformis, 6 feet in height and as much 

 across, on a trellis in the open garden ; 

 A. lophantha, 1 2 feet in height and of 

 the same diameter, with a smaller speci- 

 men hard by ; A. verticillata, and A. 

 longifolia. A great rarity is a healthy 

 young example of the Cape Silver Tree 

 (JLeucadendron argenteum)^ rather un- 

 der 5 feet in height, which has been out 

 two winters and is making a number of 

 healthy shoots. Fremontia calij 'omica 

 forms abush 6^ feethigh,and JLavatera 

 assurgentifolia a shrub 7 feet in height 

 and as much through. Standing in an 

 isolated position on the lawn is the finest 



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