316 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



April 20, 1912. 



colour, and at their best in March ami opj^jj^Q FLOWERS AT 



\pril There are numerous varieties, 

 nana, of dwarf habit, and alba, with white 

 flowers, being very distinct. The variety 

 hibernica is found w^ild in Ireland. 



Hybrids. 



E. mediterranea hybrida is doubtless a 

 hybrid between E. mediterranea and E. 

 carnea. It is \evy hardy, grows twelve to 

 sixteen inches high, spreads freely, and 

 bears reddish-purple flowers, usually from 

 November to May. It was later than 

 usual during the past winter in commenc- 

 ing to flower. 



E. Veitchi is another hybrid, the parents 

 in its case being E. arborea and E. lusi- 

 tanica. Intermediate between the two spe- 

 cies, it is exceptionally floriferous, and a 

 great acquisition. W. Dallimore. 



Kew. 



SPRING^SOWN LAWNS. 



Where ground has been levelled for a 

 lawn, and the soil is free from the seeds of 

 coarse grasses and other undesirable forms 

 of plant life, the best time in spring to sow 

 it with lawn grass s(mm1> is from the middle 

 to the end of April. The heavier soils are 

 colder than the lighter ones. Con^>equGntly, 

 the more tenacious mediums are better left 

 until the later date. In either case, advan- 

 tage should bo taken of a dry spell to work 

 the surface into a fine tilth, make good any 

 "slacks," and .secure uniformity in solidity 

 throughout. This is best attained by fork- 

 ing over the ground to a depth of about 

 three inches, then carefully treading with 

 the heels, to find out the weak parts, filling 

 these up, retreading, and raking till 

 the desired level and fineness of mould is 

 secured. In some instances, a roller will 

 be useful for breaking up lumps in the pre- 

 paration of the soil, even although it is use- 

 less for levelling oi- solidifying purposes, as 

 only the high and hard parts are affected 

 by it. 



Ordinary hay rakes are excellent imple- 

 ments for drawing over the ground, with 

 the teeth one inch deep in the soil, in pre- 

 paration for the seed, and when this is sown 

 then drawing cross-ways to cover it. A 

 heavy roller should be used on light soils, 

 and a light roller on 



the seed, and then a dusting of slaked lime 

 at the rate of about -ioz. to the square yard 

 should be given to the surface to protect 

 the seeds from birds. Besides being a good 

 protection for the seed, it also acts most 

 beneficially on the young plants by break- 

 ing up both organic and inorganic com- 

 pounds in the soil, neutralising acidity, 

 and providing a liberal supply of available 

 food to the seedling grasses. I always use 

 lib. of seeds to 30 square yards of ground, 

 but there will be no harm in allowmg more 

 than this, as the quality of a lawn is often 

 the result of the amount of seed employed. 



HiBERNIA. 



Alonsoa. incisif olia.— Some of the 



alonsoas are justly appreciated annuals, and 

 make a goodiV show out of doors during the 

 summer months. The species under notice 

 however of a more shrubby character, 

 and it is really a very valuable plant for 

 the decoration of the greenhouse during the 

 spring and summer months. It is naturally 

 of a freelv-branched habit of growth, and 

 the flowers, which are borne in great pro- 

 fusion, are disposed in dense spikes, and the 

 colour, a kind of orange-vermilion. is very 

 effective. Alonsoas are quite distinct from 

 any other occupants of the greenhouse, \\ith 

 an occasional stimulant the plants ot this 

 alonsoa will flower for months together, it 

 is as easily struck from cuttings as a fuch- 

 sia. — W. T. 



HAMPTON COURT. 



In the Garuenkks' Magazine for Septem- 

 ber 9 last vear a portrait was given of 

 Mr W. J. Marlow, the Supermtendent of 

 Hampton Court Park and Gardens. The 

 accompanying letterpress dealt with the 

 great and successful work that he has 

 carried out during his tenure of office, par- 

 ticular reference being made to the high 

 cla.ss of 1x)th the spring and summer bed- 

 ding, examples of which are often taken as 

 a model for other establishments. 



This season the spring bedding is again 

 splendid, and during Easter time it was 

 the admiration of thousands. AH tastes 

 and ideas are provided for, as numerous ex- 

 amples occur of bold masses of colour, as 

 well as most pleasing and harmonious com- 

 binations. 



Taking first the long border, which 

 stretches from the Palace to the limit ot 

 the gardens in the direction of Bushey 

 Park, a magnificent display is provided. 

 The principle there adopted is much the 

 same as that followed in the summer, 

 namely, the different flowering subjects are 

 arranged in masses or clumps, a sufficient 

 number of each being employed to form, 

 as it were, an object on which the eye can 

 rest. The following flowers are all very 

 freely represented-^hyacinths in various 

 colours, tulips just as numerous, wallflowers 

 of sorts, narcissi, polyanthuses, Aubrietia 

 Dr. Mules, very rich in its colouring, mus- 

 caris, forget-me-nots, double daisies of dif- 

 ferent sorts, etc., the whole being edged 

 with the double arabis, which, at Hamp- 

 ton Court, does not seem to be attacked 

 by pigeons as I have sometimes seen it. A 

 notable feature in this border is a group 

 of numerous plants of the double Japanese 

 cherry which in height forms quite a break 

 away from its associates. One more feature 

 in this border must on no account be passed 

 over, namely, a charming group of the 

 slender-growing Lady Tulip (Tulipa Clusi- 

 ana), whose flowers, though small compared 

 with those of the florists' varieties, are miich 

 admired. In colour they are white, with 

 a central stripe of red. 



Hampton Court Gardens have long been 

 famous for their strain of polyanthus, and 

 though probably owing to the excessively 

 hot and dry weather of last summer they 

 are, I think, not quite up to the standard 

 of some years, they are very beautiful, and 

 play an important part in some pleasing 

 combinations. Among the most proniinent 

 of these are yellow polyanthuses associated 

 with white and pink tulips, dark polyan- 

 thuses dotted over with Joost Van Vondel 

 crimson, and Joost Van Vondel white 

 tulips, yellow ix»lyanthuses plentifully 

 sprinkled over with Lady Palmerston tulip, 

 a semi-double satiny-rose flow^er. 



A particularly striking betl, in fact, 

 looked upon by some as the most attrac- 

 tive of all, has a groundwork of bright yel- 

 low Alyssum saxatile overtopped by the 

 blush Hyacinth Van der Hoop, above which 

 stand numerous well-flowered and brightly- 

 coloured examples of Dielytra spectabilis. 

 Another bed, lowly in stature, but very 

 pretty and uncommon, is planted with Auri- 

 cula King of the Yellows and Primula Sie- 

 boldi the whole being sprinkled over with 

 Tulip Cottage Maid. Wallflowers are freely 

 represented, and, in some instances, are 

 very fine, but personally I do not care for 

 those of dull undecided tint». One bed is, 

 however, at a distance very quaint, bemg 

 planted with Wallflower Eastern Queen and 



the pale yellow Primrose Dame has as a 

 companion the orange-scarlet Tuhp Grace 

 Darling. Other combinations worthy 



mention are Hvacinth 



espe 



Maitre, blue, and pink Tulip Cottage Maid, 

 over a carpet of double white arabis; Hya- 

 cinths, Fabiola, rosy-red, and La Franchise, 

 blush,\vith single wdiite arabis ; Hyacinths, 

 Leonides, blue, and La Grandesse, white, 

 springing from a bed of double arabis; a 

 carpet of Aubrietia Dr. Mules and large 

 white daisies, with an overgrowth of Xar- 



uncommon 

 forget-me- 

 Gertrude, 



of 



Grand 



cissus Madame de Graaff, very 

 and pi^tty; single arabis and 

 not, and above that Hyacinth 

 red, and white tulips; double 

 Hyacinth King of the Blues; 

 arabis wnth Fabiola and 



arabis and 

 the 



same 



G igantea , blush 

 hyacinths, Avith Tulip Cottage Maid. Be- 

 side these there are some very fine beds oi 

 tulips, including such well-known kinds as 

 Artus', Chrysolora, Cottage Maid, Keisers- 

 kroon' Thomas Moore, Joost Van Vondel, 



and others. 



With so much to admire it may perhaps 

 be looked upon as out of place to criticise, 

 but in the naming of the flowers in the 

 beds some improvement is desirable, for 

 scarcely any of the tulips are labelled. This 

 is a most important omission in a public 

 garden, where so many come to admire 

 and seek inspiration. I noted, however, 

 that every bed of polyanthuses bore a con- 

 spicuous label. 



In the case of the flower beds at Hamp- 

 ton Court the beauty of their occupants 

 is enhanced by the splendid condition of the 

 turf which surrounds them, and the nume- 

 rous yews which form, in many instances, 



' " " ' 'for the bril- 



very suitable background 



ed 



W. T. 



FRUIT PROSPECTS. 



In the southern part of Hampshire and 

 in Dorsetshire the prospects of a good triiit 

 year are encouraging, as far as the show 

 of blossom goes. Pears are exceptionally 

 well laden, plums and cherries are promis- 

 ing and apples have an abundance ot 

 flower buds. I notice that Allington Pip- 

 pin, Lane's Prince Albert, and Warners 

 King have blossoms above the average. 

 Pear Doveune du Comice even bears blooms 

 at the extreme ends of the shoots in many 

 instances. Of course, this is a i^esult oi 

 the maturing of the wood last year, ine 

 young shoots of black currants were not as 

 eross as in many previous years, ana, 

 they are so well ripened, the crop may be 



a grand one. -j ^ 



In one garden I visited recently 1 saw 

 a number of pear trees confined to on 

 main stem, but having side shoots m. w 

 18in. in length, and they were bristling 

 with fruit buds. These trees are n 

 trained as cordons proper, but on tl at p 

 ciple, and it is really wonderful the mm 

 ber of trees that can be aocoinmodated 

 a small garden. I have been able to ^^at 

 the trees in question for several yeais pas > 

 and they never fail to crop ^^^isfacto"^ 

 Peaches and nectarines, also ^^V^'^^^^ 

 outside walls, are very P^^^^^^f A' 

 berries, red and white currants, ana r 



berries, also look well. coniewhat 



In a few instances trees ot a ^ome 

 stunted character are carrying too • 

 flowers, and it is quite P^^^J^e that i 

 of the latter will fall off But g^ner^^ 

 the trees are well laden ^^i^h tlo>^^^i^^^^^^ _ 

 out being overcrowded. So y^^.y j^^st 



pends on the weather f ^^^^J.'^'^t .^ened 

 ' frost on Aprd 5 blaoK , 



year a severe irosi. prepar- 

 ir"^""/Vr;ni;.n red Tulip Thomas Moore, the pear blossom wholesale. ^ J " ^^,,^\\ 



nVtTstriking. Dark wallflowers are also bushes, and thus avoid runn ^g ^^^^^^ 

 ..Ksociated with this tulip, while a be<l ot 



injury 



