980 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



December 21, 1912 



OLD TERRACE STEPS AT 



POWIS CASTLE. 



Where gard<}iis are terraced^ and especi- 

 ally \A*here the terraces are fairly dteep 



climate is fairly moist as ferns grow freely white flowers l)orne for months in 



on the steps, and have as companions vero- 

 nicas^ ranunculuses, antirrhinums, thyme, 

 and toad-flax, and possibly other things 

 also. This is not a case of careless nesrlect 



walls^ balustrading, and steps; and Avhile 

 in many cases the eonstruction of these has 

 been quite in keeping with the architecture 

 of the house, there are many instances 

 where the design and material have neither 

 associated we'll with the dwelling or har- 

 monise with the garden surroaindings. In 

 recent years it has become the fashion to 

 make rough-flagged pathways in certain 

 parts of the garden, and allow small-grow- 

 ing plants to grow between the stones. 



wall is open to view, but the wall itself is 

 amply clothed with fruit trees, and the 

 border and path show that the general up- 



keep of the place is good. 



K. 



NOTES ON ALPINE 



FLOWERS. 



Erodium amanum. 



The smaller Heronsbills are charming 

 flowers^ and deserve the utmost love and 



it 



owing to the sharp slope of the site, steps l^^^- one of studied negligence.'^ The ji^ess. 

 are very necessary for ascent and descent. ''^'I'^JT^^^^^ ""'^ the top of the terrace 



Much money has been lavished on terrace 



T ■ . 1 . " future before 



May I ]ust add a word in favour of the 



Erodiums as a whole ? They want to be 

 much tetter known, with their dainty love. 



luiri 



Every time I think of Geranium Travei-si 

 I am almost beside myself with vexation 

 It is one of the alpines to fall in love witli 

 at first sight, and once seen and grown is 

 never to be forgotten. Hardly anybody can 

 see the delightful silvery Geranium argen- 

 teum without feeling resolved that one miist 

 have it for our very own." It is a gem 

 but Geranium Traversi is a more precious 

 one still. We may best describe the rose^ 

 coloured form of it as a glorified G. argen- 

 teum, fashioned as the final handiwork of 



OLD TERRACE STOPS AT POWIS CASTLE 



[Photo: H. N. King. 



Wide steps, too, are oHvu so ai i-aiiged tliat 

 even here vegetation iri jy fiiul a plarc, while 

 it is a groAviii^ii (»rafti:-(^ to allow small 

 openings in relainiim am! t(M-ia{i^ 

 wherein aubrietias, moss pink . dianthuses 



walls 



antirrhinums, ete., niav be ur^jwn. 



7 ^ ^ Cj 



Somo- 



care of tlie al])iiu^ <ulti\:itor. I imagine^ 

 they wouhl he mow liiglily thought of mcio 

 tlu^y more <lifti( ult to < iiltivule, and we bad 

 to concoct and flispeiis(. to them c()m])li- 

 eated mixtures of <(u-taiii soils, chips, anil 

 . ... the other ingredii'iits so dvav to the faddisi 



tunes this intimate association ot vegeta- in the growing of aljiine ])lants. But thev 

 tmn and bold arclnlecture .s in.un.rucn.. , ,,,,,,1^. free from the least breath 



and in other r-ases the association is [>lea>- ■ ■ ■ - 'Jieatn 



ing. On the face of things it does seem 

 absurd to sjXMid lai'ge sums of money in 

 building and materia!, arid then at one^^ 

 proceed to cov<m" uji tln^ be uitv of the (h-- 

 sign by means of \ .^gctation ; in such cases 

 the monoy \voiil(l better spent 



in the ganb^i, and tln^ architectural fea- 

 tures have been simple and sli-ong. 



The accomp Hiving illnsi l atioii re])ros('nt s 

 a quaint <oniirm^ttion ot lowiv plants aii'l 

 bold terrace stops at Powis ( ";ist!<\ W^ lsli- 

 I>ool, the residt'uce of the Vlnr] of Powis 



th 



o 



r Craftsman in the Cranesbilj 

 crt^ition. I know of no inori^ I>eautiffil 

 llower in the race. Its ileliglitful silvery 

 lea\(\s and largi^ rose or white flowers place 

 it in tin^ galaxy of the hnest alpine flmvers 

 of eartb. Tall'er tban (;. argenteiim, it 

 yet not too tall for the alpine garden, iuul 

 as we see it on some knoll open to the sim 



of suspicion (that is to sav if thev have ^^""^ ^'^^'^^^^ '^^y^ "^'^^ ^'^'^^^^^ ''^^'^ 



— ' ^ J 



iHvisonable care, wliicli thoy don't always 

 I'ecpive), and tho 



only 



. o(u- readily pro- 

 enrahle wliieh mny lie written down as really 

 •■<lortv" is Pljieich^udi. niul that cannot be 

 said ot It everywhenv X(,w, I think that 

 J^.rodiuni atnamuii. wliich is one of the most 

 chnrmino; of the lot, is not to he overlookeii 

 alth.,n-h as yet ,>n.. which is littl,. known 

 I' or nnv sunny spot on tl„. rocUorv. cither 

 in a .-liink .,r on a Icv^l ph,,r witli ,;ienlv ot 

 stones about it. (ids Heronsbill is !, rha'i 



other e 



ni<r 



4 « ...... . |'»<*IIL. .Tt H 



gianc« at the picture will show that the with beautiful 



■ •^^uMi.MiMi IS a enarrn- 



plant. Some thre<v or four inches hiob 



grey foliage and dainty 



its commanding, vet gentle, beauty. 



But the trouble is that it is, like so many 

 thereal flowers, hardly suited for the 

 rough-and-tumble wavs of our climate "J 

 all parts of the three kingdoms. Rain, ana 

 snow, and slec^t ; frost and fog; gentif' 

 •u-eezes and l)itter winds — all and more an^ 

 eontainod in these winters of ours, and t"^*.'^ 

 ^ipi)ear to ])I;iy bavof with this plnnt f''"^*!' 

 tho Antipodrs'. Hap]>iiv tin's is not so ever.v- 

 wbere, and in places 'avIumc tbe winter ''^ 

 mild and m.i ttjo fickle in its moo.ls tlie^' 

 is ro<nn foi- tln^ liopc of sncci^^ling ^vitH 



tins c\(jM!sitc t'l-anesltill. S. Abnott 



