536 



JOUENAL OF THE ROYAL HORTTCUrvrTTRAL SOCIETY. 



THE PARK AND GROUNDS OF VRANA. 



One of the Residences of His Majesty King Fekdinand op 



Bulgaria. 



[By H.M. special permission.] 



By Alaricus Delmard, F.R.H.S., F.A.B.A., &c. 



Before describing, briefly, the Park of Yrana a few words concerning 

 H.M. King Ferdinand will undoubtedly be of interest to readers. 

 Apart from his well-known and remarkable talents as statesman and 

 diplomatist, those who have the great honour of conversing with His 

 Majesty soon discover that he is a profound scholar, perfectly " au 

 fait " with any subject that may crop up, and in addition of a most 

 sympathetic disposition. The latter quality is also shown in His 

 Majesty's great love for nature; he is a keen practical gardener, and j 

 possesses a profound knowledge of botany and of the nomenclature of | 

 plants, especially in the branches of alpine flora and arboriculture. | 



Of Alpine plants and Coniferae, His Majesty has probably one of | 

 the finest collections in Europe, and is also, as is well known, a dis- | 

 tinguished zoologist and ornithologist. j 



Vrana is situated on the plain, watered by the river Isker, between | 

 Mount Vitosh and the western extremity of the Balkans, at a distance | 

 of twelve kilometres (about eight miles) from Sophia. i 



The excellent carriage road from Sophia to Vrana passes through j 

 ,a now highly cultivated country, which a few years ago was an arid 1 

 plain. Pasture and well-stocked and tended farmlands extend the | 

 whole way, on both sides of the road, owing entirely to the enterprise ; 

 of, and encouragement and example given to agriculture by H.M. the | 

 King. I 



Vrana itself is a striking example and object-lesson to the people ^ 

 of Bulgaria, and many others, of what energy and perseverance can| 

 do ; for in the short space of ten years an absolutely uncultivated andj 

 treeless tract of land, some 400 acres in extent, has been transformedj 

 into a spot of exquisite beauty ,and richness of vegetation. j 



Climatic conditions are a somewhat serious obstacle to horticulture! 

 in the plain of Sophia, which lies at an altitude of 500 metres 

 (1600 feet) above sea-level, and suffers a range of temperature fromj 

 -22° C. for the winter to +35° 0. in the summer, when violentj 

 hail and thunderstorms are extremely frequent. J 



The park and gardens consist of meadows, woods, plantations, anq 

 shrubberies, interspersed by open glades and gardens, which, in springj 

 summer, and autumn, are a perfect glory of colour. j 

 From the main entrance a broad drive between plantations of fin| 

 and larches, and bordered by graceful birches {Betula alha), w'mdi 



