IRature IRotes : 
tEbe Selbovne Societv>’s flDacjasine 
No. 73. JANUARY, 1896. Vol. VII. 
THE VICTORIA EMBANKMENT GARDENS. 
OME months ago we spoke about the extremely unsatis- 
factory manner in which the London County Council 
was discharging its duties to the public in the manage- 
ment of the Embankment Gardens. The constant 
pressure on our space, and a willingness, which we hope our 
contributors appreciate, to allow others to speak rather than 
ourselves, have hitherto prevented our recurring to the subject, 
which is no less important than the need of reform is urgent. 
We are, however, glad to see that one of our most important 
horticultural papers is taking up the matter. In the Gardeners' 
Chronicle for December 14, we find the following paragraph: — 
“ The ‘ laying-out ’ of the enclosure east of Charing Cross 
Station has been unsatisfactory from the first. The recent 
erection of the band-stand made things worse — the dotting of 
some miserable Euonymus on the green lawns seemed to show 
how little the planter valued the effect of space and ‘ repose ’ 
afforded by the turf ; and now, quite recently, some flower-beds 
of the most extraordinary and meaningless pattern have been 
carved out. There is plent}' of time to alter these, and perhaps 
something may yet be done to improve the general disposition 
of the lawns and render them appropriate to the outlines of the 
enclosure.” 
These remarks are a satisfactory indication that the matter 
is attracting attention in the right quarter, but they show a very 
imperfect appreciation of the shortcomings of the London County 
Council. Whether “Progressives” or “Moderates” predomi- 
nate in the body, we — speaking as Selbornians — care little; we 
may, indeed, well say “ A plague o’ both your houses,” for 
neither seems to think it worth while to take any action in the 
