28 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
THE SUNKEN FLOWER-BED AND ORIENTAL PLANES, 
FAIRMOUNT PARK, PHILADELPHIA. 
The beauty of the Sunken Flower-Bed near Horti- 
cultural Hall is so much spoken of, that many have 
heard of it who have never seen it, and it is there- 
fore, with very much pleasure I am able to furnish 
a photograph of it, through the courtesy of the sup- 
erintendent, Mr. Charles H. Miller. 
This garden was laid out for the Centennial, in 
1876, and so popular has it been always that it re- 
mains to-day, practically, in the same shape that it 
was at that time. 
Horticultural Hall is its background on the east, 
and from a balcony around the building, at a good 
height from the ground, a splendid view of the long 
stretch ol beds of various colors is to be had. At 
the far end of the length of beds will be seen a clus- 
ter of statuary. This is known as the Catholic 
Fountain, it having been erected at the period of 
the Centennial by the Catholic Total Abstinence 
Societies of America. 
As a guide to those who may wish to create a 
similar set of beds, I will give the contents of the 
first set, consisting of five beds, the list having been 
kindly furnished me by Mr. Thomas Mingey, who 
has charge of the plants at the hall. 
In the first bed is variegated abutilon, edged 
with Acalypha musaica. The second, contains scar- 
let geranium, edged with variegated geranium 
Madam Salleroi. The third is the same as the first, 
excepting that the position of the plants is reversed, 
the Acalypha being in the centre and the variegated 
abutilon for the edging. The fourth bed contains 
blue ageratum, edged with variegated geranium. 
The fifth, and last of the group is the counter part 
of the first, viz: Variegated abutilon, edged with 
Acalypha musaica. The bordering embracing the 
beds is composed of alternanthera, red and yellow 
sorts, with the angles filled with coleus. The fes- 
tooning along the banks consists of pink geraniums, 
edged with alternanthera and feverfew. Along the 
line will be noticed century plants, placed here and 
there. 
The description of the first set will give an idea 
of the kind of the plants neces- 
sary in a combination of this 
kind. 
At the end of the second 
division will be observed a 
pond of water lilies. A flight 
of steps leads across the beds 
from road to road at this point. 
Visitors to Philadelphia in 
late summer would be charmed 
to see this example of bedding. 
Though there is beauty from 
the time the plants are set out, 
it is at the time stated, when 
the foliage plants as well as the 
flowering ones are in their 
prime, that the display is mag- 
nificent. 
The European planes which 
border the line of the beds are 
now of splendid appearance. 
They were planted, Mr. Miller 
tells me, in 1878, making the 
time just twenty years ago. 
The distance between the trees 
is about 75 feet. I found by measurement a few 
days ago that the circumference of trunk, at two 
feet from the ground, is about seven feet, the height 
about 60 feet, and spread of branches 50 feet. These 
trees were some of the first used in this way in these 
parts, and so pleasing is their appearance, that their 
use has been greatly promoted elsewhere. 
While this species of plane looks like the native 
one to the general observer, planters well know the 
difference. The native sort does not leaf out until 
late in the season, and it drops its foliage early, be- 
sides that it does not make as pretty a tree as this. 
Much has been written of the beauty of the 
planes in Paris and along the Thames Embankment, 
London. I cannot speak of those at Paris, but I 
can of those at London , and they are very poor speci- 
mens compared with these beauties in Fairmount 
Park. Joseph Meehan. 
SUNKEN GARDEN, FAIRMOUNT PARK, PHILADELPHIA. 
