PARK AND CEMETERY. 
Osborne, The flarine Residence of Queen Victoria. 
Osborne House, near Cowes, Isle of Wight, 
England, is famous as the marine residence of the 
Queen of England. It is splendidly situated on an 
elevated site, the grounds sloping gradually to the 
sea. It is situated on the north western side of 
the Isle of Wight. The Solent, as the waters of the 
ocean are called, which separate it from the main- 
land, is perhaps some seven miles wide at thispoint. 
On the opposite shore is the mainland with South- 
ampton in view, and to the right, Portmouth, 
and Spithead, the anchorage ground for some of 
Englands war ships at all times. 
While the plantings at Osborne do not show 
such gigantic specimens of trees as many places do, 
being of more recent date, there are some exceed- 
ingly fine specimens there of many choice ever- 
greens. For instance imagine the beauty of Ret- 
inospora obtusa, 30 feet high, by 40 feet wide; 
Picea Nordmanniana, 40 feet; Pinus insignis, 50 
feet; Picea cephalonica, 40 feet; Cedar of Lebanon, 
40 feet, and Cupressus Lambutiana, 50 feet. These 
are not uncommon heights but all of these speci- 
mens were apparently in their prime and were a nice 
treat to one like myself viewing them last summer. 
The Portugal laurel, Cerasus Lusitanicus would 
prove hardy in this country in sheltered places, just 
as the Taurus nobilis does at Washington. In the 
Isle of Wight, and elsewhere in England, it is a 
charming sight in midsummer, for then it is in full 
flower. The one I saw at Osborne, was a model 
specimen, some 20 feet high, by as many wide and 
as full of its white flowers as it could be. 
The grounds descend so rapidly from the house 
to the sea that a terrace surrounds it on that side. 
Besides the beautiful sea view from the terrace, the 
walls afford room for the training of many a nice 
tree, shrub or vine along them. Some of the dark 
masses shown in the picture are the Magnolia gran- 
diflora, which, trained fan-shaped, as they are, dis- 
play their large, handsome shining leaves to great 
advantage. At the time I saw them June 29, they 
were beautifully in flower. This fine tree is hardy 
from Philadelphia, southward. 
The balustrade to the terrace was banked with 
Wistarias, Jasminum officinale, Myrtus communis, 
Ceanothus dentatus and other species; golden leav- 
ed Jasminum nudiflorum, the common lemon 
thriving nicely out of doors. Garrya elliptica and 
many another nice shrub. Although many of the 
flower beds contained plants which could not be 
used in this country, I will name the constituents 
of some seen. First was a bed with a double red- 
dish colored dahlia, called Glare of the Garden, as 
a centre, next to it, yellow Calceolaria, next, varie- 
gated leaved geranium, ending with blue lobelia. 
Another had for centre yellow Calceolaria, next 
scarlet geranium, followed by golden leaved gerani- 
um and ending with blue lobelia. A third bed had 
single dahlias for centre, not in flower, blood leaved 
beet succeeding, followed by yellow flowered pansy, 
edged with blue lobelia. 
The blue lobelia is a general favorite through- 
out England, as it is at Osborne, being used every- 
where, where flower beds are. 
One of the features of the place is a grove of 
cork oak trees, Quercus suber, containing perhaps 
100 trees, which are already 40 feet high. Anoth- 
er grove contains the live oak of our Southern 
States, Quercus virens. In another part of the 
grounds can be seen a group of the strawberry tree. 
Arbutus unedo, a pretty sight when full of their 
strawberry-like fruit. 
On these grounds, as everywhere in England, 
great use is made of the English holly and its var- 
iegated colored foliage. When the young leaves 
expand, their appearance is most beautiful. These 
would be useful as tub plants here, where too cold 
for them in winter. South of New York City they 
thrive in sheltered places if mulched in winter time 
to keep frost from roots. 
Two Chinese plants, one a palm, Chammrops 
Fortuni, the other Fatsia Japonica, are quite at 
home at Osborne, as they are in many other places 
in England. 
Theve are numerous memorial trees planted on 
the grounds. A splendid specimen of Picea pin- 
sapo, 50 feet high, and beautifully proportioned, 
was planted by Queen Victoria on her birthday. 
May 24, 1894, the label to it stated. Then there 
was the rare Pinus Hartwegii, lO feet high, planted 
by the Shah of Persia, July 29, 1889. 
An avenue running from the house to the shore 
was lined part of the way with huge tubs on each 
side, containing Portugal laurels, each one of which 
