2 
7* Lawns. — 1 hese have been well looked alter during the year under review, 
but their up-keep is a somewhat expensive item, the state in which they are main- 
tained being quite equal to that of those of any nobleman's garden in Europe, and it is 
doubtful whether so much attention is paid to lawns in any other Public Garden in 
the East. The peculiar topography of the Garden admits of no classification, as 
first a'nd second class lawn, to be kept in order accordingly, hence the expenditure. 
Where, however, the. soil is very poor, bare patches are making an appearance, 
and top-dressing will soon have to be resorted to. 
8. Flower Beds, Shrubberies , 8 fc . — A large number of unsightly trees and bushes 
have been removed from the grounds ; other trees have had dead branches cut off, 
and parasitical plants removed. 
9. I he removal of those trees has not only relieved the Gardens of untidy ob- 
jects, but has brought many of the ornamental trees more into prominence. 
10. A new shrubbery has been made in front of the bamboo hedge between the 
office and the front entrance, and may be looked upon as forming part of the im- 
provements carried out in that quarter. 
Front Entrance Improvement. — This border has an area of about 6,728 square 
yards, and in it many of the large specimens removed from the site of the' new Fern- 
ery Reserve, have been successfully transplanted. Many* flowering shrubs have also 
been added, and its outer edge kept gay with annuals, &c. Another border, with an 
area of about 80 square yards, has been made between the sago palm clump and 
the turnstyle entrance. A third, having an area of about 1,000 square yards, has 
been formed to screen from view the reserve for the new Fernery at the upper end 
of the main lake, as well as for landscape effect. The two former are continuations 
of the improvements begun in the previous year, when the shrubbery lying between 
the office and chief plant-house was made. 
• * 
11. In all these shrubberies, the trees planted have grown well, while the 
shrubs, consisting of Allamanda, Hibiscus, Honeysuckle, Clereodendron, Tabernm- 
montana, Eranthemum, Justicia, Strobilanthes, Eucharis, Lilies, Roses, &c. have 
flowered well. The shrubberies which surround the aviaries have been thinned 
out to some extent, o wing to the rapid growth of the trees. The plan , removed have 
been used for various purposes. 
12. The shrubbery borders on each side of the road leading from the old Fernery 
to le new HerbaceQus Grounds, have been trenched about two feet deep and re- 
planted, the plants being re-arranged, according to their sizes, in re-planting,- and a 
liberal manuring given, a work very much required. The other borders have been 
dug over and kept in good order. The planted out specimens throughout the grounds 
have mostly received an application of manure. 
13. The flower beds *on the terrace below the band-stand, have not been much 
altered during the year, the employes being fully occupied with other works, but they 
have otherwise been well kept and have looked well throughout the year. 
14. The Herbaceous Garden plants have been removed to ground maintained by 
the Forest Department, and the beds they occupied have been closed up where they 
could not be advantageously filled with flowering shrubs, &c. 
15. A, small Flower Garden, in which annuals only have been tried during the 
year, has been made on an area of 390 square yards on the site of the old aviary. 
As anticipated, the plants did not all come into bloom together, and the effect was 
consequently lost, but it may succeed on further trials with a better selection of plants 
and better timing as regards the flowering periods. .The following anr mis flowered 
well in the Gardens during the year, viz.: — Browallia, Calliopsis, Coreopsis Cockscombs, 
Dahlia, Datura, Convolvulus, Gaillardias, Helianthus, Helichrysum, Heliotyopium, 
Indian Pink, Ipomaea, Lobelia, Marigold, Marvel of Peru, Mignonette, Passiflora, 
Petunia, Phlox, Salvia, Solanum, Antirrhinum, Verbena, Tithonia, Zinnia and 
Torenia, as also the following bulbs Achimen.es, Begonias, Gladiolus, Gesneria, 
Tydeas, Pancratium, Amaryllis, Crinum, and Gloxinias. 
16. It is hoped that, by successive sowings of the above, as an auxiliary to the 
* 
