228 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September 7, 1882. 
This is an old-fashioned and very interesting plant, thriving well 
in a warm border. 
There are several Liliums in flower. L. Batemannise is an espe¬ 
cial favourite. My plants are about 18 inches high, with four to 
five flowers in an umbel; each flower about 4 inches across, open, 
with the perianth divisions but slightly reflexed, of a deep orange- 
red colour without spot or markings. It is certainly one of the 
most lovely Lilies grown. L. Leichtlini is also good. Some cul¬ 
tivators prefer it to the last, and it is quite distinct from it. The 
flowers are rather wider across and solitary, pendulous, with more 
sharply reflexed divisions of a clear lemon colour freely spotted 
with chocolate brown. L. longiflorum eximium is certainly supe¬ 
rior to the typical form, the flowers being much larger and stouter 
in texture, and pure white. For outside culture this is a very 
excellent Lily, and deserves much attention. The various forms of 
the Tiger Lily (L. tigrinum) are now out in full bloom. The variety 
Fortunei is particularly stately and free-flowering, and deeply 
coloured. The double-flowered form is very handsome, and lasts 
much longer than the single varieties.—T. 
THE LONDON PAEKS. 
Having referred last week to the floral decorations in the great 
park in the west end, we have to notice now what is provided of 
the same nature in the extensive enclosure in the northern district of 
the metropolis. Here trees and shrubs abound, and form a fine 
feature ; but their contiguity to flower beds and borders does not 
conduce to the floriferousness of plants nor heighten the colours of 
flowers and foliage. Still, even in regard to these there is much 
that is excellent in the first of the parks now to be noticed, while the 
other great floral rendezvous at the east end has long established its 
fame for the beauty of the designs and the bright masses of flowers 
in the beds. Hardy plants are extensively grown, and in their season 
are highly attractive in the great extent of borders that margin 
the shrubberies. 
REGENT’S PARK. 
Since the early part of the season the appearance of this park has 
greatly improved ; and although it is never possible to make a very 
brilliant display, as plants do not thrive there as they do in more 
open and less smoky districts, yet several beds and borders are note¬ 
worthy and effective in no ordinary degree. It is observable, how¬ 
ever, that the Alternantheras have not coloured well, for though 
they have made good growth they are very deficient in the quality 
which usually renders them so useful in carpet beds. Even the 
golden form of A. paronychyoides, which is in excellent condition in 
most places this season, at Regent’s Park is scarcely distinguishable 
from the ordinary green kind. Probably this want of colour is due 
to the beds being so much shaded by trees, for without full exposure 
to the sun these plants rarely assume their distinctive tints in a satis¬ 
factory manner. With this exception most of the plants employed 
in the beds have succeeded well, and Lobelias are especially good, 
both Blue King and Emperor William being densely flowered. The 
latter is uncommonly fine, two lines in a ribbon border being a mass 
of bright blue flowers, the clearly defined white centres of which 
seem to show up the intense blue to better advantage. The plants of 
this variety, too, are of compact close habit, admirably fitting them 
for margins to beds. Except in the case of a few varieties the Pelar¬ 
goniums are slightly deficient in the number of flowers. Mrs. Turner, 
a good pink-flowered variety, is the most notable exception, this being 
in first-rate condition ; but the usually profuse Vesuvius is compara¬ 
tively dull—such are the depressing effects of an unfavourable 
locality for bedding, and which the utmost skill cannot contend with 
successfully. 
Near the centre of the flower garden the parallel quadrangular beds 
by the large vases are very attractive. The centres of'these are 
Flower of Spring or Gold Leaf Pelargoniums alternately in adjoining 
beds, surrounded by bands of Coleus Verschaffeltii or Iresine Lmdeni, 
these being margined with a broad band of Lobelia Blue King and 
edged with Antennaria tomentosa. Opposite to these is a series of 
circular beds containing crescent-shaped or circular panels of Flower 
of Spring and Gold Leaf Pelargoniums on a ground of Iresine Lindeni 
or Coleuses. Around the vases are beds of Alternantheras, in which 
triangular beds of Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum 
appear to excellent advantage. Several carpet beds of excellent 
designs are rather ineffective from the cause named above—viz., the 
want of colour in the Alternantheras. A ribbon' border already 
referred to, in which the Emperor William Lobelia is so fine, has also 
lines of Coleus Verschaffeltii and a background of Pelargonium Mrs. 
Turner. This is one of the most striking and pleasing borders of the 
kind in any of the parks this season, and proves the value of simple 
combinations when judiciously arranged. On the opposite side of 
the broad central walk is another pretty ribbon border of Ageratums 
and Pelargonium Vesuvius, and near this is a peculiar bed of mixed 
scarlet, crimson, and pink Pelargoniums margined with Gazania 
splendens, which may claim attention for its novelty. 
Subtropical bedding is not largely attempted here, but several fine 
clumps of Ricinus are noteworthy. Cannas have not made sufficient 
growth, but the specimens of Musa superba which are freely em¬ 
ployed are in fine condition and very effective. One bed of Ferdi- 
nandia eminens,a most distinct plant when in good condition, though 
perhaps less so than the Wigandias, is striking, the central plants of 
the above being surrounded with Lobelia fulgens, scarlet Zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums, Tropreolums, and Santolina incana. An effective bed of 
succulents, chiefly Agaves and Sempervivums, on a ground of the 
Gibraltar Pennyroyal edged with Pyre thrums and Echeverias, is also 
noteworthy. 
The condition of the park generally is very satisfactory, the turf 
being in excellent condition and the shrubs thriving, the Bladder 
Senna apparently succeeding better than any, and it is now bearing 
abundance of its peculiar pods. 
VICTORIA PARK. 
Probably none of the metropolitan parks is more appreciated by 
the surrounding residents than this ; and anyone who has visited it on 
a Saturday afternoon, Sunday, or any general holiday would fully 
understand the benefits conferred upon the mechanics and others 
who are so numerous in that neighbourhood by so convenient and 
pleasant a resort. Everything is done to render the park as bright 
and cheerful as possible, and with no mean degree of success, as is 
well testified by its popularity and the admiring crowds which gather 
round the brilliant beds of Pelargoniums and other flowers in various 
portions of the park. What are known as the “Prince of Wales’ 
Feather” beds are a particular source of attraction, and this year 
they are especially gay, scarlet and pink Pelargoniums largely pre¬ 
dominating in the design—perhaps too largely for those who prefer 
quiet harmony and diversity of tints. As regards abundance of 
blossom, however, they leave nothing to be desired, and as they appear 
to delight the most numerous portion of the frequenters of the park 
the chief object of the management is attained. 
Victoria Park is famed for its carpet beds, and as usual this year we 
note several tasteful and effective designs. The large scroll bed near 
the subtropical garden has a ground of Mentha Pulegium gibraltari- 
cum, in which are numerous small heart-shaped panels of Alternan- 
thera aurea very well coloured, margined with A. amoena and Eche¬ 
verias. Raised circular panels of A. versicolor grandis edged with 
Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum and two rows of Eche¬ 
verias are also pretty. Panels of Coleuses and Alternantheras with 
single plants of Echeveria metallica and Sempervivum tabulseforme 
are freely employed, the centre design being an ellipse of Alternan- 
thera amoena and A. versicolor grandis margined with Golden Feather 
and Echeverias, the whole bed being edged in a similar manner. On 
each side of this is a four-lobed bed that is even more effective than 
the preceding. The ground consists of the dark green Herniaria 
glabra, with centre circles of the Gibraltar Pennyroyal and a raised 
cross-like panel of Alternanthera grandis, Golden Feather, and 
A. amoena edged with A. paronychyoides major and Echeverias. In 
other parts of the bed are panels of A. aurea and A. amoena and the 
Echeverias. Both the beds are planted alike, and the contrast of 
bright colours with the dark ground is very pleasing, and far more 
striking than where the lighter Mentha is employed. Circular beds 
of Alternantheras tastefully combined, and circles of Pelargoniums 
and Lobelias, render this series of beds extremely attractive. They 
are thoroughly well kept, all the designs being as clearly defined and 
as well filled as possible. 
The subtropical garden is in excellent condition, large beds of Rici- 
nus, Cannas, Nicotianas, Ficus elastica, and Wigandias being very effec¬ 
tively employed. The Wigandias are especially vigorous, with broad 
handsome leaves, and more telling plants for this department can 
scarcely be found when they are in good condition. Very healthy 
young Ficuses are also abundant, and though they have a somewhat 
formal appearance they are valuable plants for such beds. All the 
others are similarly healthy and strong, the general surroundings 
being in admirable keeping with the style of the bedding. 
NOTES FROM NORTH DURHAM—PERPLEXITIES 
OF SHOWING. 
We are now in the midst of the flower-show season, and we 
have the usual grumbling and disqualifying. I have often pointed 
out the desirability of having some recognised standard or authority 
for the regulation of flower shows. Every society seems to go on 
like the famous Scot who “ fought for his ain hand,” and every 
society manages to word and construct its schedule and its rules so 
that it gives any amount of scope for the touchy and the litigious 
exhibitor to carp and criticise over. One local society offers prizes 
for the best “ tray ” of vegetables, and because one "exhibitor dis¬ 
played his produce without a tray at all—showed them, in fact, 
on the benches provided by the society—and was disqualified he 
grumbled, but not more than did another one who made use of 
the orthodox “tea-tray” to show his products upon, because the 
winner exhibited a collection staged upon a wooden tray made 
especially for the occasion. 
Another prolific cause of dispute is the meaning of the term 
“ amateur.” Is a working or a professional man, who has a small 
garden which he uses for his own pleasure and in his spare moments, 
to be deemed a professional gardener because he sometimes sells 
his spare stock of various things, or it may be disposes of the whole 
