242 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 14, 1882. 
for decoration or to furnish a supply of fragrant blooms, and in 
many establishments it is now largely grown for the latter pur¬ 
pose. A beautiful but quite distinct companion for it in the 
flower border is Scabiosa caucasica, of which a woodcut is given 
in fig. 40. This species undoubtedly deserves a place in every 
collection of hardy plants ; and though it has no claim to novelty 
its beauty is amply sufficient recommendation to cultivators. The 
flowerheads are 3 or 4 inches in diameter, bright pale blue, and 
they are very freely produced, rising above the long slender 
pinnatifid leaves. It is of compact habit when growing freely, as 
it will in any moderately good garden soil, but rarely exceeds 
3 feet in height even when most vigorous. The flowers are well 
adapted for cutting, as they last a considerable time in water. 
LATE GRAPES. 
For some weeks past the weather has been unfavourable for 
the ripening of late Grapes, and more fire heat than usual has 
been needed. Those who started their Vines gently early in the 
season will now have their fruit well coloured and ripe and in 
good condition for keeping. I have always found Grapes keep 
better when ripened moderately early and without having to force 
them too hard in their last stages, and none has ever kept better 
with me than those ripened towards the end of August last year. 
Both Alicantes and Lady Downe’s were fresh and plump, with 
their footstalks as green as when cut from the Vines ; in fact, in 
such condition that they were used until the new ones were ripe 
and placed on the table with them the following May. It is 
difficult, especially in seasons like the present, to thoroughly ripen 
Grapes on Vines that were allowed to start naturally and develope 
during the best part of the season without fire heat. To attempt 
to keep back Vines, as is frequently practised, for the purpose of 
having them late or for fear of their ripening too early, is a great 
mistake and a waste of time, not to mention the extra fuel re¬ 
quired in autumn to ripen them and the wood. Grapes ripened 
six weeks or two months later than the time I have mentioned 
will not keep in good condition for that length of time longer the 
following season than those ripened earlier. Early in the season 
i only little fire heat is needed to start late Vines into growth when 
the power of the sun is daily increasing, which gives the culti¬ 
vator every chance to allow the Vines to take their time as soon 
as they show signs of colouring. Many late Grapes fail to finish 
and keep well through the efforts made to ripen them when the 
days are short and the sun’s power decreased. I have long since 
failed to see any advantage in retarding Vines during the best 
part of the season, and then resort in autumn to an unnatural 
system to bring them to perfection ; but prefer starting them 
moderately early, and allow them to develope with abundance of 
ventilation both night and day, which ensures thick leathery 
foliage and firm wood, which will be thoroughly ripened by this 
time and certain to produce good fruit again the next season. 
I am acquainted with more than one grower who will not have 
their Grapes ripe for seme time yet, and who wish now they had 
started the Vines earlier. It is always wise to be on the safe side, 
and this season may teach valuable lessons.— Cultivator. 
THE LONDON PARKS. 
HAMPTON COURT. 
Although this magnificent old pile is not usually reached in much 
less than an hour from the Waterloo station (while the journey by 
river, however pleasant in fine weather, is nearer three hours), yet it 
must still rank in the above category, at least in its gardening aspects, 
for the pleasure grounds are under the same governmental supervision 
as the other parks, while it is essentially a great rendezvous of Lon¬ 
doners. And not Londoners only ; all parts of Europe, America, and 
the Antipodes send visitors to see the great building and its beautiful 
surroundings. 
Passing through the Palace the visitor enters the grounds about 
the centre of a noble terrace walk nearly 40 feet wide and approach¬ 
ing a mile in length. Before him, looking across the extensive lawn, 
are thiee grand avenues reaching far across the park. In a line with 
these are walks intersecting the lawn and flanked with ancient Yews ; 
thus the avenues appear to converge on the main eastern entrance of 
the building. On each side of these walks the flower beds are ar¬ 
ranged also along one side of the terrace walk and round the lawn. 
Altogether there are ninety beds, many of them 12 feet wdde and 
some 36 feet long, but the majority are 24 feet in length. Then on 
the opposite side of the long walk is a ribbon border, and behind 
towards the back part of the lawn herbaceous borders recently 
planted 200 or 300 yards long and perhaps 15 feet wide. No small 
space, then, is devoted to flowers, and every foot is occupied well. 
Where all the beds are so good it is difficult to select, but a few of 
striking appearance are the following :—Veronica Andersoni varie- 
gata thinly planted in a groundwork of Hampton Court Crimson 
Verbena, edged with three rows of Golden Harry Hieover Pelar¬ 
gonium. There are, indeed, more than one bed so planted, and they 
have a splendid effect. The surface is a sheet of fiery crimson re¬ 
lieved with the silvery Veronica, for the Verbena grows as freely as 
it flowers profusely. It may be described as an enlarged form of 
Crimson King, from which, however, it is quite distinct, and is un¬ 
surpassed if equalled as a bedding variety. It is a splendid acqui¬ 
sition, and Mr. Graham must be congratulated on his good fortune in 
raising such a useful plant. 
The Pelargonium that excels all others in richness of effect—huge 
trusses closely packed of deep crimson—is Henry Jacoby, the beds 
of it being broadly margined with Centaureas ; they are indeed most 
striking. The scarlet variety that shows to the greatest advantage 
in large beds is Warrior ; these are edged with Alyssum saxatile 
variegatum, and are very bright. The most effective pink masses are 
of Pelargonium Amaranth, and of rose P. Rose of Allendale. A new 
salmon or oculated variety named Surprise, from Mr. Cannell, makes 
a fine bed, the plants being dwarf and floriferous. 
Several beds are planted with variegated sorts—gold and silver 
bicolors—mixed with Violas, and the effect is most pleasing. Flower 
of Spring and Viola Favourite, rich blue, edged with Iresine Lindeni 
and margined with the Golden Stellaria, is an attractive arrangement; 
equally so is Mrs. Pollock and Viola The Tory, edged with Coleus 
Black Douglas mixed with the same Viola ; and Bijou mixed with 
Blue Bell, and banded with Iresine, cannot be passed without admi¬ 
ration. The Iresines, both Lindeni and Herbstii, are deep and rich, 
but the darkest of all is I. Wallsi; it appears intermediate between 
the two, having the leaf of Herbstii but smaller, and the colour of 
Lindeni, but richer. 
Some mixed beds cannot be overlooked. They are what Mr. 
Graham calls “ September beds,” and at the present time no beds on 
the lawn are more beautiful. They are planted with Iresine Lindeni 
and Abutilon nsevium maculatum 18 inches apart in a groundwork of 
Verbena venosa, and broadly banded with three rows of the Iresine. 
The effect is most striking, the grand foliage of the Abutilon con¬ 
trasting effectively with the dark foliage and flowers. This, it may 
be remarked, is the best of all the fine-foliaged Abutilons for garden 
decoration, the variety Thompsoni being poor in comparison. 
Beds of mixed seedling Verbenas are both attractive and fragrant, 
and masses of the fine old Rose Souvenir de la Malmaison command 
general approval. The plants flower three times during the season, 
the beds containing thousands of blooms. A late autumn bed of the 
early white Chrysanthemum Madame Desgrange, of the Japanese 
type, above which rise brilliant masses of Verbena fulgens, is a most 
effective combination. These Lobelias will be employed more largely 
next year, so grand are they now ; but edging Verbenas of the Erinus 
type are not to be seen at Hampton Court, not succeeding well there, 
and there is sufficient of purple and blue in the Violas. 
The carpet beds remain to be mentioned, for it were futile attempt¬ 
ing to describe them. Both as regards design and planting they 
must decidedly rank as superior examples of this mode of decoration. 
Difficult as it must be to provide fresh patterns, there is not the 
slightest sign of any abatement of public interest in these beds. The 
striking feature of the beds is the liberal employment of Echeveria 
Peacocki—by far the finest and best of all the succulents for such 
work. An oval of some three hundred plants of it, with end panels 
of Leucophyton, a dividing scroll of Echeveria secunda glauca, and 
masses of brilliant Alternantheras, forms an arrangement worthy of 
a long journey to see by those who wish to see a finished example of 
this mode of decoration. There are other beds also worthy of in¬ 
spection, each totally dissimilar from the rest; but we cannot make 
their appearance intelligible, and those who cannot see them and 
desire to know more about them cannot do better than purchase Mr. 
Graham’s descriptive pamphlet of the bedding arrangements. It 
contains many useful hints, and can be had for Is. We have been 
told he would sell more copies if the plants in the beds were namtd, 
as this would incite interest in them and a desire for further informa¬ 
tion. Single Dahlias are well represented, and a selection of the best 
herbaceous plants is being established. 
There has not only never been so many species and varieties of 
plants at Hampton Court as at the present time, but it may be safely 
asserted that the grounds have never during their history—over some 
three centuries and a half—been more attractive than during the 
present year. Mr. Graham is perhaps the only good judge who is 
not quite satisfied with his work. That it is not perfect in his esti¬ 
mation is to be gathered from his intentions of having some better 
arrangements another season. We hope he may succeed in accom¬ 
plishing his self-imposed task, for assuredly it is no light one. 
GARDEN FAVOURITES. 
Ampelopsis Veitchii .—The extraordinary annual growth of this 
popular plant strengthens the conviction that it is the most useful 
as well as the most beautiful climber of modern introduction. It 
is emphatically a climber, requiring no support from shreds, 
nails, or tying ; laying hold of everything with which its young 
growth comes in contact, and clinging with a tenacity that renders 
the removal of any part of it a difficult matter. No building is 
too lofty for it, its young growth at a height of 60 feet being as 
vigorous as it was at 6. Onward it goes, spreading outwards and 
