96 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 31, 1890. 
laid out as a garden with gravel walks and beds. The roof, sides, 
and columns are beautifully draped and festooned with climbers, 
amongst which Coboea scandens variegata and a number of the 
best varieties of Clematis take a leading part. In a piece of fenced 
in ground adjoining a fine collection of Chrysanthemums are 
being grown for filling the structure in the autumn, most 
of them on the cutting down principle as advocated by Mr. 
Orchard. 
Proceeding along the carriage drive immediately past the 
bowling green on the right, a broad walk leads past some well 
kept shrubberies and herbaceous borders. Amongst many other 
good plants broad patches of Campanula carpatica and its white 
variety are now very beautiful. On the opposite side of the river 
rise the ancient walls of the Abbey grounds, with the picturesque 
ruins in the background. The old Abbey is famous in history 
as having been the last resting place of Cardinal Wolsey. Much 
of the historical interest might be mentioned in connection with 
these fine ruins, but space will not here permit. They are now, 
and have been for many years past, occupied by Messrs. Warner 
of the Abbey Nurseries, who kindly offer every facility for 
visitors inspecting the same ; but this notwithstanding, it seems a 
great pity that such a place of so much antiquity and historical 
fame should not ere this have been acquired by the town, 
and its grounds incorporated with the beautiful park of 
which from its contiguity it appears now to naturally form a 
part. 
Further to the right, and in the extreme north-west corner of 
the park, bounded by the river and the Abbey Park Road, is a new 
botanical garden, now in course of formation by Mr. Burns, in 
which is already collected many alpine, medicinal, and officinal 
plants, all well and distinctly labelled, with their botanical and 
popular names. A number of young men students of botany meet 
here weekly with their instructor to study from the living plants. 
This garden, when completed and fully planted, promises to be one 
of the most interesting portions of the park. 
Retracing our steps to the main carriage drive we have on the 
left a large breadth of lawn, having an ornamental rustic band 
stand in the centre, which on two nights a week is occupied by the 
Leicester Police Band. The lawn is encircled by a broad asphalt 
walk, on which are placed numbers of seats, with four large rustic 
summer houses at the cardinal points, affording shelter in case of 
storms, the whole bounded by a belt of shrubberies. A walk here 
leads off the main drive to the left, which takes us past a very large 
circular bed, the principal plants used in which are Coleus Taylor’s 
Pet, Alternanthera amabilis, Iresine Lindeni, Mesembryanthemum 
cordifolium variegatum, Pachypliyton Browni, Spergula pilifera 
aurea, Herniaria glabra, and Echeverias. Immediately behind this 
bed is a fine healthy English Oak, planted by H.R.H. the Princess of 
Wales on the occasion of opening the park. This bed and Royal 
tree occupy a sheltered nook of lawn bounded on three sides by 
high banks of shrubs, with a belt of large Fuchsias at its base, 
amongst which some fine specimens of F. fulgens are conspicuous. 
A little further along this walk some flights of rustic stone steps 
lead up to a large mound, on the top of which is good artificial 
example of ruins, surmounted by a flagstaff, and surrounded by 
broad asphalted walks, from which fine views of the park are 
obtained. At the foot of this mound, on its western side, is the 
lake, dotted with numerous islands, which are well furnished with 
suitable trees, amongst which are a very fine collection of Willows 
obtained by Mr. Burns from France, in two places rustic wooden 
bridges are thrown across arms of the lake, which have a pretty 
effect as seen from the mound. 
At the farther end of the lake is another raised plateau, on 
which is situated the pavilion, where refreshments are dispensed 
and shelter provided on a similar plan and scale to those in the 
principal London parks. Immediately below and in front of this 
plateau is situated the main portion of the bedding* out display, 
and which, as seen from the terrace, has a very beautiful effect. 
Along the slope of grass leading down from the terrace to the walk 
below is a chain pattern of small beds planted with variegated 
Pelargonium Foster’s Seedling, a capital silver variegated sort, with 
rosy pink flowers ; Alternanthera and Lobelia King of the Blues, a 
charming new blue, with large white centre and very compact habit. 
The plainness of this scroll of small beds is relieved by four larger 
beds, placed at regular intervals, and planted with a fleur de lis 
pattern as carpet beds. On the broad lawn fronting this are about 
sixty large beds forming corresponding geometrical designs, on each 
side a broad central walk running through the same. The planting 
of these large beds throughout is highly effective. A very attractive 
combination is some large circular beds of white-edged variegated 
Pelargoniums, the bed surfaced underneath and around them 
with the common Cat Mint. All the best bedding Pelargoniums 
are used, large beds of Henry Jacoby being especially effective. A 
broad walk runs entirely round the lawn, containing this principal 
geometrical design of beds, and is flanked on the side farthest 
away from the pavilion by a single chain of very large beds, 
oblongs and circles alternately, which, being planted with bold and 
striking colours, form a very fitting background to the main 
bedding display. The four large oblong beds are each planted with 
Gladioli of sorts, and have a groundwork of Yiolas, blue, white, 
and yellow, in lines. The six circular beds are planted in pairs. 
The central pair are filled with Merveille de Lyon Rose in fine 
condition. The next pair are Lilium lancifolium, Hyacinth us 
candicans, Lobelia cardinalis, and a surfacing of the old Melindris 
Yerbena. The outside pair are mixed Yerbenas. At the back of 
these, looking to the left from the pavilion, is another very large 
carpet bed, circular in shape and surrounded by the broad gravel 
walk. The main feature of this bed is a large Maltese cross in 
Iresines Lindeni and Herbsti, filled in with shields and scrolls, 
which are richly and effectively planted. 
Again, looking to the right from the pavilion, we have a 
broad walk leading to the sub-tropical ground, the formation of 
which is one of the later works of Mr. Burns, and is so well done as- 
to have become one of the finest and most attractive features of the 
park. Traversing the walk leading thereto we notice on either side 
grand specimens, in large tubs,- of Agave mexicana and A. m. 
variegata. Right in the centre of this garden is a very large raised 
bed planted entirely with a fine collection of succulent plants, 
most of them legibly and distinctly named, and their grotesque 
shapes are a never ending source of interest and amusement to 
visitors. The broad borders and beds surrounding are well filled 
with healthy looking plants in great variety, many of them usually 
considered as requiring constant stove treatment. A large bed of 
Cannas in the background has for its centre a good specimen of 
New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) which has recently flowered 
on a branching stem some 10 feet in height, and 13 now carrying 
numerous large seed pods. Yery striking amongst the foliage 
plants is a large example of Begonia plantanifolia, also Phor¬ 
mium atro - purpureum, Eurya latifolia variegata, Jacaranda 
mimosffifolia, some immense specimens of Ficus elastica, and many 
others. 
At the opposite end of the flower garden from the sub-tropical 
grounds, in an angle formed by the junction of several main walks, 
is a raised triangular bed of large size, containing a large collection 
of rock and alpine plants, in healthy patches, most of them dis¬ 
tinctly named, and the whole in excellent order and condition. 
Returning by the eastern side of the park we have long winding 
walks and immense breadths of well kept lawns, backed by broad 
belts of shrubs. It is on this side that the great summer flower 
show and gala is held, which mainly owing to the energy and tact 
of Mr. Burns, who is the Secretary and Curator, has for several years 
past been a great success. 
Returning again to the river, which is on the opposite or 
western side of the park, we find a broad path running along the 
river bank the entire length of the park, with seats conveniently 
arranged at close intervals and a broad belt of lawn on each side. 
The side sloping down to the river’s edge is very convenient for 
anglers, the other side is backed by an herbaceous border and belt 
of shrubs ; an avenue of deciduous trees, Planes, Limes, and 
others overhangs the walk, being planted in the turf, thus forming 
a charming promenade nearly half a mile in length, with the old 
abbey walls, grounds, and ruins in the foreground across the water, 
to add a tinge of romance to the situation. As years roll on, and 
the overhanging trees become larger, this walk will be greatly 
appreciated by the young men and maidens of Leicester as an 
enjoyable promenade on which to tell over and over again the old, 
old story. 
Adjoining to the river bank, but on the park side of the 
shrubbery bounding the same, is a large breadth of ground planted 
with H.P. Roses, very strong, and now producing a grand lot of 
flowers. All have large bold labels, the names upon which are 
easily read from a distance, and the rosery is therefore doubly 
interesting to visitors. One of the most commendable features in 
the management of this excellent park is the system of labelling 
legibly and distinctly with the botanical and popular names in most 
cases, and in no instance did I detect a case of misspelling, a point 
upon which Mr. Burns is very particular, as he says he has a 
horror of misspelt labels. 
In conclusion, I cannot speak too highly of the excellent order 
and keeping of the park throughout, reflecting, as it does at every 
point, the ability and tact of the Superintendent, in which he appears 
to be ably seconded and supported by his foreman Mr. Burton. Mr. 
Burns has also proved himself to be not only an excellent Curator 
and Park Superintendent, but also a most efficient landscape artist 
—not only by his work in evidence in the Abbey Park, but in 
another public park on the other side of Leicester, which was 
formed and laid out entirely from his plans and under his super¬ 
vision five years ago, and is called the “ Spinney Hill Park,” some 
