October 7, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
821 
gaudy in vulgarity of ill-chosen shades. Lobelia, Alternanthera, Coleus, 
and Pyrethrum are arranged so delicately that the pattern strikes us as 
something differing completely from what we are accustomed to see, and 
this surmise is verified when we find on closer inspection that the lovely 
green border lines within which the pattern is worked is composed not of 
turf nor of Box, but of an Arenaria—one of the tiny-leaved creeping Sand¬ 
worts, remarkably dense and compact, and possessing a dep‘h of colour 
which cannot be well described. 
We hurry on, passing much that I should like to describe, and we come 
to the flower garden, and flower garden surely it is, for the wealth of 
bloom and glory of colour is all-pervading. Pyrethrums, single Dahlias 
of every shade, Marguerites, Pentstemons, Sweet Peas, and so many more 
that possess familiar faces of the old friendships of the older fashion— 
and the best ! We pass on to the more formal garden proper we may 
perhaps call it, for the sake of distinction. Here, skirting the mansion, 
we find a beautiful arrangement which, though carried out in the ortho¬ 
dox fashion of geometrical pattern, does not suggest the stiffness and 
formality which seem so frequently inseparable from this style of pattern 
planting. This seems mainly attributable to the originality which 
planned out the beds and their occupants ; as, for instance, the outer line 
is a fringe of Cotton Lavender instead of the well-worn Cerastium ; then 
there are the silver-edged Pelargoniums as standards, giving a lightness and 
softness of tone quite refreshing and charming, whilst further on a quite 
different effect is secured by the introduction of standard Pelargoniums, 
of masses of hot colour of purest scarlet, notable amongst which we see 
8tar of Fire, with its big bunches of splendid bloom, its robust growth, 
and Celosias, and anything else would have been a superfluity. It wa 
simply superb. There were other plants of course, but the wealth of the 
bloom half hid them—Isolepis, Campanulas, Grevillea, and others. In the 
alcoves in the centre stand two splendid plants of Lasianira, and the 
house was made the more effective by the introduction at short intervals 
of plants of Eucalyptus globulus. These plants are 20 to 25 feet high, 
and give a peculiar and novel charm, both of form and colour, which 
could scarcely be secured by other means. The soft green tint of the 
glaucous stems, and the slender grace of the plan*s themselves, complete 
the architectural suggestiveness as well as the decorative effectiveness of 
the whole. Nothing could he in better taste, and nothing, we are sure, 
could be better done. 
But Greenbank lies some two miles away, and the September sun is 
already quickly finding its way towards the western horizon, so we take 
a hurried look at the kitchen garden, with its well-stocked borders and its 
promise of wonderful productiveness, and we betake ourselves to the re¬ 
turn journey. As we leave the beautiful surroundings of this old Cheshire 
home and bid good-bye to our genial guide we cannot help thinking, 
“ The blue apron is, after all, the best regalia if one has such a charge 
as Vale Royal.”— John Edmunds. 
A REVIEW OF GR4PES. 
I SEE from remarks under the above heading on page 291 that there 
is still some doubt ab ut Mr. Taylor's two bunches of Gros Maroc shown 
at the Crystal Palace arid Kensington show-'. I, with two well known 
Fig. 49 -Vale Royal. 
and healthy foliage. Here, running up to the full height of the Ivy- 
clothed wall, we see Hollies cut into buttresses, which give a pleasing 
completeness to the corner, and provide sheltered beds between the 
spaces, and there at the gateway we see the Clematis clinging above the 
porchway with knobs of the rich red blossom of Tropoeilum speciosum. 
We have not half exhausted the treasures of the open ; but time 
presses, and we take a turn through the fruit houses. There are marks of 
cleanliness, order, and proficient supervision everywhere. Peaches and 
Grapes look’ng luscious in their tempting luxuriance, an! throughout this 
ringe—a continuous run o c over 400 feet —th re is not the jarring pre¬ 
sence of a speck of dirt or sign of disease. In the frames outside we see 
in passing hundreds of Poinsettias, Calanthes, and in the open beds of 
L’bes growing on in healthy strength to take their places upon the stages 
of conservatory and corridors 'when the autumn show is over. The 
houses are filled with splendidly grown plants—Begon'as, Orchids, 
Crotons, Ferns, and f iliage plants of variety bewildeiing. But we must 
leave this department only just touched, as we must see the centre of 
attraction in more senses than one—the new conservatory standing upon 
ground fitted for its reception, kept for its due and proper display. Toe 
mass of colour which burst upon us as the door is opened is simply be¬ 
wildering. Celosia pyramidalis we never saw grown as they are here. 
They are to be seen in perfect symmetry, colour, and feathery perfection 
of every shade. Here golden plumes am ; d a forest of flame, there a 
magenta flower spike, as though fresh from the hand of the dyer. The 
1 ouse upon the occasion of our visit, was mainly filled with Pelargoniums 
Grape exhibitors, carefully examined them. At first sight they appeared 
to be about as dissimilar as it is possible for two bunches of one variety 
to be. The largest one, which may be said to be the handsomest in the 
Show, appears to have been taken from the leading shoot of a strong young 
Vine, the wood of which appears to have been thoroughly well npeneu 
last year. The other bunch had evidently been cut from a weak lateral 
that had not been well ripened last year, hence the difference in length 
of f >ot-talk and general appearance. Upon looking over several other 
stands of Groa Maroc we could discern as great or greater differences 
between different samples as in that of Mr. Taylor’s two bunches.— 
J. McIndoe. 
CHINESE PRIMULAS AT BIRMINGHAM. 
Birmingham can honestly take cr dit for turning out superbly grown 
specimens of these plants at their autumn and spring exhibitions, and they 
always form considerable objects of attraction there. Much of this success 
and interest in the Primula may be set down to the successful hybridisation 
and culture adopted at the Sparkhill Nurseries, for many years in the 
occupation of the late Mr. Tomkinv, who with his foreman, Mr. Rose,raised 
s >me fine seedlings, especially the well-known Princess Louise and 
Marquis of L >rne. Soon after the death of the late Mr. Tomkins the 
nursery was purchased by' Mr. T. B. Thomson, the well-known seedsman 
of Birmingham, who s ill makes the Chinese Primula one of the leading 
plants grown there. Amongst the newer varieties there are just now some 
very fine specimen plants in 8-inch pots of wo new Fern-leaved variet’er 
