August 11, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
125 
TRADESCANTIA REGINA. 
The useful character and general acceptability of Tradescantia 
zebrina and other members of the genus should command attention for 
the large and handsome kinds that have been exhibited this year by 
L’Horticulture Internationale, and which may be classed as great 
improvements on the old species. Two, T. Eegina and T. superba, have 
received first-class certificates from the Royal Horticultural Society this 
year. The former, which fig. 18 represents, exhibits remarkably 
attractive leaf-colouring. It is a Peruvian species of great beauty, with 
much bolder and more beautiful foliage than that of T. zebrina. The 
leaves are lanceolate, 6 to 7 inches long. The centre is dark green lightly 
flecked with greyish white. Two broad flakes of the same shade extend 
along each side of the central band from base to tip, and the edges of 
the leaf are of the same deep green hue as the centre ; the under surface 
with a grand promise of seeds for next year. One patch of minor 
Convolvulus yielded the deepest blue, and not far off were Marigolds of 
glorious colouring. The Calendulas were vast, of the brightest yellow 
and orange, almost unequalled for massing. 
The Sweet Peas promised this year to make up for last year’s 
disastrous failures, Imperial Blue, a lovely red, white in abundance, and 
the usual mixed sort were all represented. It must be admitted there 
are other flowers at this season worth looking at besides Roses. Annuals 
also have their excellencies. I could mention many others were their 
names likely to be admitted. I must claim space for three, now at the 
very height of glory: Summer Chrysanthemums, Nasturtiums, and 
Godetias. The good monks to whose domain the Suttons in part have 
succeeded—and they are very loyal to the Abbey in Reading—(The 
Abbey arms with the town arms are on the Palmer Park gateway ; the 
Abbey Hall is a most admirable Evangelistic place of worship ; the 
Archaeological Society, again, rejoices in the Abbey three-escalop-shells 
badge and holds its meetings in the Abbey gateway house by favour of 
FIG. 18.—TRADESCANTIA REGINA. 
is purple. Added beauty is given to the foliage by the rich rosy mauve 
colouring of the young leaves. This is a notable addition to the list of 
plants suitable for surface covering. 
SUTTON’S SEED TRIAL GROUND. 
Travellers at this season approaching Reading by the G.W.R. may 
be seen deeply interested by the view on their left hand; if by the 
S.E.R., it is true they have the noble Palmer’s Park on their left, but 
still more interesting is the sight on their right. The trial grounds are 
between the two railways, and the glorious beauty of the vast beds of 
annuals as massed there must be seen to be realised. The result is a 
Turkey carpet of more than gigantic size and of more than gorgeous 
colours. Art is a very long way off being a copier of Nature. These beds 
of flowers are well worthy of a closer inspection. They are always open 
to the public with a generous hospitality, the seventy acres of trial 
ground running up from the Palmer Park to the very edge of the woods 
of Sonning. 
The entrance is up a wile path bordered with various kinds of 
grasses, and then presently begin the bright patches to be taken in 
detail. The Shirley Poppies were nearly over and showed endless heads 
the Corporation.) I was saying, those worthy Benedictines, how they 
would wonder at the two railways and admire the grounds if only once 
again they could revisit their former property, especially if they could 
see the last three seed plots I have space to mention. 
The advance in Nasturtiums of late is really wonderful. Tall Fairy 
Queen is an exquisite variety with profuse flowers of the most lovely 
white, yellow, and the very palest shadings of red ; then come grand 
masses of King Theodore bronzed almost into blackness, and Empress of 
India, fiery red with its darkest green leaf; while the mixed Tom Thumb 
varieties show nearly every colour from palest yellow to darkest orange, 
many beautifully striped, almost all shades of colour, in fact, except 
that blue which even the queen of all flowers has never attained to. 
The Summer Chrysanthemums are now at their very best, and of 
amazing variety, Cloth of Gold single, double white, golden bronze, 
Picotee edged, vast masses of each ; it is utterly impossible to give an 
idea of their loveliness. And then what eclipses all else is the large 
portion of ground which is now carpeted with masses of Godetia. Its 
exceeding beauty was a new revelation to me. 
Imagine several acres of the most perfect Azaleas, but exhibiting far 
more colours than they can attempt, and not on bushes, but 1 foot high, 
and so thick that the leaves can hardly be seen for the flowers. And 
such flowers 1 Satin Rose, of the softest and brightest Duchess of 
