162 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 20, 1885. 
responding figures with the round end towards the centre were filled with 
Alteraanthera aurea. The two central panels between these, with 
rounded ends to correspond, were planted with Leucophyton Browni. 
The groundwork running through the whole bed was the same as the bed 
above described, and the margins of the beds were also the same. This 
was a charming bed, and also another similar, in which Leucophyton 
Browni filled the outer panels in the place of Alteraanthera aurea, with 
other similar slight alterations in the succulents and varieties of Alter- 
nantheras used, the groundwork, if I remember rightly, being formed 
of Herniaria glabra, the best of all green-foliaged plants for this 
purpose. Another very effective bed, which may be termed the snake 
bed from the fact that one formed the scrollwork on each side of the 
bed. The central scrollwork was formed with Alteraanthera aurea, 
the corner pieces of this scrollwork being filled with Alteraanthera 
purpurea, a very dark, effective, and distinct variety, while across the 
centre were small panels of Iresine Wallsi, a beautiful plant with dark 
foliage for carpet beds, being very dwarf, compact, and much after the 
style of I. Herbsti, but considerably smaller both in growth and foliage. 
Tfie artistic scroll at the ends was formed with Alteraanthera grandis, 
while a small panel of Alteraanthera amabilis was conspicuous on each 
side Iresine Wallsi. The snake was formed of three bands, the centre 
one being Alteraanthera paronychioides major with A. purpurea on each 
side, the groundwork of this bed being formed with a hardy plant, 
Veronica incana, and very beautiful and even it was, and contrasted 
admirably with the dark and yellow Alternantheras employed, the bed 
being margined very similarly to the two beds already described. 
Another very effective bed had for its groundwork Sedum glaucum 
and Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum figured and panelled 
with Alteraanthera grandis and A. paronychioides and A. aurea nana, 
while Leucophyton Browni was principally used towards the ends, the 
centres being formed with “ Cotyledon schaphyllus,” Kleini'a repens, 
and Pachyphyton bracteosum. The last bed that will be noted had cir¬ 
cular centres formed with Leucophyton Browni and Alteraanthera 
grandis alternately, panelled between with A. paronychioides major and 
Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum margined all round with 
Alteraanthera, the same as named above, the angles being filled in with 
Herniaria glabra, which also forms the remaining portion of the ground¬ 
work. All round the bed are a number of beautiful J’s wrong side up 
planted alternately with Mesembryanthemum variegatum and Alteman- 
thera magnifica, the last but one mentioned running all round the bed, 
which is margined with Echeveria secunda glauca ami Sedum glaucum. 
The number of carpet beds noted only form a very small portion of 
those to be seen at Hampton Court, which are in splendid condition, and 
have been admirably executed throughout. It is impossible to find a fault 
either amongst the plants, their arrangement, or the designs themselves. 
The beds are well filled, and have that excellent finish about them that 
renders these beds so striking and beautiful. They are decidedly better 
than I had anticipated finding them, considering the dryness of the 
season, which tells somewhat against these beds unless a large amount 
of labour is spent in keeping them well supplied with water. Many 
people are under the impression that carpet bedding cannot be done 
without using a large quantity of Pyrethrum (Golden Feather), which 
entails so much labour in pinching, yet in these gardens not one plant 
has been used. 
It is difficult to describe these beautiful carpet bed designs to be 
thoroughly intelligible without figures, but all who desire can obtain 
them in Mr. Graham’s little book, and the name of every plant employed, 
with other useful information, (or the price of Is. 
It only remains now for me to thank Mr. Graham for his kindness, 
and congratulate him on the success he has acheived, and it is to be 
hoped that such an able and intelligent horticulturist may long be spared 
to carry out the work in which he is engaged. These notes would be 
incomplete without some reference to the old Vine, which looks as well as 
usual, and is again carrying about 1200 bunches. There is no fear of 
this famous old Vine suffering or being neglected under the care of 
Mr. Jack, who is a genial man and a good gardener.—B. 
LORD BEACONSFIELD RASPBERRY. 
When a Raspberry is certificated by the Fruit Committee of the 
Royal Horticultural Society the variety must be considered meritorious. 
The variety in question was thus honoured in 1881, and excellent dishes 
of it have been exhibited during the present season. Messrs. Hieatt and 
Son of Covent Garden sent us fruiting sprays, some of them bearing 
over a length of 18 inches. The fruit is borne on long single axillary 
peduncles that is, there is one fruit on a long slender stalk issuing from 
the axil of every leaf. That was the character in all the sprays we ex¬ 
amined, but whether the peculiarity is constant we have no means of 
knowing. The fruit was large and of excellent quality, and the plant 
appears to be a vigorous grower. The specimens sent to U 3 are fairly 
represented in the engraving, and the Lord Beaconsfield Raspberry 
appears worthy of being tried in gardens with other good varieties. 
STOCKBRIDGE HOUSE, ULVERSION. 
Stockbridge .House, Ulverston, North Lancashire, is an Eliza¬ 
bethan mansion of considerable age, and its surroundings show the great 
difference that exists between the ancient and the modern mansion 
grounds. Here Nature has been assisted by Art to constitute a beautiful 
effect. We remember the mansion some thirty years ago as the residence 
of the Rev. Canon Gwillym, brother-in-law to Miss Strickland, authors s 
of the “ Lives of the Queens of England,” and as that lady resided much 
at Stockbridge House, no doubt much of her great work would be written 
there. Then no attempt wa3 made to assist Nature by Art, but since the 
estate came into the possession of Miss Petty, its present owner, it has 
undergone a wonderful metamorphosis. When you enter the grounds 
you feel yourself isolated from the world, although but a stone’s throw 
from the streets of Ulverston. Such is the privacy secured by a tasteful 
arrangement of trees, comprising Hollies, Yews, towering Pines, pink and 
white Hawthorns, Rhododendrons, Chestnuts, Walnuts, Laurustinus, 
Laurels, Araucaria imbricata, &c., the whole bordering a wide sweeping 
lawn of the greenest hue. Here and there are tastefully set out beds filled 
with choice varieties of flowering plants, and the larger trees have an 
inner fringe of flowering herbaceous plants, the whole being arranged 
with true artistic eye to harmonise colours. There are two large rockeries 
formed of limestone blocks taken from the neighbouring moors, and in 
the stones the rainfall of age3 has wrought fantastic shapes. These 
rockeries are filled with a variety of Ferns, all of which are in a flourish¬ 
ing state, most of them collected in the district, the rockeries being 
bordered with Echeverias. 
At the west end of the house i3 a group of nine giant forest trees—• 
Elm, Beech, and Chestnut, which afford grateful shelter from summer’s 
sun and heat. The vinery is remarkably well stocked, Mr. Armer, the 
gardener, being a successful Grape exhibitor. They comprise Black 
Muscat, Golden Champion, Black Hamburgh, Trentham Black, Muscat of 
Alexandria, Mrs. Pince, Alicante, and Madresfield Court. In this house 
are also a number of excellently grown foliage and flowering plants. The 
Peach trees show a fair crop. The kitchen gardens are fully utilised, the 
walks being bordered by Apple rees, trained horizontally, and not above 
30 inches high, full of fruit. A number of pyramid fruit trees, 8 feet to 
10 feet high, are literally loaded with fruit. They comprise Hawthornden, 
Small's Admirable, Tower of Glamis, Warner’s King, Cox’s Pomona, 
Jolly Beggar, Cellini, &c. The vegetables are all freely grown, promising, 
and not a yard of soil seems to be lost in cultivation. The whole 
arrangement both oE grounds and garden paints a useful lesson of 
what may be accomplished by good taste on the part of the owner—for the 
lady is her own architect—when it is combined with skill on the part of 
the gardener.—R. 
HERBACEOUS PLANTS. 
In looking over some beds of mixed herbaceous plants recently, with 
a view to remark on particular forms, or combinations of forms, I was in 
the first place struck with the grace and elegance which prevailed in all 
spots where what was termed spiry forms prevail. To give an idea of 
the forms I allude to, I may point to such as the Liatris spicata, the 
Chelone barbata, and some of the Veronicas, as those commonly termed 
incana, carnea, or incarnata, &c.; some of the Lythrums, Dracocephalum 
speciosum, Anthericums, Aconitums, &c. I am persutded that many of 
our friends must have been struck with such forms, independent of colour ; 
forms which perhaps convey impressions of airiness, sprightliness, and 
elegance. Now, begging pardon of our gorgeous Geraniums, Lobelias, 
Verbena?, and such like, these forms are not to be altogether despised ; if 
we do not esteem them now, another generation is at hand which 
assuredly may do so. 
If, then, such spiral forms prove a relief in beds of herbacese, why not 
call in the assistance of forms in our modern massing system ? The chief 
thing that wars against the practice would appear to be what may be 
termed a floral prejudice, arising from previous mental associations. The 
beautiful blue Inula glandulosa, one of the finest blues we possess—what 
a colour for bedding purposes 1 but no one could for a moment tolerate 
the enormous mass of Comfrey-looking foliage. But then Phloxes are not 
vulgar-looking ; and many other herbaceous plants, when mixed by a 
massing system, would, I conceive, lose much of their mere border 
character. 
There is the old Chelone barbata, at all times a dressy plant, and, I 
believe, a favourite with everybody. This elegant plant was highly 
esteemed half a century since. Why cannot this be worked up in a 
mass ? It possesses high qualifications assuredly. Elegance of form, a 
character of foliage by no means commonplace, and lovely orange-coloured 
blossoms, which, dangling from slender pedicles, give a delightfully airy 
appearance to the whole; added to this, a minimum amount of foliage, 
both a3 regards individual size in the leaf and their collective amount. 
By-the-by, the latter is a great essential in flowers for bedding purposes ; 
proportion here (as in most other things) being necessarily one of the 
elements of the beautiful as distinguished from the picturesque, 
Another singular old herbaceous plant I may point to as possessing 
peculiar features for the massing system, I mean the old Liatris spicata, 
one of the most dressy and manageable things in existence, and no vul¬ 
garity about it. This excellent plant; although introduced to our gardens 
many years ago, is by no means general, but for what reason I cannot 
imagine. Jt has one most singular property ; it is, as its name implies, a 
spike-flowering plant, but, contrary to the common mode of development in 
spike flowers, it commences blooming at the top of the spike and works 
downwards. Thus there are no raw-looking terminal points to wait for ; 
its dressy character is shown at once in the upper outline. This plant 
appears to me to be peculiarly adapted to work up in a massing system ; 
and I must continue to think that if our modern bedders would condescend 
to leap the barrier which separates our exclusives—the Verbenas, Pelar- 
