•Jannaiy 2,1. i ‘,)i J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
09 
and more Lonourable too, has a more recent Royal visit been, when our 
gracious Queen passed through the district and received a far heartier, 
though not perhaps warmer, welcome from her loyal sutyects in Gvvyllt 
Owalia than that accorded the above-named monarchs. On the occa¬ 
sion of the recent visit just referred the Lord of RClg was one of the 
most influential of Her Majesty’s Reception Committee. From his 
renowned gardens also Her Majesty was presented with a magnificent 
basket of fruit that has become famous from the many eulogies bestowed 
upon it. 
The mansion is reached by the Holyhead Road from Corwen over 
the picturesque river Dee, the haunt and delight of anglers. It is less 
than two miles from the L. and N.W. and G.W.R. joint station, and has 
two approaches from the Holyhead and Ruthin roads respectively. The 
iron entrance gates, all handwork and a considerable age, are very fine 
pieces of workmanship. The land in the vicinity of the hall being 
somewhat low lying necessitated that it should be on a raised platform 
or terrace. The surroundings are well furnished with ornamental trees 
and shrubs, and the park throughout is finely wooded, and contains 
splendid specimens of Oak, Elm, &c., one especially noteworthy being 
known as *' King of Rug Oak.’ Among the many hardy Iplants in the 
many beds and borders of the usual summer bedding kinds. The broad 
walk that runs through this garden from the hall lo the kitchen garden 
makes a splendi.l promenade. Leaving this we enter the kitchen garden 
a well managed one too. On three sides are walls, which are furnished 
with Plums, Cherries, Pears, and a few choice Apples, mostly young 
trees, in a border 12 feet wide. These, in common with espalier and 
pyramids in the squares, give a good account of themselves gene¬ 
rally, and their produce is not unknown on the boards of our leading 
exhibitions. Mr. Bennett, as a rule, musters a dish of Plums in good 
condition for a collection of fruit at the Liverpool autumn Show, about 
the third week in November. 
The fourth side of the garden is faced by a range of glass structures, 
No. 1 being a Peach house (iron), a good roomy house, with Peaches 
Royal George and Barrington, and Nectarines Pine Apple, Lord Napier, 
and Violette Hative, all beautiful trees. They are evidently well cared 
for. No. 2 is a companion structure where Black Hamburgh, Foster’s 
Seedling, Madresfield Court, and Gros Colman Grapes are grown in 
inside borders to perfection, and would be an argument in favour of 
inside borders but for the fact that all the other Vines are grown in 
outside borders and do equally well. Mr. Bennett adopts an original 
Fig. 11.—rug, NORTH WALES. 
xtensive pleasure grounds that do well, the Rhododendrons might be 
mentioned ; they flourish exceedingly well, so do many of the flowering 
■shrubs. There is also a splendid collection of hardy bulbs throughout 
the shrubberies. The accompanying view (fig. 11) will afford a better 
idea of the beauty of the lake and its banks than my pen can do. 
•Ornamental bridges spanning the water lead to the chapel in the 
grounds, and not far from the chapel is St. Sulien’s Well, interesting 
to antiquarians. The church at Corwen is dedicated to this saint. 
Adjoining the mansion is a lofty conservatory, where specimen Tree 
J'’erns, Palms, See., find a permanent home ; miscellaneous flowering 
plants afford a brilliant display beneath the graceful drapery of various 
climbers that grow luxuriantly and adorn the upper regions of the 
house. 
Roses do here remarkably well in beds devoted to them, and one long 
•row of climbers trained on wires is quite a feature. Behind this there 
is a most interesting border devoted to the now popular but long- 
neglected hardy perennials. Here from early spring until late 
.autumn there is a good floral display, commencing with spring bulbs, 
and continuing with Pyrethrums, Pmonies, Phloxes, Asters, &c., until 
nutum.n bulbous plants again make themselves conspicuous. In the 
front of the Rose trellis is another border of equal length, which is 
.annually carpeted, and affords relief to the masses of colour in the 
and very wise method with most of his inside borders. After making 
his borders good in spring he places pebbles or roundish stones 
closely together on the soil, or manure where used, and thus where 
pots have to be stood or trampling to be done the border does not become 
soddened, and when watering also, instead of a puddle the house has a 
clean and tidy appearance ; and, again, where exposed at all this method 
prevents evaporation and encourages the roots upwards, as will be seen 
by removing a stone when the trees are in action. A small but pretty 
and useful fernery is entered from the back of this house. Ferns for 
cutting purposes are grown densely on walls, an arrangement that 
saves pot plants, and is on that account a consideration where the 
demand is great. No. 3 is the late vinery, the principal sorts are the 
Alicante, Lady Downe’s, and Muscat of Alexandria. No. 4 is also a 
vinery. Here Black Hamburgh is found in company with Buckland 
Sweetwater, Duke of Buccleuch, and Alnwick Seedling. The latter is 
a favourite sort, and seems to be growing in favour generally. All 
methods of pruning and training are adopted by M’’. Bennett, and 
all successfully. As we pass onward by a very useful heated lean-to 
pit used for forcing Strawberries, we come to what was recently a 
Peach house, and is now being converted into a Fig and Rose house. 
Figs to be grown on back wall, and Tea Roses in pots in front to meet 
the demand for the popular flower. The next is a span-roofed stove 
