THE LADIES MAGAZINE OF GARDENING. 
235 
we could. When we quitted the Botanic Garden we drove to the 
Zoological Garden; but the rain here literally descended in torrents ; and 
we could see nothing but a painting of the taking of Algiers, some 
pitiful-looking monkeys, and a very cross elephant. Of the plan of the 
gardens I can say nothing. 
Liverpool , June 28th and 29th.—The severe cold Mr. Loudon caught 
at Manchester detained us some days in that town ; and he continued so 
ill at Liverpool, that we were only able to pay a very short visit to the 
Botanic and Zoological gardens of that city. Of the first, I can only say 
that it appeared to me beautifully situated, and that the plants were 
growing with great luxuriance. I was particularly struck with the 
effect of the great number of plants of the gigantic cow parsnep. 
Solarium crispum stands well on an east wall ; and Aralia japonica and 
Clematis azur.ea on a south one. Near the latter plants was Stachys coccinea 
in the open ground, growing luxuriously. There was a very handsome 
hybrid Saxifrage, between Saxifraga crassifolia and S. ligulata , which 
flowers in the open ground, as early as S. ligulata does in the house. 
Mr. Loudon was so ill that we were obliged to quit the garden abruptly; 
and owing to his illness, we did not visit any private gardens in either 
Manchester or Liverpool. 
Crosslee Cottage , Archibald Woodhouse, Esq., June 30th.—On the 
29th of June we sailed from Liverpool, on board the Princess Royal, a 
beautiful new steamer, very elegantly fitted up; and we arrived at 
Greenock the following morning, whence we proceeded, as expeditiously 
as possible, to this beautiful place. Crosslee Cottage is situated on the 
banks of the river Gryffe, a wild uncertain stream, which sometimes 
dashes along like a mountain torrent, and at others, leaves half its rough 
and rocky bed bare. The flower-garden here is perfection. The beds 
are laid out on turf, and kept with the utmost exactness; the places of 
the dead flowers being filled up as fast as they decay with fresh ones 
just coming into bloom. Mr. and Mrs. Woodhouse are exceedingly fond 
of their garden; and its beauty is another proof, if proof were wanting, of 
the ample manner in which flowers always repay the attention bestowed 
upon them. During the fortnight that has elapsed since our arrival, and 
during which Mr. Loudon has been confined to his bed, I have made many 
observations on the flowers here, which at a future period I shall give to 
my readers. 
Crosslee Cottage, 
July 13,1841. 
(To be continued.) 
