SEPTEMBER. 
259 
set with coloured gravel, are not at all to our taste; they produce a 
bit of a polychrome certainly, but we should have much preferred that 
the verdant slopes on which they are placed had been left unbroken. 
Then, again, the panels into which the grand shield compartments for 
flowers, which tiank each side of the main walk, are thrown, would have 
been better filled up, and the flower beds brought up to the level of the 
gravel walk. Neither are the lines of Box forming the pattern and scroll¬ 
work in the design bold enough to be distinguishable at even a small 
distance, which will prove a great defect in the absence of flowers when 
the Box and different coloured gravel will alone have to represent the 
design. An alteration also suggests itself in the interior of the com¬ 
partments to allow for additional space for flow’ers; for, admitting the 
principle that in the arrangement of masses of colour on a given design 
or painting, it should be evenly balanced, and not laid on with a great 
dab of glare in one place, and a weak one to match, more room seems to 
be required, to enable Mr. Eyles to make good his picture. These latter 
defects in the details of the design are, however, naturally incidental to 
most new plans, for even the most cultivated eye can scarcely see far 
enough to comprehend to its full extent the difference in appearance 
between a coloured design lying before it and the same carried out 
and filled with growing plants. 
Although the grounds are incomplete, yet the parterres and flower¬ 
beds are in the full blaze of beauty; and however we may differ in 
opinion as to whether Mr. Nesfield’s design for the gardens is the one 
best adapted for a town garden, as to details, there can be but one 
opinion on the admirable way in which Mr. Eyles has arranged the 
planting. We have seen in places more variety, as was to be expected ; 
but with a few exceptions, arising from not providing space for more 
flowers in the design (over which Mr. Eyles had no control), the massing 
of colour and general arrangement are such as to show that that gen¬ 
tleman clearly understood his objects, and has most successfully worked 
them out. 
We have stated above that flower-gardening differs widely from that 
of mere cultivation ; the principal object of the one being to cultivate, 
the other to combine. But nevertheless, as bright colours are indis¬ 
pensable for effect, good cultivation is necessary to produce them ; and 
that this is the case at Kensington, the condition of the bloom affords 
ample testimony. There is a brilliancy of colour and healthiness of 
foliage which bespeaks careful tending in this respect—avoiding, on the 
one hand, an excess of growth, inducing foliage at the expense of bloom, 
and, on the other hatid, any deficiency of support, which would at 
once show itself in the starved appearance of the foliage and puny 
blossoms. 
The variety of plants employed for the garden decoration are com¬ 
paratively few ; it is to their numbers, redundancy of bloom, and artistic 
arrangement, that the grand effect observable is produced. The scarlet 
section of Geraniums comprises the Crystal Palace Scarlet, so called, 
which has several synonyms, but is an old variety, raised many years 
by Mr. Ingram, and given away to several parties, who sent it 
out under different names, one being Collins’ Dwarf—others called it 
