DECEMBER. 
359 
winter, but afford a good background for the plants placed in front, 
which consist of various classes of plants adapted for greenhouse and 
conservatory culture ; among them are magnificent plants of greenhouse 
Ferns, for which, judging from the fine health of the specimens, the 
cool atmosphere of the house seems remarkably well adapted. Dick- 
sonia antarctica, Woodwardia radicans, Balantium culcita, and a few 
others, struck us as particularly good. As the rather long lines of green 
on each side of this avenue, backed by the Camellias, would by them¬ 
selves have somewhat of a sombre appearance, they are relieved by 
introducing groups or masses of small plants in bloom on each side at 
certain intervals ; these produce a much better appearance both for 
themselves, and for heightening the effect of the plants in contact with 
them, than if they were dotted over the entire space ; and the plan 
suggests some useful hints for relieving the monotony of similar 
structures elsewhere. Suspended from the roof of the conservatory and 
corridor are a number of terra cotta and other vases of a chaste shell 
pattern, in various shades of colour. These latter are the designs of 
Minton (a name familiar in connection with this class of manufactures), 
they were filled with Ferns and Lycopods, had a charming appearance, 
and are well adapted for such situations. 
The old dome conservatory of Knight, on the site of which the new 
show house now stands, used formerly to contain the large specimens of 
Rhododendron arboreum which helped to make Mr. Knight so 
famous, and from which many hundreds of hybrids raised between 
this and hardier varieties were sent out from this nursery, to the no 
small profit of the then proprietor. 
R. G. F. 
(To be, continued.) 
THE ROSE SEASON OF 1858. 
The past season ought to be long remembered by Rose lovers, for 
surely never before were Roses seen in such perfection ; old varieties 
seemed to have regained their youthful beauty, and new kinds that had 
scarcely become known to the Rose world shone forth in full splendour. 
The Hybrid Perpetual Roses, in the south, at least, eclipsed all others 
in perfection of form, perfume, and brilliancy of colour. In such a 
crowd of names as our catalogues now give it has become a matter of 
difficulty to remember all the fine varieties ; and although notes may be 
taken at our great exhibitions, your readers will not perhaps object to 
have their memories refreshed with notices of some of the fine varieties 
that excited their admiration during last Rose-tide. I fear nothing 
new can be said, for all the terms of praise have been exhausted, and 
the descriptions of fine Roses have become almost “ flat, stale, and 
unprofitable,” because of their repetition year after year in the various 
“ Descriptive Catalogues of Roses.” 
It is now perhaps time to commence a new style of describing Roses. 
Why should we not have degrees of comparison, and say, “ beautiful, 
very beautiful, most beautiful,” and the latter applied to Roses “few 
