THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, April 14, 1857 
23 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Syhphoricarpus mcROPHYixus (Mexican Small-leaved 
Snowberry). 
This lias also been known by the specific names montanus 
and //laucesccns, as well as by the names of Anisanthns 
microphylla. It. is a native of the high mountains of Mexico. 
It is quite hardy, with small pinkish flowers, and the berries 
also are pink. It was introduced in 1829 by R. Barclay, 
Esq., of Bury Hill. A small bush, flowering in summer.— 
(Botanical May. t. 4975.) 
Cirriiopetalum MeduS-ZE (Medusa’ s-Jiecul Orchis). 
So called from the long and profuse yellow sepals, render¬ 
ing the spike like a head covered with dishevelled hair. 
Native of Singapore, whence it was introduced to our stoves 
by Messrs. Loddiges. Elowers in winter. — (Ibid. t. 4977.) 
Sonerila elegans (Elegant Sonerila). 
A very lovely stove plant, native of the Neilgherry Hills, 
near Madras. Introduced by Messrs. Veitch. Blooms in 
January. Flowers pink, with conspicuous crimson pistil, 
and filaments of the same colour tipped with golden anthers. 
— (Ibid. t. 4978.) 
Costus Afer (African Costus ). 
Native of the west coast of tropical Africa. It was sent 
to the Horticultural Society by its collector, Mr. G. Don, in 
1821, but seems to have been allowed to become extinct. 
It is figured and described in the Botanical Register, 
viii. t. 083. It was re-introduced at the Kew Gardens in 
1855 by Capt. J. H. Selwyn, R.N. On the coast of Africa 
the natives employ it as a remedy against nausea. Its stem 
is eaten green, and in taste resembles Sorrel, Oxalis acetosella. 
Flowers white, leaves dark glossy green, and altogether the 
plant is handsome. Blooms in September.— (Ibid. t. 4979.) 
/ 
FLOWER-GARDEN PLAN. 
Here is one of the best ways of laying out flower 
gardens on a limited scale. The shape of the long, 
oblong beds is very artistic. The sixteen neutral beds 
in the celebrated “ Fountain Garden” at Shrubland Park 
are ot that shape, and the arrangement there along the 
walks, and also at the Crystal Palace, at Kew, and at 
the garden of the Horticultural Society, is a circle, and 
one of these oblong beds “turn about.” At the Crystal 
Palace the circles are six feet across, and the oblongs 
are six feet wide and eighteen feet long. It may be laid 
down as a rule, then, that such long beds ought to be 
three times the length of their breadth. The best run of 
these beds is along the lower terrace-walk in the centre 
division of the terrace garden at the Crystal Palace, and 
there are twenty-one of them in each half of that division, 
each half beginning and ending with a circle ; but the 
circles do not come up so close to the angles of the cross 
walks as to require the turn of the walks to follow the 
turn of the circles. In smaller places, however, two feet I 
verge ought to be the distance of such beds from the 
walk. No bed ought to come nearer a walk than two 
feet, and when a circular bed comes in the corners, as 
in this plan, the corner of the walk ought to be more 
rounded than is usually done, so as to correspond more 
with the turn of the circle. There is no objection to this 
in principle, but some artists do not approve of it, and 
never put a circle inside an angle. There is a figure for 
an angle bed purposely, and there are two sets of them 
to be seen at each end of the terrace garden at the Crystal 
Palace. They are planted there with scarlet Geraniums 
with edgings ; four large corner beds in each panel. 
The flower garden of the Rev. E. Phillips, the incum¬ 
bent of Surbiton, was altered four years since, and at my 
suggestion all the flower-beds were arranged as in this 
plan, except that there are no beds in the centre, nor 
circles in the corners. In a limited place there is no 
objection to having Roses or American plants in the 
same manner as is shown in this plan—a central bed in 
