365 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September 20, 1859. 
of it, but on a higher level than the American beds. That 
long line has a fine effect, looking from that side of the 
grand conservatory. The foreground is the American, in 
two great sunk panels, right and left, and in the centre 
of each panel rises a circular mount to the height of the 
vista walk. It is flat on the top, and a Cedar is in the 
centre of each. In one or two hundred years the 
branches may spread wide enough to cover the whole 
top ; but meantime there is ample room for a display of 
flowers, which adds to the beauty of the American gar¬ 
den, and the vista view along between the said long line 
of promenade-beds. We shall begin reading off the beds, 
however, from the lake-side of the Palm-house. Between 
it and the Victoria Regia-house are some new beds and 
improved arrangements, showing that the variegated Mint, 
and Mangles' Variegated, half and half, and not kept 
too closely cut, make excellent imitations of the Lady 
Plymouth Geranium. Also, that the dwarf pink Ivy Leaf 
and Mignonette make a good bed; also, that Mangles' 
and Mignonette do well together; but that half and half 
of Flower of the Pay and the variegated Alyssum, are 
not quite so good, except in dull weather. Looking at 
that bed in Italy would be like throwing vinegar in 
one’s eyes ; in England it is ten degrees softer, and ten 
people out of twelve like it, “ for the sake of somebody.” 
I shall not tell the eleventh person, but I am the twelfth ; 
we two can only look at it with comfort, when we could 
see a bed of Gazania splendens, because the sun was not 
out. 
Going down to the head of the great central walk from 
the terrace, the best things were four circles, or two 
match pairs of Mrs. Holford Verbena, and edged with 
Purple King. Also, two oblong beds of the Countess of 
Fllesmere Petunia, to tell an experiment in another part 
of the ground, in front of the old museum, where a bed 
of the Countess is edged with the Shrubland Pose, and 
the latter is, at least, twice as good as the best bedding 
Petunia from elsewhere. At the top of the ground-pro¬ 
menade was where I met Sir W. Hooker: the meeting 
had two charms with me, and the last of them was the 
opportunity I had of resting and looking back on the lake, 
the terrace-garden, and the new museum, and the great 
Palm-house, with the accessory of flower-vases. That is 
the best point to see the effect and beauty of water and 
statuary, in connection with high flower gardening. At 
that part is, indeed, a most beautiful sight. 
The vases are admirably doubled by their own shadow 
in the lake. Large reedy-like plants in masses near the 
margin; among which are many plants of the Tritoma 
uvaria, or Kniphofia as they call it there. Here, then, 
was a grand discovery made by two independent firms 
in one season, and without the one knowing what the 
other was about. Tritoma a water or marsh plant! dis¬ 
covered to be so at Hew many months before I made the 
experiment; but there was none of it at Hew near so 
strong as four of mine from the small sets. My plants 
were fed by hand, while those round the lake had to bear 
the brunt of the banks when the water was low in the 
lake. 
The grand promen ade-walk along the centre of the 
garden being divided by cross walks about the centre, 
the lower half, this year, is a reflect of the upper half, 
and each half is again divided into separate and inde¬ 
pendent groups by upright Conifers in opposite pairs 
planted in the line of the centres of the groups; each 
group, therefore, stands on its own merits, without much 
reference to the next groups right or left of it; and this 
is the cause of so much more interest, in this instance, 
from the usual sameness of promenade planting—as, for 
instance, at the bottom line of beds, all of one kind, along 
the bottom of the great terrace at the Crystal Palace, and 
in the lines of distinct and different beds in Hampton 
Court Gardens. The groups here consist of an oblong 
bed of eighteen or twenty feet in length, with a circular 
bed at each end of it. These in pairs make six beds to a 
group. The two long beds are always duplicate , and any 
two of the circles may differ from the other two ; but 
generally the four are of the same plants or styles of 
plants. 
Beginning at the upper end next the lake, the planting 
this season is different from that in former years. The 
first two beds are made the same as the last two beds of 
that half; but as that is not the principle on which this 
style of grouping stands, I shall read the two end pairs of 
beds in the first group, then all the rest will read gram¬ 
matically, as it were. Then the first two pairs of circular 
beds are of Cuphea ignea in the centre; then a ring of 
Purple King Verbena and the edging of Cerastium 
tomentosum —a very nice change where so many kinds of 
planting are practised. The two long beds of this first 
group are of Ageratum, edged with a dark-red Verbena. 
The second group has the four circle beds of Perilla, 
edged with Calceolaria trained down—splendid beds. The 
two long ones are the best in the garden — the centre of 
them is Flower of the Pay, then Brilliant, and outside 
Purple King Verbena. 
Third group, the four circles of Purple King and the 
edging of Hippodrome Verbenas, the latter a light lilac, 
and very effective; and the two long beds of Cerise 
Unique, and a white edge of Cerastium. 
The fourth is only a pair of oblong beds in Boses, and 
the ground covered with Mignonette. Also in many 
parts of the garden are groups of Boses, and all of them 
with Mignonette, which is, most certainly, the best way 
of all the ways hitherto adopted with Bose groups in 
flower gardens. No kind of gay flower seems to agree 
with Boses in the same bed; and none of the surface of 
any bed should ever be seen bare. Boses and Mignonette 
agree in the idea, as well as the Mignonette spreads and 
covers the ground. In my younger days Boses and 
Violets in the same bed were the fashion. 
The fifth group, the four circles in Ageratum, quite 
closely trained, and Tommy Verbena for edging, and the 
two oblongs of Punch, edged with variegated Alyssum. 
Punch is still the best bedder here; the four large half¬ 
circular beds of it up next the lake are the finest in 
England, their edging looks as if it were of Lady Ply¬ 
mouth, but is, in fact, one-half Mangles’ Variegated 
Geranium and one-half variegated Mint, standing about 
six or eight inches high, and from twelve to fourteen 
inches wide. This requires a great deal of time, care, 
and skill; but give them, and no edging can excel it in 
effectiveness to a red, purple, or scarlet bed. 
Sixth group. Two oblong beds only, and the two in 
Calceolaria amplexicaulis, edged with purple Verbenas— 
two splendid beds. But amplexicaulis does better at 
Kew than anywhere else, or they manage it so much 
better. 
The seventh group reaches to the centre, and I put the 
four circles as they stand in the first group. The two 
oblongs are of Mangles’ Variegated, edged with Mrs. 
Woodroffe Verbena. These two beds are my own private 
fancy. I like them better than any of the rest; but that 
is not here or there — mere private taste. The best beds 
of Mangles' in the three kingdoms, as far as I know, are 
the four fan-beds round the “ fountain ” at Shrubland 
Park. To finish this half, and to meet the requirements of 
the cross walks, a group of Boses come in, and a group 
of Tritoma uvaria in the four angles of the cross walk, 
the Tritoma being edged with Silver Grass. Splendid 
masses of this most charming flower in the centre of a 
great avenue of flowers, laid down on scientific principles, 
was a fertile idea well carried out. Here, on the cross 
walks, eight new oblong beds have been made this year, 
with their ends to the great walk. They are beautifully 
arranged, and give quite a new feature to this part of the 
grounds. The four nearest the main walk are of Flower 
of the Pay, one row of Brilliant all round, and a band 
eighteen inches wide of Purple King Verbena. Al¬ 
together splendid beds. 
