160 
T1IE CO'Ti'AGli GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
GENTLEMAN, DeOsaujeii 13, 1859. 
LINTON PARK. 
{Continued from page 115.) 
I Now come to the peculiar and distinctive feature in the orna¬ 
mental gardening—namely, the grouping with fine effect of a 
huge oval of DO ft. by 70, or 68 ft, without any pathways either 
of grass or gravel, except what surround it; the oval being 
placed on the level ground between VII. and VIII. in fig. 1, and ' 
shown as planted out in fig. 2; the other bed3 on the other level 
from VIII. to IX. being managed more in the usual way. This 
huge group was past its best in October ; but the first peep I 
liacl of it by moonlight from the terrace, was very striking—the 
favourable impression being more than confirmed the next day. 
It looked very well even when close to it j but looked better from 
the terrace ; better still from the principal rooms above the 
colonnade; and best of all from the roof of the mansion. These 
facts will give an idea where such a plan could be most success¬ 
fully followed. The spectator should be able to look down upon 
it and take it all in at once. Owing to the laws of perspective, 
when looked at from the terrace the oval seems a perfect circle, 
Mr. Robson was induced to adopt this plan from finding a diffi¬ 
culty in pleasing himself and others chiefly interested as to a 
permanent design, having a reluctance to adopt a mere scroll- 
pattern in such a position. The mode has given such satisfaction 
that it bids fair to be continued, especially as a new design can 
be easily adopted every season—easily, at least, in the hands 
of a master who can sketch with a pencil on paper, or a stick 
on the m-onnd, with such facility. Last season (1858), I should 
think the design must have been quite as telling: the oval being 
chief!v filled with two large letters C (in honour, I presume, of the 
noble* amiable proprietress, and the two Ladies Cornwallis ; the 
Cs being placed back to back, and so crossed as to leave a space 
for a neutral colour in the centre. 
The design and planting will be seen for this season by referring 
to the numbers in fig. 2. 
1«IG. 2. 
>s 
o 
O 
O 4 
3 
C K 
P 
3- 
P 
3* 
P 
CD? 
& 
O 
a 4 
B 
o 
3 
3 
o 
c3 
3 
a 1 
1, Geranium Trentham rose, in a mass 21 by 20 ft. 
2, 2. Verbena Ariosto. 
3, 3. Lobelia speciosa. 
4, 4. Geranium Tom Thumb A 
5, 5. Calceolaria viscosissima and other yellows. 
6, 6. Verbena Purple King.* 
7, A single row of variegated Alyssum surrounds each of the 
beds above named, and also by side of the grass verge ; the interior 
between these rows being planted with white Verbenas, and the 
whole of these white bends from three to four feet wide. It is 
right to add that the white Verbena in the centre of the Alyssum 
did not keep its position as to stiffness and height like the 
except yellow is set in a framework of white ; that a white plant 
forms, in fact, the dividing pathways, and in such a group be¬ 
comes more than a substitute for the finest white Derbyshire spar. 
The two side beds, marked 22 ft. in width, and marked with 
circles 9 and 10, arc thus planted (circles 6 ft. in diameter) :— I 
Purple Petunia edged round with a foot, wide of Alyssum ; then 
two feet round of Tom Thumb; and one more row, or one foot, of 
Alyssum, which meets the corresponding circle in the next series, j 
* In the above engraving the lower figs,, 4 and 6, have been misplaced; ! 
they should change places. 
| The outer edge beyond this, and Tandy eking between the circles, 
was planted with Mangles' variegated Geranium ; though, as far 
as I recollect, Mr. Robson would have preferred a stiff bluo Lo¬ 
belia, or a stiff puce-coloured plant like Cherlwood’s Verbena. 
These beds as planted were very telling. The two small beds, each 
I divided into three, and marked 11,12,13,14,15,16, were planted 
with six Verbenas ; but I forget liow they were divided and edged. 
The beds on the lower level were thus planted:— 
17 and 22. Salvia fulgens and variegata, edged with Alyssum. 
18. Cuphea strigulosa, edged with Nierembergia. 
19, 20. Borders 18 ft. wide, planted ribbon style with purple 
Dahlias, Calceolarias, &c. Each had fine wide margins of the 
old Verbena pulchella —a perfect mass of bloom in October. 
21. Geranium Triomphe, Mont Rouge, edged with a variegated 
variety. 
23. Brilliant de Vaise Verbena, edged with white ditto. 
24 and 25. Beds of standard Roses, five rows in each bed, and 
three sizes in each ditto. 
26. Mrs. TVoodroojfe Verbena, edged with white ditto. 
27 and 32. Araucaria imbricata. 
28 and 31. Mangles' Variegated Geranium. 
29 and 30. Calceolaria, yellow, edged with blue Lobelia. 
These beds anywhere else would have looked very nice ; but, 
with the exception of the two large ones that were ribboned, the 
