THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 14, 1856. 21 
of him for some years. It was most lucky that I called 
in time to see the best new bedding Geranium that has 
been tried this season, Dennis Alma, of which I spoke 
most favourably on its first appearance three years 
since. It forces as well as Album multiflorum, alias 
Alba mullijlora, which is wrong, unless I am beaten on 
Diadematum regiutn, and it is one of the very best 
bedders of the greenhouse class, according to what I 
have seen of Mr. Donald’s account, who knows them all. 
He had fifty plants of it in one of the large oblong 
beds at eighteen inches apart every way; but fifteen 
inches will be the stretch next year. He has propagated 
every inch of it for a grand display next season, and is 
going to reduce his stock of Unique to make extra 
room for it. He purposes doing more; but I seldom 
anticipate, unless it be a hard winter or something that 
way. I can always tell best after a thing is done ; but 
I will just tell one thing—this gay bedder must take 
the place of the Queen of Roses in the “Fountain 
Garden” at Shrubland Park. Any plant which will 
suit Hampton Court will do in the Fountain Garden. 
Four pairs of the circles between the Heliotropes would 
not be too many, and four dozen or four dozen and a 
half will plant them. It is much higher coloured than 
the Queen of Roses, is not so strong, but after that style. 
The price now is not over one shilling a plant; but, 
after this story gets about, it will be up to two shillings 
and sixpence no doubt. 
In both gardens they put the chief stock of Gera¬ 
nium cuttings into sixty-sized pots at once, one cutting 
in the centre of each pot. This saves a good deal of 
after-work, as nothing more is necessary till the plants 
are turned out into the beds ; but for one who has suffi¬ 
cient room, five thousand do not know which way to 
turn just now, and for the next five or six months, and 
are glad if they can cram ten or twelve cuttings into the 
smallest pot, and keep them there as long as it is safe 
to keep the pot from actually bursting. 
If it is really true that new brooms do sweep clean 
we shall soon have a clean sweep at both these places; 
but, my own observations rather incline me to believe 
the new brooms are more than often allowed to get too 
near the fire, and then a disagreeable smell, and a more 
disagreeable sweep, and then again, et catena, et’eatera. 
D. Beaton. 
CRYSTAL PALACE.— September 11th. 
(Continued from page 468, Vol. XVI.') 
To the best of my recollection the width of the 
upper terrace may be from 200 to 300 feet, separated 
into two divisions by the 100 feet walk. On the west 
side next the Palace the ground on the same level 
as the wide walk is separated from a sunk parterre on 
each side by a half-moon or semicircular walk of mode¬ 
rate width, and, of course, on the same level as the 
main centre walk, and thus making something like a 
quadrant on each side of it. On the west side of this 
semicircular walk, that is, next the Palace, there is a 
verge of turf some twelve feet or so in width (but I just 
guess it), and on the same level as the lawn in the quad¬ 
rant opposite. Along the sides of this main centre 
walk in this tei-race, and the east side of the semicircular 
walk all round, large Araucarias are planted about fifty 
feet apart, each having a circle of dressed earth of some 
nine feet or so in diameter, and the outer part decked 
with a ring of flowers, such as the Lobelia ramosoides. 
Between each of these Araucarias, and likewise at equal 
distances all round, is placed a massive pedestal some 
four feet square, and some five feet in height, provided, 
or to be provided, with vases, urns, statues, &c.; and 
round each of these pedestals is a ring of grass, and 
then a ring of Scarlet Geraniums. On the opposite 
side ot this half-moon walk, on the broad verge w T e have 
spoken of as separating this walk from the sunk par¬ 
terre next the Palace, pedestals and vases are also placed 
in a similar manner, but without any Araucarias between 
them, or any ring-beds round the pedestals ; but the space 
between is devoted to circular and oblong beds alter¬ 
nately. Those who understand this description (and they 
may do it better by making a few lines on paper) wiil 
better follow us in alluding to the arrangement of the 
gardening part of the affair. 
Commencing, then, with those large, deep-sunk panels, 
or parterres—one on each side—the first sight is one of 
great satisfaction. In the centre of each is placed a large, 
irregular, artistic reservoir for water, with the nozzles of 
jets just shining above it. Around this reservoir is a 
wide space of grass, and on it, at irregular distances from 
the sloping banks, a narrow chain of roundish and 
oblong links goes all the way round, the outside of the 
links being formed of Scarlet Geraniums, and the centre 
of Yellow Calceolarias. I am wrong in saying that the 
chain went all round, for at certain irregular corners it 
joins one side, and then proceeds from the opposite side 
of a group of Rhododendrons. I have no doubt these 
Rhododendrons look beautiful in early summer. I have 
as little doubt, on the principles of unity of expression 
and uniformity so generally recognised at the Palace, 
that the chain should be uninterrupted and perfect in 
itself. I should have no objection—quite the reverse— 
to pretty adjuncts to the chain here and there, in the 
shape of hearts and lockets, which ladies attach to such 
articles; but I would have each such adjunct of a well- 
defined colour, and in proportion to the size of the chain 
—very different from a hulking mass of Rhododendrons. 
Even with this exception, noticed, I believe,'’’by few, 
this chain parterre is very pretty. I should just like to 
hazard the idea, whether, as there is as yet little in the 
grounds worthy of the name of grouping, these panels 
might not have been made into rich parterres, glowing 
with almost all kinds of colours. A more distinct feature 
would thus have been presented, and, from being looked 
down upon from all parts, there would have been no in- • 
terference with the style of the building, nor yet with 
the planting of the quadrants on a higher level. One 
gentleman of refined taste, to whom I hinted this idea, 
said the chief objection would be the swallowing up of 
so much green sward, so pleasant for the eye to repose 
upon; but were I in a position to inflict such a loss in 
the sunk panel, I would make compensation by cheer¬ 
fully throwing most of the much-praised beds round 
the half-moon walk into green turf, and their disappear¬ 
ance would be no serious loss. The only tolerable thing 
about them, besides the masses of colour, is that they 
can be examined by visitors from the walks. 
Where to find the uniformity seen almost everywhere 
else, and equally demanded here in these flower-beds, 
would be a puzzler. The principle of uniformity is recog¬ 
nised by the sides of the main walk in the terrace; it is 
recognised on each side of the semicircular walk, so 
far as artistic architectural ornaments in pedestals, &c., 
are concerned. The planter and flower gardener have 
disregarded all this, and made a system for themselves. 
If it is extra desirable to have flower-beds along the 
sides of this walk, and close to it, both sides ought to be 
alike, and there could be no difficulty. 
If there is an opeu departure from an easily recognised 
rule, it can only be justified by a seen necessity, or a ; 
perceptible superiority of the modes and practices 
adopted. Without dwelling on necessity, I shall just 
look at the two modes adopted for furnishing this semi¬ 
circular walk on the quadrant side, because both, to my j 
mind, are highly objectionable. 
The beauty of such Araucarias and Deodars as those 
flourishing so well would be much enhanced by the 
lawn going up to, or within a short distance of, their 
