20 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, April 13, 1858. 
! 
I 
mation devoutly to be wished,” and, perhaps, some 
day, may be accomplished. 
Boidlng Green. —This is the best of its kind that I 
have ever seen. It is sunk below the general level 
about three feet, and is surrounded with broad grassy 
slopes, so that many spectators can view the game. In 
fine weather I was assured that the players were very 
numerous, and enjoyed the pleasant recreation amaz- 
ingly. 
The Cricket Ground is also well attended. The 
park-keeper said he has frequently counted sixty 
wickets set up. It is to the left as you enter the gates, 
and, of course, a large space is open for the purpose, 
at a distance from the flower-beds and shrubberies. 
Hear it is the gymnasium, furnished with swings, 
poles, leaping bars, &c., a source of endless amuse¬ 
ment, and muscle-strengthening exercises. 
Shrubberies. — Choice flowering shrubs and ever¬ 
greens have been planted on raised banks next the 
boundary walls. In two or three years these will be 
very effective. To make them grow freely, especially 
such shrubs as Yews and Roses, the manager has had 
manured with night soil, and it is astonishing how they 
have improved since he adopted the stimulant. * 
The Flower-beds. —These are as much cared for as 
any in a private garden. I have already alluded to 
the effective appearance they made last summer, and 
have no doubt they will be still finer this season. The 
soil is naturally light, hence they flower more, and leaf 
less than in healthy rich soils. Just now the Crocus 
tribe, and very beautiful. They are grown in broad 
patches in front of the shrubs, each patch of a dis¬ 
tinct separate colour, It is intended, another season, 
to plant them in the ribbon style—one row of white, 
the next striped, the next blue, and the last yellow; 
the effect will then be greatly enhanced. It will 
show taste and design in arrangement. 
Seats. —Substantial resting places have not been 
forgotten. They are of a rustic character, and are 
roomy and airy. Pleasant places to sit down in, and 
cosily enjoy the shade in hot weather, and contem¬ 
plate the beautiful objects in sight. 
Brass Cannons, —A couple of the trophies of our 
brave soldiers’ victories, in the Crimea, have been pre¬ 
sented by government to this park, and are about to 
be mounted in conspicuous plapes, on a stone plinth. 
They are very beautiful instruments, if we could only 
forget the terrible uses to which they have been ap¬ 
plied. When will the time come when such dreadful 
weapons will be looked upon as relics of a barbarous 
age F We have the word of prophecy, that such will 
be the case—“ When nation shall not rise up against 
nation, and there shall be no more war.” 
Pebble. This, though last, is not the least curious 
object in this beautiful park garden. It is, I judge, 
the largest pebble ever seen in a park. Its weight, by 
computation, is thirty tons. Geologists say it is 
granite. It was found in a meadow about half a mile 
from its present site. Such a ponderous pebble took 
immense power and strong tackle to move it. Twenty- 
seven of the strongest horses had to put forth all their 
powers to bring it home. 
All these pleasant objects are open to the public 
every day, excepting Wednesday and Sunday morn- 
iiigs. . I he former day enables the manager to put 
all things in good trim, and repair any trilling damage 
that may have been done accidentally or other¬ 
wise. 
Any stranger visiting Macclesfield, will, I am sur 
be highly gratified by spending an hour in those vel 
kept grounds. They are a great on dit to the town. 
T. Appleby. 
WELLINGTON ROAD NURSERY". 
{Continuedfrom 'page G.) 
STRING FLOWERS. 
From (lie 10th of April, onwards, this nursery will look 
like a Dutch garden, with the immense quantities of early 
Tulips which were planted last autumn. Ten large oblong 
beds of them, and every bed from thirty to forty feet long, 
five feet wide, and nine rows of Tulips in each (about 200 kinds 
of early Tulips in all), collected on purpose from abroad, to 
make different selections for English “spring flowers •” and I 
am promised the names of all the best colours, from pure 
white and pure yellow, up to scarlet and crimson, and buffs, 
rose, lilacs, and so on, with the average height; and also 
those with the shortest and stiffest flower-stems. This i 3 an 
excellent opportunity to save its all a journey to Holland, as 
few of us have, yet dreamed of what may be done with early 
Tulips in the flower-beds. 
Aubretia deltoides grandiftora and A. Moxii, two best; 
Oxalis spectobttis, the best hardy ; Helleborus atro-rulens and 
Olympicus , next best spring flowers after niger, or “ Christmas 
Rose;” Aquilegia eximia, said to be splendid ; the variegated 
Daisy; Arctotis grandiftora ; (Enothera speciosa, the scarcest \ 
and best of our herbaceous plants ; Lychnis Sieboldii; double 
dark Auricula, and ditto Polyanthus; Gazania rigens, the best 
front of a greenhouse plant we have ; Phytolacca decandra, 
the best wilderness plant; Calystegiapubescens simplex , a plant 
of my own making, and now the very best hardy Ipomeea- 
looking flower in Europe. Fortune’s double Convolvulus 
was a great curiosity, and a great favourite at first; but 
Beaton’s single variety of the same is worth ten score of it. 
The right name of it is Calystegia pubescens simplex. These, 
and all the variegated hardy herbaceous plants, give hint onlv 
ol what may be had here for “ spring flowers.” 
Of Acliimenes, the best and the newest are these:— Ama- 
bilis, atro-coerulea, Ambroise Versckoffelt, Carminata splen - 
dens, Dr. Peunzod, Estelle, fimbriata, gigantea, Heeri, 
Madame Hagerauer, and Parsoni. 
Of Tydeoa (the tall, upright Achimenes) these are the newest 
and best: Paron de Pret, Carl Schiile, Amabilis as above, 
Carminata splendens, Dr. Peunzod, and Parsoni, also as 
above; Dr. Picouline, Gem, and Ortgiesi. 
The following are the best and the newest of the upright- 
flowering Gloxinias : Those after Fifeana, Alba auriculata, 
Auricula, Pootiana, Comte de Neipperg, Dionysius, Donna 
Colonna, Duchess de Prabant, Eloise, Eulgens, Gentiana, 
Grandis, Helen of Orleans, Hendersoni, Imperatrice Eugenie, 
Kermesina, Madame Picouline, Pavonia, Princess Poyal, 
Poi des Pelges, Posea, Tarragona, Victoria, Wagneri, and 
Waterwitch. The best dozen kinds of the old-shaped 
G-loxinias ar e—Peatrice d'Este, Pletso, Cortoni robusta, Cor- 
rifie, Dr. Peichenbach, Duke of Wellington, Eugenie, Frede¬ 
rick Leming, Grand Sultan, Marie, Nigricans, Novelty 
Princess Maria, Sir Hugo, and Wilsoni. 
All these “ roots ” we have grown and bloomed to perfection 
and kept over the winter on a new plan, without a stove or 
forcing-house, in the Experimental Garden. Any one may 
grow, and bloom, and keep the whole of them : hence these 
lists, for which I hold myself responsible; and a chapter on 
them will be found in our columns to-day. 
The following are the best winter and early spring-fiower- 
ing Heaths (1 took these in aid of “ spring flowers ”) :_ 
hyemails, gracilis, autumnalis, and vernalis ; Vernix and 
V.coccinea; Colorans and C. verna; Cafra nana, Linnceoides, 
Plan da, Purnetti, Lamhertiana, and L. rosea; scabriuscula 
McNabiana rosea, Mel anther a, Mundula, Mirabilis, Pyra- 
midalis, Pegerminans, Pubrocalyx, Transparens nova. Ex- 
surgens, and E. coccinea. These will bloom from the time of 
taking up the bedding plants till it is nearly time to bed out 
again. 
In the. stoves, where the collections look as well as if we 
had no winter,! marked the following :—Medinella magnifea 
blooming brilliantly on one leg, in 48-sized pots, scores of 
them. . Who have been romancing about this gorgeous plant, 
and going about saying it would not, or could not, be bloomed 
until it is a great bush ? But there is‘a trick in “blowing” 
it, which may not be well known. First, you must not make 
spring cuttings of it, for if you do, you are looking to the 
