146 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLCGIST. 
[October, 
and attracts the notice of visitors on entering 
it. These borders might be made of sufficient 
breadth to supply the requirements of the 
house, and filled in, in addition to the herb¬ 
aceous plants, with Roses, Dahlias, the best 
kinds of Annuals, and in fact any interesting 
or useful plants not suited to the dressed 
garden. Any quantity of flowers may be 
taken from these borders for the supply of 
the house, thereby avoiding the necessity of 
stripping the beds in the flower garden proper, 
where all should be kept gay and in the very 
best condition. 
The present plan of bedding was not arrived 
at without mating with much opposition on 
the part of those who were wedded to the old 
system. Mixed beds of flowers were tried 
before the custom of planting a whole bed with 
one kind was adopted. I believe the late Mr. 
Caie, when gardener at Campden House, Ken¬ 
sington, was one of the first, if not the first 
gardener to plant an entire bed of one kind 
of scarlet Pelargonium, and he felt much 
THE ROSERY AT 
V HO does not love the Rose ? Of all 
flowers it is unquestionably the 
Queen. Its colour, form, and frag¬ 
rance render it an universal favourite, 
alike acceptable at the festive board and at 
the house of mourning. 
Some ten years ago I obtained permission 
to make a Rosery here. The spot chosen 
was one sheltered from high winds, and yet 
fully exposed to the sun, two points which are 
indispensably necessary. I need hardly say 
that it is on grass, because all Roses, seeing 
that their colours are so bright, look best on 
turf. As it is universally admired I thought a 
sketch of it might be interesting to the readers 
of the Florist and Pomologist, and therefore 
I send you the plan. I may mention that 
here it covers half an acre, but it can be laid 
out to half that size, and still look well. 
I perhaps ought to mention that in our case 
there is in the centre bed an iron pillar 14 feet 
high, and at the edge of the bed there are 
eight iron stakes half that height, and from 
these to the centre chains for training Roses 
on are hung in festoons. I ought also to 
mention that the centre bed and the outer 
border are planted with mixed kinds, while all 
interested in the questions, What would be 
thought of it ? and, What would be its result ? 
We can well recollect the interest awakened 
when the late Mr. G-. Fleming, of Trentham, 
introduced what he termed his system of ribbon 
borders, what an amount of enthusiasm was 
created by it, and how soon it revolutionised 
the treatment of flower garden decoration 
throughout the country. 
This system has gone on improving ever 
since, until our flower gardens have become 
real works of art, and a pleasure to look upon 
for the whole of the summer and autumn. 
No doubt the carpet bedding in our parks and 
public gardens, as well as in many private 
gardens when the necessary time can be be¬ 
stowed upon its proper keeping, is as near 
perfection as can well be. Indeed, I think it 
very doubtful whether the next generation of 
horticulturists will witness such a startling 
revolution, or see such a marked improvement 
in flower garden decoration as the last has 
done.— Geo. Eyles, Kew. 
ERIDGE CASTLE. ' 
the remaining twenty beds are self-coloured, 
i.e., each bed is occupied by one kind only. 
So far as my experience in forming a Rosery 
goes, the first condition necessary is to 
thoroughly drain every bed to the depth of 
3 feet; then see that there is 2 feet deep of 
rich soil in each bed. A siiff loam suits the 
Rose best, but it will accommodate itself to 
most soils —peat or moorish soils excepted— 
if they are made rich by plenty of manure. 
In forming the beds care is necessary not to 
have the surface too low or they will form 
mud pits during winter ; nor to have it cocked 
up too high, for then they will be baked by 
the summer’s sun, to the great injury of the 
plants. They should simply be kept above 
the level of the grass. 
I consider the best time to plant is the 
first or second week in November, and prefer 
dwarf plants, as being less exposed to high 
winds in summer, and severe frosts in winter. 
Plants are now offered on their own roots, and 
on the briar, and the Manetti stocks; if the 
soil is light they will grow on the latter and 
do well, but if the soil is stiff I prefer tho 
briar, and if a friable loam they are best on 
their own roots. Tea Roses, in my opinion, 
