August 1, 1891 
7G5 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
the design of the proprietor's residence, and was 
inspected with great interest by the party. The 
tree trunks, of which it is constructed, had been cut 
up without previous dressing, as may be seen by 
reference to the accompanying illustration. Both 
externally and internally everything was as clean as 
a pin, and bespoke of neatness and comfort. 
Near to this on a square piece of ground, enclosed 
by hedges, was a range of glass-houses. One was 
occupied with Cucumbers and Melons bearing good 
crops. Of the former Rollison’s Telegraph and 
Allan's Favourite were the kinds grown. An ex¬ 
cellent crop of High Cross Hybrid, Countess, and 
Read's Scarlet Flesh Melons occupied the other 
compartment of the house. Tuberous Begonias and 
Zonal Pelargoniums in many hues were a blaze of 
colour in a house close by. Celosias and Hydrangea 
paniculata were gay in a third, and Gardenias, 
planted out in another, were a picture of rude health. 
The great attraction, however, was the Souvenir 
Fern was a fine sight. A glass case, facing south, 
occupied a considerable extent of wall space, and 
was filled with Roses, Tomatos, and Peaches, the 
latter presenting a fine appearance. The various 
compartments of the kitchen garden, abutting on 
these glass houses, were occupied with various fruit 
and vegetable crops, and the borders were planted 
with Apple and Pear trees on the bush system, 
mostly bearing a fine crop. Filbert trees are pruned 
on the same system. Currants and Raspberries were 
well fruited, and Cherry trees on the walls were 
heavily laden with ripe and ripening fruit. 
Roses, Honeysuckles, and Clematis covered the 
wires and pillars in the Italian garden. A large 
circular bed at one end of this arrangement was filled 
with Lilies, Sunflowers, Salvia patens, Dahlias, 
Zinnias, Iceland Poppies, Antirrhinums, and other 
subjects of that class. Near by the chainwork were 
tall Delphiniums in variety and a mass of the Globe 
Thistle (Echinops), 6 ft. high and 4 ft. through. 
the purple-leaved Prunus Pissardi, the variegated 
Negundo aceroides, and other fine-foliaged trees and 
shrubs added much to the charm of the whole. In 
this hollow also was an admirable sample of the 
ancient art of topiary gardening, in the shape of 
numerous and well-kept specimens in box of various 
animals and other figures, which evoked a great 
amount of interest amongst the visitors. There were 
figures of serpents on a pole, various birds, rabbits, 
squirrels, a man on horseback, a temple, tables, and 
several fanciful and indescribable subjects in endless 
variety. A real fountain, with water playing, 
occupied a central position. 
A fine bed of Cannas on the higher ground will 
soon be gay. The plants had been wintered out of 
doors where they now grow, simply protected by a 
covering of leaves and straw. In various parts of 
the grounds were fine specimens of Abies Pinsapo, 
and A. concolor, the latter notable for the glaucous 
hue of its foliage. Large beds and also prominen 
Ascott, The Seat of Leopold de Rothschild, Esq. 
de Malmaison and other Carnations, with which a 
large span-roofed house was filled. The type looked 
pale though grand in the presence of the warmly- 
coloured and so-called pink variety. The typical 
sort occupied the side stages of one compartment, 
while the other monopolised the central stage, form¬ 
ing a mass graduated as to height from the centre 
towards the sides. The odour emanating from them 
was simply delicious, and the size of the flowers 
astonishing. In the other compartment the type 
and the Scarlet Malmaison, that is, Madame A. 
Warocque, occupied the side stages. The latter has 
a fine constitution, and the flowers are seen to best 
advantage in summer. The central stage here was 
occupied chiefly with the yellow Almira, slightly 
striped with red, and the beautiful bright yellow 
Germania. Outside the houses many Carnations, 
plunged in ashes, were being grown on for flowering 
at a later period. 
In another part of the garden was a lean-to stove 
occupied with Crotons, Dracaenas, Ferns, and other 
useful decorative stuff. The roof was draped 
with a double red form of Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis, 
Bougainvillea glabra, &c. A houseful of Maidenhair. 
Near the circle were large beds of annual and 
perennial herbaceous plants, including fine masses of 
the fringed Mikado Poppy, Polemoniums, CEnotheras, 
and double white Campanula persicifolia. 
Near the upper end of the pleasure grounds was a 
huge bed of Rhododendrons, almost hidden by 
masses of Delphiniums 6 ft. to 8 ft. high planted 
amongst them, and edged with Roses and a massive 
line of the Red Valerian. Bordering a walk were six 
long beds of tuberous Begonias, now beginning to be 
gay. Two beds of a velvety crimson variety of the 
China Rose, 12 ins. to 18 ins. high, were one mass of 
bloom. In the bottom of a small dell were two ponds 
planted with Nymphaeas, the Water Plantain, &c., 
and having Typha latifolia on the margin. On the 
higher ground and the mounds around them were 
masses of Spiraea aruncus, S. ariaefolia, Dimor- 
phanthus mandshuricus, and Babylonian Willows, 
all beautiful and striking according to their kind. 
Some chain bedding in a large hollow was planted 
with tuberous Begonias, and on the banks and 
undulating mounds around this, striking effects were 
produced by masses of shrubbery, intermingled here 
{tqd tl^ere \yitl] flgwering plants. Lgrge bushes of 
places on rising ground planted with the Golde 
Cypress, Golden Yew, Golden Hollies, and Retinos- 
pora plumosa aurea in the glory of their summer 
garb of young foliage, attracted the attention from 
every point of view, and showed what can be done 
with such simple and easily obtained materials. Mr. 
J. Jennings, the gardener, is to be complimented upon 
the high state of keeping which he maintains in the 
garden and grounds everywhere. Avenues of large 
Chestnuts, Limes, Pavias, and other trees recently 
transplanted also show that he is master of this part 
of the gardener’s art likewise. 
After this inspection of the grounds by the visitors, 
the latter betook themselves to the spacious pavilion 
on the cricket ground, where Mr. Leopold de Roths¬ 
child had provided them with a sumptuous tea. This 
finished, and after some speech-making suitable for 
the occasion, in which the leading benefactors were 
duly thanked for their kind ministrations, the 
visitors amused themselves at cricket, lawn tennis, &c., 
till 8 p.m., when the whole party drove back to 
Leighton Buzzard, and from thence to London. 
Thus terminated one of the most pleasant and 
enjoyable outings the National Chrysanthemurq 
gogjety ha,s ever had. 
