32a 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 19, 1889. 
G-LENBERVIE HOUSE, Kin¬ 
cardineshire. 
The recorded history of this ancient family residence 
dates hack to 730 A.D., and on the site of the present 
antiquated mansion stood a castle of unknown antiquity. 
The round towers, with their narrow slit-like windows, 
were built in less peaceful times than the present 
judging from the enormous thickness of their stone 
walls. On the lawn in front are two aged trees of the 
European Larch, reputed to be the first introduced to 
Scotland. One of them, with great spreading limbs, 
has suffered much damage from gales of wind. Close 
by are fine umbrageous trees of the Purple Beech, Tilia 
grandiflora, Norway Maple, and the Turkey Oak. A 
fine tree of Araucaria imbricata is feathered to the 
ground, and seems to enjoy its position. 
The Hothouses. 
"With the exception of the conservatory, which is 
attached to the mansion itself, the rest of the houses 
are located in the kitchen garden, away behind some 
banks of closely planted and for the most part tall old 
trees—the Horse Chestnuts being especially fine, with 
long umbrageous arms that form a very effectual 
screen in summer. We had the pleasure of inspecting 
the place at the end of September last, and notwith¬ 
standing the cold and backward nature of the past 
summer, a mild and dry autumn had done much to 
wipe out the ill effects—at least, as far as flowers in the 
open air were concerned. 
The conservatory was also gay with a variety of 
subjects, including tuberous Begonias, Begonia 
Weltoniensis, Alonsoa Warscewiczii, and early- 
flowering Chrysanthemums, amongst which Mons. 
G. Wermig or the Golden Madame Desgranges was 
flowering very effectively. The pyramidally-branched 
flower-stems of Campanula pyramidalis alba were very 
floriferous, and reached a height of 9 ft. or 10 ft. 
Phormium ten ax variegata, or the variegated New 
Zealand Flax, was in fruit, with a flower-stem close 
upon 10 ft. high. 
The greenhouse and Peach houses, from which the 
fruit had been gathered, contained a great variety of 
subjects, many of which_were in full flower, including 
fine plants of Fuchsia fulgens, F. microphylla and the 
old-fashioned and first white variety in cultivation — 
namely, Venus Victrix. Passiflora ccerulea, Lapageria 
rosea, Habrothamnus elegans, Cobrea scandens, and 
Tacsonia Van Volxemii adorned the roof. The Silver 
Wattle (Acacia dealbata) is much appreciated, as it well 
might be, for its beautiful foliage and profusion of bloom 
in spring. Clematis Jackmanii in a pot was flowering 
freely, while another one named Lucy Lemoine is also 
highly esteemed. It succeeds C. indivisa lobata in 
spring, when it has fully double white flowers, suc¬ 
ceeded later on by semi-double ones. The scarlet and 
yellow flowers of Lobelia lanceolata are interesting, 
although not very showy; but the double white 
flowers of Datura Kuighti, 1 ft. in length, showed a 
marked contrast. The great blue flowers of Lasiandra 
macrantha floribunda are also extremely beautiful, but 
rather fugacious. Camellias were healthy and well set 
with buds, while the American Myrtle (Eugenia Hgni) 
was well set with its palatable berries. Interspersed 
amongst the above were large plants of Rhopalostylis 
Baueri (Areca Baueri) and Ptychosperma Cunning- 
hamiana (Seaforthia elegans), supplemented by Ferns, 
amongst which was the beautiful Athyrium Filix- 
fcemina Victoriae. 
The stove also contained its share of the more 
popular and useful flowering subjects. A neat and 
interesting rockery of white quartz had been constructed 
over the tank, concealing it with the exception of a 
small opening from which the water is dipped. Pro¬ 
vision is made for plant growing upon it in the shape of 
small pockets, in which Begonias of the B. Rex type 
are planted, together with the trailing Saxifraga sar- 
mentosa and Ficus repens. The roof was draped with 
Stephanotis, Clerodendron, and Allamanda Schottii. 
Other useful subjects were Ixora coccinea, Eucharis, 
and Hippeastrum reticulatum. The latter is frequently 
met with in gardens, hut seldom flowers so freely as it 
did here. A moderate-sized piece of it developed eight 
scapes, with six or eight flowers on each. It was intro¬ 
duced from Brazil in 1677, and its evergreen leaves, 
with an ivory-white stripe down the middle, is familiar 
to most gardeners. The flowers are pink and white, 
beautifully reticulated with darker veins. 
The vineries were well furnished with fruit, the 
varieties grown being Raisin de Calabre, Black Ham¬ 
burgh, Foster’s Seedling, Gros Colmar, Lady Downes, 
and Muscat of Alexandria, the best white Grape culti¬ 
vated, and grown here under the name of Charlesworth 
Tokay. 
Outdoor Gardening. 
The kitchen garden, the borders of which are occupied 
with fruit trees and flowers, is situated in a sunny 
position facing south on a rather steep slope. The 
lower portion is somewhat shaded with trees, and in 
winter the sun sets rather early behind a round-topped 
hill of some considerable elevation ; but otherwise the 
situation is sheltered and favourable to the production 
of fruit, flowers, and vegetables. As an instance of 
the lateness of the season, it may be stated that the 
Raspberries were still in full bearing on September 27th, 
while Green Peas and Cauliflowers were obtained up till 
December. 
Pentstemons are here reckoned amongst autumn 
flowers, and very gay they were, together with single 
seedling Dahlias, Alonsoa elegans (used for bedding 
purposes), Chrysanthemum carinatum in many beautiful 
colours, and a long line of Lobelia splendens Victoriae, 
with its bronzy blackish red foliage. Two hedges of 
Sweet Peas, in mixed colours and 9 ft. high, were both 
luxuriant and floriferous. Dianthus hybridus Napoleon 
III., forming a line about 250 ft. in length, was a 
glowing mass of brilliant crimson-red. 
The season had been very unfavourable for sub¬ 
tropical gardening ; but with the subjects in hand, and 
a more propitious summer, the results would prove far 
more satisfactory. Amongst the Abutilons utilised for 
this purpose were Yellow Perfection, Boule de Neige, 
Eclipse (crimson-red), Rosseflora, and the variegated A. 
Thompsoni. Other strong - growing subjects were 
Rieinus, Eucalyptus globulus, Datura quercifolia, 
Fatsia japonica, Yuccas, and the spiny Chamaepeuce 
diacantha with its beautiful milk-white variegation. 
These, if carpeted with some of the many suitable 
subjects that succeed in this northern latitude, are 
capable of producing a good effect, even in wet seasons, 
which act so prejudicially on ordinary bedding. 
-- 
THE ROSE, THISTLE, AND 
SHAMROCK. 
The Rose. 
"We are informed on reliable authority that the 
association of the Rose with our own country dates 
back to a very early period. The Roman writer, Pliny, 
doubted whether the name Albion referred to the white 
cliffs of our island, or the white Roses which grew there 
in abundance. Mr. R. Folkard informs us that in 
the reign of Edward III. a gold coin was struck called 
the Rose Noble, which bore the figure of a Rose on one 
of its faces. History records how this flower became 
celebrated from its association with the rival houses of 
York and Lancaster, aud the Wars of the Roses, which 
lasted for a period of thirty years, during which time it 
is said that eighty princes of the blood, a large number 
of noblemen, and 100,000 common soldiers were slain. 
The House of Lancaster wore as its badge the Red 
Rose, or the Rose Gule, whilst that of York wore the 
White Rose, or Rose Argent. It was cause for great 
thankfulness when the war at last ceased, through the 
union of the two houses, by the marriage of Henry VII., 
of the Lancastrian line, to Elizabeth, heiress of York, 
and eldest daughter of Edward IV. There is a tradition 
that at the time when Henry’s marriage united the 
contending houses, a Rose with white and red flowers 
first bloomed, intimating the fact that the two opposing 
forces were now blended, and this Rose was in conse¬ 
quence called the York and Lancaster. There was, 
says the tradition, then growing in the garden of a 
certain monastery in Wiltshire one particular Rose 
hush, which during the troubles of the land had, to the 
amazement of the beholders, borne at once Roses red 
and Roses white. About the time of the marriage all 
its flowers blossomed forth with petals of red and white 
mixed in stripes. People came, as one would expect, 
from all the country round to see the wonder, and 
hailed it as a joyful omen of future peace and harmony. 
Probably it was at this juncture that the Rose became 
more particularly the national emblem of England. 
The Thistle. 
Respecting the origin of the Scotch badge of the 
Thistle, tradition supplies us with an interesting 
narrative to account for its adoption. It is said that 
the Danes thought the habit of making attacks upon 
the enemy at night unwarrior-like, but that on one 
occasion they deviated from their rule, and as it turned 
out, the breach of principle proved a costly thing. 
They were creeping noiselessly and unobserved towards 
the Scottish camp, when suddenly one of the soldiers 
set his bare-foot upon a Thistle. The sharp prickles 
entered his unprotected flesh, and drew forth from him 
a sharp cry of pain. This was the signal for an alarm, 
the Scotch were aroused, fell upon the attacking Danes, 
and defeated them with terrible slaughter. Ever 
since that day it is said the Scotch have taken the 
Thistle as their insignia. 
Another tradition of quite a different nature is 
sometimes given, and it relates that time was when a 
company of weird men, with high-crowned hats and 
doublets, met in solemn consultation within the walls 
of the old council-house at Edinburgh, and the subject 
of their deliberation was, so the legend tells, the 
desirability of placing the Thistle on their banner, 
instead of the figure of St. Giles, which had borne 
many a Highland storm for ages past, and had floated 
proudly over many a battle-field. This memorable 
council was convened about the middle of the fifteenth 
century, and hence the melancholy Thistle shortly 
afterwards became conspicuous on every banner 
throughout Scotland. It had previously been deemed 
the badge of the House of Stuart, where princes were 
wont to wear the Cluarall, as the Thistle was called in 
Gaelic. 
But what is the Scotch Thistle 1 The Milk Thistle 
(Silybum Maiianum), distinguishable by the milky 
venation of its leaves, which is supposed to have 
derived this characteristic from the milk of the A irgin 
Mary having fallen upon them, is asserted to be the 
Thistle of Scotland. The true Thistle is believed to be 
Onopordum acanthum (the Cotton Thistle), which 
grows by the highways, and as Mr. Folkard remarks, 
the flower cup and bristling leaves accord well with the 
motto, “ Nemo me impune lacessit," which rendered in 
homely Scotch, means, “Who daur meddle wi’ me 1 ” 
The Cnicus acaulis, or Stemless Thistle, is by some 
regarded as the true Scotch Thistle, as it is said to 
accord best with the legend of the defeated Norsemen, 
and is, besides, the Thistle seen in the gold bonnet- 
piece of James V. Carduus acanthoides and C. nutans 
are by others supposed to be the ‘ 1 Proud Thistle 
emblem dear to Scotland’s sons.” 
Sir H. Nicholas traces the badge of the Thistle to 
James III., for in an inventory of his travels Thistles 
are mentioned as part of the ornaments. Dunbar’s 
poems are said to contain the first authenticated mention 
of this flower as the Scotch emblem. That writer lived 
from 1460 to 1520, and his poem, entitled “The 
Thrissel and the Rois ”—in which, by the way, he 
gives the Rose the highest honour—was written in 
1503, on the occasion of the marriage of James IV. to 
Margaret Tudor. 
The Shamrock. 
Ireland, in her turn, is represented by the Shamrock, 
which is said by some to have been selected hv St. 
Patrick to prove to the Irish the doctrine of the Trinity. 
To understand the reference, it is simply necessary to 
state that the Shamrock is usually regarded as a kind 
of Trefoil or three-leaved plant. “ It is certainly 
curious,” says one writer, “ that the Trefoil in Arabic 
is called ‘Shamrakh,’ and was held sacred in Irau a3 
emblematic of the Persian Triads.” In heraldry the 
Shamrock or Trefoil is the badge of the kingdom of 
Ireland, and St. Patrick, the patron saint of that isle, 
is represented in the habit of a bishop, holding a 
Trefoil—St. Patrick’s Cross, as it is called by Irishmen. 
It is alleged, in reference to St. Patrick, that when on 
an evangelising mission in Ireland, he made the 
doctrine of the Trinity one day the subject of his 
discourse. Finding his hearers unable to understand 
it, he plucked a leaf of Shamrock, and used it as an 
illustration. So easy and simple was the application 
that their difficulties were removed, and they accepted 
Christianity. The great festival day of St. Patrick is 
held on the 17th of March, and whithersoever the Celtic 
propensity for emigration may have drawn him, he 
never forgets the renown of his patron saint, or the 
immortal Shamrock, which is the emblem of the 
Emerald Isle. On this account the Shamrock is sought 
after on the festival, and is worn by both peer and 
peasant. 
As regards the Shamrock, Spinder, in his View of 
the State of Ireland, tells us that the Irish—“if they 
found a plot of "Water-cresses, or Shamrocks, there they 
flocked as to a feast for a time.” This was the Oxalis 
acetosella, or Wood Sorrel. Gerard's Herbal, published 
in 1633, under “Meadow Trefoile,” says it is called in 
Ireland Shamrock ; and another author lately says :— 
“ Trifolium repens—Shamrock : This is the plant, we 
are told on good authority, still worn as Shamrock on 
St. Patrick’s Day ; although Medicago lupulina, the 
common Black Mediek, or Lucerne, is also sold as 
Shamrock.” In 1699, Edward Lloyd, the celebrated 
antiquary, writing to Tancred Robinson, says, “ Their 
Shamrug is our common Clover.” Thulkeld, the 
earliest writer on the wild plants of Ireland, gives 
“ Scainer oge ”—young Trefoil—as the Gaelic name for 
