48 ^ 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 31,1894. 
by a long tube of the same hue, but gradually 
becoming paler towards the base. The flowers of 
Balsaminaeflorum Rajah are not so completely 
double as those of the above two, but being of a 
fawn or salmon yellow colour with darker edges, and 
having small orange-scarlet petals in the centre, are 
very distinct. One of the finest if not the finest of 
the dark kinds is Ne Plus Ultra, with brilliant crim¬ 
son-scarlet flowers, both lamina and tube. The 
blooms are larger than any other dark kind; the 
plant is of good habit, easy to grow, and altogether a 
very choice thing for greenhouse decoration. Fine 
in its way also is Minerva with Indian yellow flowers, 
a purple radiant zoneand crimson filaments. 
The Rhododendron multicolor type is being im¬ 
proved ; formerly the flowers were merely character¬ 
ised by intensity of colour, now they are being 
improved in size. The finest is a recently certifi¬ 
cated one named R. m. Mrs. Heal, with widely 
funnel shaped pure white flowers. It is nearly 
always in flower, and some quite miniature specimens 
were flowering in long thumb pots. The seed parent 
was the yellow form of R. multicolor and the pollen 
bearer was Princess Beatrice above described. 
Neither of them have white flowers, so that the 
resultant hybrid is remarkable in having purer white 
flowers than any of the Javan type. The leaves are 
intermediate between the small lanceolate ones of R. 
multicolor, and the large ones of the pollen parent. 
R. m. Ruby has intensely crimson flowers and 
nearly black filaments. 
-- 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Those who have studied , the subject of landscape 
gardening for some time sooner or later develop an 
ideal which they endeavour to carry out under 
varying circumstances as far as means and the possi¬ 
bilities of a place will permit. It seldom happens 
that the ideal of the best of landscape gardeners can 
be carried out in its entirety whatever the means and 
capabilities of a place. An absolute ideal is im¬ 
possible ; for in practice there must be as many of 
them as there are operators possessed of different 
ideas of the beautiful; and although they endeavour 
to carry out their designs upon any preconceived or 
prevailing ideal as a basis for operation, they must 
in every new scene of action modify their plans to 
meet the existing exigencies of the case. They 
must first of all study the natural and artificial 
character of a place, and endeavour to make the 
most of it without introducing foreign elements at 
least so pronounced as to offend the eye and taste of 
the fairly educated who may be expected to play 
the role of critics. Landscape gardening is purely 
a matter of taste, and the best plans of it will always 
be carried out by designers of educated taste. 
But there are 
Different Schools of Gardening, 
and their plans will be modified accordingly. The 
principal schools may for the sake of illustration be 
termed the " Natural,” the ” Architectural,” and the 
“ Composite.” Those who profess to belong to the 
" Natural ” school entirely dwell upon the restfulness 
of greenery, and advocate the prevalence of the 
same everywhere. Such people find no place for the 
Purple Beech, the Golden Elder, the Purple 
Myrobylan Plum (Prunus cerasifera Pissardi), nor 
the variegated Negundo in their plans. The formal, 
or “Architectural” school, would include all those 
who believe in and advocate that kind of gardening 
which glories in fine buildings, geometrical designs, 
regularly recurring forms—the counterpart of some 
others, straight lines and formality generally. That 
kind of gardening has had numerous advocates in 
this country since the time when topiary gardening 
was rampant. Summer bedding and carpet bedding 
are but other developments of the same taste, now 
happily subsiding into more rational degrees of ex¬ 
tension, particularly in private establishments. 
Such a hold had this kind of gardening upon the 
country at one time that it led Bacon to say : —“ God 
Almighty first planted a garden, and indeed it is the 
purest of human pleasures. It is the greatest re¬ 
freshment to the spirits of man ; without which 
buildings and palaces are but gross handiworks; 
and a man shall ever see that when ages grow tc 
civility and elegance, men come to build stately, 
sooner than to garden finely ; as if gardening were 
the greater perfection.” The third, or “ Composite ” 
* A paper read at a meeting of the Ealing and District 
Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association, by Mr, J. 
Fraser. 
school, is most in accordance with modern ideas, not 
only where Teutonic blood rules the land on both 
sides of the Atlantic, but also on the Continent, in¬ 
cluding France. It recognises beauty in both the other 
schools, and chiefly concerns itself in introducing a 
due proportion of anything or everything possessed 
of the elements of beauty, whether of form, pleasing 
contour, colour, or distinctive feature, whether 
natural or artificial. 
Private Estates. 
It is my intention to confine this essay more 
particularly to landscape gardening as it applies to 
the requirements of a private demesne, leaving out 
of consideration the subject of public parks and 
their requirement. Furthermore, I shall crave your 
attention for a review of the subject in general, but ' 
more particularly as it refers to planting—a branch 
of the art which comes more often than any other 
within the sphere of the gardener generally. Let us 
for example take the case of a new estate to be laid 
out, built upon, and planted. Presuming that the 
landscape gardener and architect are different men, 
it is always desirable that the two should be on close 
and amicable terms oi agreement for the benefit of the 
resulting plan as a whole. Should the estate con¬ 
sist of undulating ground, a prominent position 
should be selected for the site of the mansion, so 
that it may command all the principal and finest 
views of the neighbourhood, and distant scenery for 
the matter of that—the hills, valleys, water courses, 
vistas, and whatever beauty, natural or artificial, 
which may add their charm to the surroundings. 
The principal front of the mansion itself should 
face the south-east, or some direction not far 
removed from it, so as to look upon the park or 
pleasure grounds, which should come close up to it if 
possible. The kitchen garden should lie behind it, 
so that it may be hidden from the principal windows,- 
especially if small and the walls are so high as tc 
give it the appearance of a huge open box. It may, 
however, be screened from view by means of trees. 
The flower garden should be located in some 
sheltered position not directly under the windows; 
but for convenience and utilitarian views, neither 
should be far distant nor difficult of access. 
The park if wholly ornamental should be devoid 
of formality. Rocks, undulations, trees, water 
courses, and other objects of beauty should be pre¬ 
served and utilised to the best advantage. Large 
trees always give an air of antiquity to a place, and 
it would be sheer vandalism to remove them where 
they can be preserved to advantage. Heavy 
machinery have been used and great expense 
incurred in the conveyance and planting of large 
trees on new estates to give them the appearance of 
age. Even if of limited extent and bordering on 
cultivated fields or in the proximity to buildings or 
villages, the park may be made of irregular outline, 
so as to conceal its actual dimensions. .By means of 
trees and shrubs, as well as in some instances other 
objects, the actual boundaries may be concealed so 
that undesirable features may be excluded from view. 
On the other hand, it is always desirable that the 
park should be of sufficient size to obtain scope for 
the development of features of commanding beauty, 
such as landscape perspective, long vistas or broad 
stretches of grass at the farther end or side of which 
plantations blend into a natural and uniform whole, 
and the atmosphere acquires that character which 
we term tone. This is not always possible with the 
means at command on small estates, but the land¬ 
scape gardener with an eye for effect may often seize 
upon the salient features of neighbouring estates, and 
instead of .shutting them out, contrive to make them 
appear as forming part of that over which he 
exercises jurisdiction. This is particularly easy to 
effect when neighbouring estates are on rising 
ground. It would be a blemish in his plan to plant 
tall-growing trees to hide the boundaries there. Low 
walls and fences can readily be concealed by shrub¬ 
bery without appearing intentional when viewed 
from a distance. 
Natural rock should be taken advantage of, and 
artificial rocks may be introduced in suitable situa¬ 
tions, and according to the formation of the ground. 
Bare rock for its own sake would be out of place on 
level or low lying land, and if any attempt is made 
to introduce some of it for the sake of variety, it 
should be done in some situation where the ground 
can be made to assume an undulating character, but 
at the same time may be partly concealed from the 
open space by means of suitable vegetation. It 
should not be exposed as a wen or blot upon the 
landscape. Nor do I go so far as to say that the 
rocks should be of that geological formation 
peculiar to the district, if convenience or utility 
demands it to be otherwise, as in the formation of a 
rock garden. 
Water plays an important part in the features of 
the landscape, so that whatever lakes, ponds, rivers, 
or streams naturally occur in the landscape, their 
salient features ^ould be conserved and enhanced. 
Artificial and ornamental sheets or streams of water 
may be introduced in the lower part of the grounds, 
and their artificial character toned down as far as 
possible by making the watercourse tortuous and 
winding behind natural or artificial objects of con¬ 
cealment, whether of trees or riring ground, which 
may be planted. Rustic bridges may span the 
narrower creeks, and cascades are desirable where 
the fall of the ground will permit of the same. 
Islands covered with suitable vegetation often 
enhance the effect of water. Where islands of a 
rocky nature are constructed, they will appear all the 
more natural if situated in bays or bends of the 
watercourse or lake not far from the mainland, 
so as to appear as if cut away from the latter by 
natural agencies. The neighbouring shore should in 
a manner correspond with the materials which 
dominate the character of the islands. Running 
water is always an interesting feature where it exists 
or can be introduced from a river or stream in the 
vicinity. Even a stagnant pool with its associations 
of vegetation is not without effect in the lower reaches 
of the ground. Fountains and basins of a designedly 
artificial character should be associated with build¬ 
ings or the well kept and formal garden, so as to be 
in keeping with their surroundings. Small streams 
should run over a bed of gravel ; but that is an un¬ 
necessary statement on many estates where the 
gradient of the land is such that in times of flood 
from heavy rains more gravel is imported by the 
water itself than is necessary or desirable. 
Planting. 
Where this is to be accomplished on newly laid out 
estates, the park or pleasure grounds will afford 
much scope for the display of judgment and taste 
on the part of those concerned. The gardener, 
whether professionally a landscape expert or not, 
as opposed to an architect or other designer, should 
have the principal share in the planning and 
modelling of this work. He must in the first instance 
be guided by the means and extent of the place, its 
needs, and the wish or taste of his employer ; but he 
should be able to guide or direct the taste of his 
employer so far as it tends to the general 
good of the place, except in such matters as the 
employer may expressly desire to see carried out, 
and, unless the latter is very unreasonable, he will 
give way to a man of ability, and not persist in 
having anything done which would be in bad 
taste, or be a disfigurement to the landscape. 
Supposing the gardener to have free scope, he should 
not commence planting until he has the whole plan 
well devised, and the ultimate aspect in view. This 
implies considerable acquaintance with the growth 
and character of the trees and shrubs with which 
he is to deal, the height they will attain, and the 
appearance they will assume when of mature growth. 
The soil and its suitability tc different kinds of 
vegetation cannot be neglected or ignored with 
impunity. Subsequent planting may be effected 
from time to time as occasion may require, but it 
should be subsidiary to the whole as in the original 
plan. Annual increment, so to speak, to a park 
should be confined to matters of detail, or at least 
should not interfere with an originally well designed 
and accomplished plan of arrangement. 
(To he continued.) 
THE MANAGEMENT OF CUTTINGS. 
Cuttings being detached portions of plants without 
roots require to be placed under such conditions as 
will best preserve the equilibrium between the 
absorption and evaporation which is constantly 
going on in all plants with leaves. They require 
shading from the sunshine and to be kept close from 
the air in varying degrees according to the 
peculiarities of the particular plant and the amount 
of foliage retained. The greater the amount of 
foliage that can be kept in a fresh condition the 
sooner will the cutting emit roots, but if too many 
are retained and evaporation goes on at a faster rate 
than absorption the cutting will perish. Its life and 
