August 29th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
823 
Nurserymen’s Groups. 
Certificates of Merit were awarded to the following 
nurserymen for excellent collections staged, “not for 
competition”: — Messrs. F. A A. Dickson, Upton 
Nurseries, Chester, who had an excellent assortment 
of plants in the best possible condition, including an 
extensive collection of Crotons, extra well-grown and 
coloured, Dracaenas, Palms, Asparagus plumosus, 
cut Eoses, and some highly-coloured blooms of 
Gladiolus Brenclileyensis, showing well the utility 
of this variety for decorative purposes. To Messrs. 
James Dickson & Sons, Newton Nurseries, Chester, 
for a box of cut blooms of single Dahlias of a good 
type, Picotees and Carnations, and an excellent group 
of hardy shrubs in pots, effectively arranged at the 
entrance to the first tent, amongst the shrubs being 
arranged some well-grown plants of Lilium auratum 
and L. speciosum rubrum. Amongst the shrubs we 
noticed good plants of Betinosporas, Junipers, Thujas, 
Cupressus, variegated Ivies, Ac., and a large basketful 
of Olearia Haastii freely bloomed. To Messrs. E. 
Smith A Co., St. John’s Nursery, Worcester, for a 
large and fine collection of general nursery stock, 
such as Ferns, Palms, and other fine-foliaged plants, 
Yuccas and cut Eoses, effectively arranged, and 
several boxes of cut herbaceous flowers. To Messrs. 
Jones & Sons, Shrewsbury, and Mr. Yertegans, 
Birmingham, for very fine boxes of cut-flowers, 
including the best of the herbaceous varieties, notably 
a fine lot of Gaillardias. To Messrs. Pritchard A 
Sons, and to Mr. A. Myers, Sutton Lane Nursery, 
Shrewsbury. 
Messrs. Webb & Sons, Stourbridge, had an excel¬ 
lent stand of produce grown from their seeds, and 
which well illustrated the excellent character of their 
introductions. We noted particularly fine specimens 
of their Mammoth Cauliflowers, Emperor Cabbage, 
Banbury Onion, new Colossal Leek, and Perpetual 
Bearer Cucumber,a cross between Telegraph and Tender 
and True, two excellent varieties. A First-Class Certi¬ 
ficate was awarded to this firm for a new seedling 
Potato, a white round of promising appearance, and 
said to be of splendid quality. They also exhibited a 
new seedling Tomato of great promise, good in shape, 
a very free bearer, and likely to be an acquisition. 
CHURCHTOWN BOTANICAL 
GARDENS. 
These favourite gardens are situated about two 
miles from the famed watering-place of Southport, 
and are a favourite resort of the many thousands of 
visitors who annually flock to that place, which is of 
easy access from Manchester and Liverpool. The 
gardens have been opened about ten years, and 
were laid out by Mr. Shaw, of Bowden. They con¬ 
sist of about twenty acres, and are very ornamental, 
the undulating grounds and picturesque lake rendering 
them very attractive. Bedding-out is well done, Mr. 
Fish, the curator, having evidently studied well the 
plants best adapted for this somewhat fickle climate. 
There is a grand conservatory, 120 ft. long and 
60 ft. wide, in which are specimen Araucarias, Musas, 
Eucalyptus, Dracaenas, Palms, Phormiums, Yuccas, 
&c.,and conspicuous amongthefoliageplants are speci¬ 
men Camellias, Azaleas, greenhouse Bhododendrons, 
Agapanthuses, Erythrinas, Ac. Hydrangeas are grown 
in huge specimens—the finest examples in pot I have 
ever seen—being over 6 ft. through, with over fifty 
enormous trusses ; these, as seen here, mixed with the 
stately Palms, majestic Dracienas, Ac., produce a fine 
effect. Another grand old plant for the decoration 
of large houses such as this is Erythrina christa-galli. 
This is grown in quantity, and their spikes of coral-like 
flowers are very showy. The side stages are filled 
with a varied collection of decorative flowering plants, 
and at one end of this show house is a good collection 
of Agaves, Yuccas, Mammillarias, and various other 
succulent plants, which attract the notice of the 
visitor. At one side and adjoining this fine house is 
a fernery 120 ft. long and 60 ft. wide, in which the 
rockwork is good and very natural looking, and a 
choice collection of tree and other Ferns most 
suitable for such an aspect are planted with good 
effect. The various waterfalls mnd rivulets give it a 
very natural appearance, and a walk through is very 
refreshing on such a hot day as the one on which I 
made my visit. 
At the back of the fernery is a good range of houses, 
span-roofed, and well adapted for growing bedding 
and decorative plants of all the leading kinds; just 
now those used for bedding plants in the winter are 
devoted to the culture of Melons, Cucumbers, and 
Tomatos, which are well done, all carrying very fine 
crops. A fine yellow Tomato named Golden Trophy, 
raised by Mr. Fish, is well worthy of notice; it is a 
very abundant cropper, and of fine flavour, some of the 
fruits weighing over 13 ozs., and is sure to find its 
way to the fore when sent out. It has already been 
shown and favourably commented upon by good 
judges, and it was highly commended at the Grantham 
show a few days since. Some distance from here is a 
good range of vineries, carrying a splendid crop of 
good bunches well coloured and highly finished; 
Bowood Muscat, Muscat of Alexandria, Black Ham¬ 
burgh, Gros Colmar, Lady Downes’ Seedling, and 
Alicante, are the principal varieties, and a ready sale 
for these and Tomatos, as well as flowering plants, is 
easily found. 
A museum near the entrance contains many 
curiosities, and rare collections of birds, insects, Ac., 
and forms an additional attraction. The grounds are 
well kept, the whole reflecting great credit upon the 
abilities of Mr. Fish, the energetic curator. They belong 
to a company, and the Directors at their last meeting 
declared a very good dividend, which speaks well for 
the management and the interest taken by the visitors. 
An hour or two can be well spent here should any of 
our gardening friends visit Southport .—A If red Outram. 
SCOTTISH GARDENING. 
Notes on Bedding Plants, Ac.—It must be patent 
to the most casual observer that the rage for covering 
every available space of ground with plants which 
flower between June and October is greatly modified. 
It is also pleasing to note that, in the north as well as 
in the south, the vulgar taste of cramming vegetable 
ground with bedding plants has almost ceased to exist. 
Where the vegetables were well hidden from the 
flowers, and there was nowhere else to plant the 
latter, such a practice was quite excusable ; but often 
the thin screen of Hollyhocks, Eoses, or espaliers, 
where there was a screen at all, was not sufficient to 
shut off the masses of vegetables, which frequently 
had “accompaniments” of Chickweed, Thistles, and 
other obnoxious weeds so offensive to one’s vision. 
A good Yew hedge, Laurels, Holly, or other evergreens, 
we have seen used as ornamental screens between 
the flowers and vegetables, and they act admirably 
in affording shelter as well as being ornamental. 
Perhaps the worst evils connected vfith the filling 
up of good vegetable borders and plots with flowers 
was the reduction of useful supplies of early vegetables 
and the enormous addition to the labour and resources 
of the cultivators. Such an increase of labour without 
additional help was the means of raising real diffi¬ 
culties in garden management; and often where 
practical men had at one time credit for their work 
and supplies, satisfaction (caused by over-taxed means 
and labour) became a thing of the past. Much of the 
retrogression of practical gardening could easily be 
attributed to this extension of bedding. While one 
had to deplore the neglect of other departments in 
gardens where the requirements of them were applied 
to bedding, there were some exceptions where flower 
gardening was done extensively, and super-excellent 
in contour, all other features of the place exhibiting 
the same meritorious character, indicating that skill 
and great resources were in possession of the gardener. 
Matters have greatly changed during late years, 
and we think for the better. It is pleasing to observe 
that good collections of useful kinds of herbaceous 
plants now hold the position which they never should 
have lost. Where cut-flowers are much in demand, 
many of these are invaluable. Eose gardens or 
borders well stocked may now be seen in most gardens 
—and this year they have been extra fine—especially 
many of the old kinds, which have been favourites 
ever since we remember Eoses. Carnations, under 
their various titles, are very popular at the present 
time, and so they ought to be. Where there are 
masses of whites, crimsons, purples, and scarlets with 
their thousands of open blooms, and more to open, they 
are objects greatly admired, and give a floral display 
which may be thoroughly enjoyed, and which cannot be 
excelled by any other class of plants. The perfume 
emitted by them is an adjunct which enhances their 
value in a high degree as garden decorative plants; 
and they are peculiarly suited to cool northern districts, 
we have seen them during favourable seasons in bloom 
from July to January. The demand for such useful 
hardy plants is on the increase, and our nursery 
friends who indefatigably cater for the public 
wants are deservedly entitled to substantial reward. 
While visiting places where bedding has long held a 
leading position, one is struck by the sameness and 
the attachment to old lines which were prominent 
many years ago; the Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, 
Lobelias, Pansies, and a few other popular plants much 
in vogue twenty years ago are doing duty still, and not¬ 
withstanding so many new additions to trade lists, many 
of the old kinds are not yet shunted by the “novelties.” 
Though the system called carpet-bedding has been 
extensively jiatronised in many southern parts of the 
kingdom, it has never taken a very firm hold in 
Scotch flower gardens. 
While one advocate of the system complained that 
it was “practically in its infancy in Scotland,” a 
leader in all matters horticultural replied that “ the 
longer such gardening remained in its infancy the 
better.” While one can admire this kind of bedding 
when arranged by those who display taste and 
elegance in their work, , the bulk of the work per¬ 
formed by others cannot be looked upon as anything 
better than tattooing the surface of the ground, the 
innumerable forms, quaint and grotesque, reminding 
one of the olden times when shrubs and trees were cut 
into the form of birds, beasts, and architectural figures. 
The taste for such has long since expended itself, and 
the elegance of natural objects commands admiration 
instead of nature in a distorted form. We do not 
believe in being too sweeping in denouncing carpet¬ 
bedding; one great good it has done being the bringing 
prominently into notice of many beautiful hardy plants 
which had long remained in oblivion, and many of 
these can be arranged effectively, exhibiting character 
so pleasing that the gayest of flowering-plants cannot 
excel. What the admirers and growers of them con¬ 
tend for, and justly too, is that they are not disfigured 
by rain, they can be planted so that the spaces are at 
their best at once, and by systematic and regular trim¬ 
ming the beds or borders can be kept in presentable 
condition till the end of the year; such cannot be 
said of the ordinary flowering plants, which are so 
short-lived in flower gardens. It is pleasant to observe 
in many places that the finer foliaged shrubs are 
becoming very popular, and can be placed in positions 
where they can be effective all the year round. Several 
of the great nursery firms have shown what can be 
done by the grouping of shrubs for effect; the pleasing 
combinations of green, variegated, golden, and other 
shades of colour among ornamental shrubs, when 
arranged for effect, has only to be seen once to create 
admiration. 
Many plants, such as Golden Yews, Betinosporas, 
Biotas, Myrtle-leavedLaurels, Hollies, Aucubas, Euony- 
mus, Thujas, and others, are well adapted to break up 
the monotony too common in flower gardens. At the 
present time strenuous efforts are being made to pre¬ 
pare the stock of plants for next season’s work. A 
mistake (not uncommon) is to propagate great numbers 
of plants with the same coloured flowers ; it is better 
to retain the best with distinctive colour and habit, 
and those which are inferior may be left out of the 
list. As examples, Pelargoniums John Gibbons and 
Eev. H. Atkinson are so much alike that both need not 
be grown. The latter has been the best with us this 
season, having flowered freely since they were planted, 
and they are at present a mass of bloom. 
Among pinks, Master Christine holds its own ; Mrs. 
Turner and Amaranth suit northern districts well, and 
are much alike. Bijou and Flower of Spring, among 
silver-leaved kinds, still hold their own, both being 
free growers, one a scarlet flower, and the other a 
pink. Among the gold and bronze-leaved we observe 
Beauty of Caulderdale, Kentish Hero, Golden Harry 
Hieover.Perilla, Mrs. Pollock, and Crystal Palace Gem, 
among the best of free - growing bedding kinds. 
Lobelias seem very difficult to procure true and free 
from “ rogues ” ; we have managed to get a fine 
selection from Blue King, and as cuttings do best in 
the north when well treated, Lobelias are extensively 
propagated by them, and plants may now be lifted to 
be cut up in divisions or cuttings in spring. Hardy 
plants for bedding are now very numerous, and among 
the most useful are Antinarias, Golden Bahn, Arabis 
lucida variegata aurea, Pansies and Violas,’ of which 
the names are endless, and which on good land do 
well anywhere.— M. T. 
