June 15, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
665 
though the foliage is very different. As fresh branches 
continue to develop all through the season or even 
the whole year, so fresh flowers are produced. So 
distinct is the plant from the general run of the 
inhabitants of the stove that some attention might 
be given with advantage, not only to this variety, but to 
some others of the genus, of which about seventy spe¬ 
cies are known to science, and all natives of tropical 
America with one exception, which is indigenous to 
South Africa. They consist of herbs and shrubs, 
few of which have ever been introduced to cultiva¬ 
tion. T. ulmifolia and its varieties are amongst the 
best and most suitable for general decorative 
purposes in the stove, and they are neither difficult 
to raise from seeds nor to grow into useful-sized, 
bushy specimens in pots of moderate size. 
FALKLAND PARK. 
The beauty of the spring flowers, largely cultivated 
here, but particularly Primroses, Polyanthus, and 
Daffodils, had departed before the occasion of our 
visit, at the beginning of the month, to the gardens 
of Mr. Thomas McMeekin, Falkland Park, South 
Norwood Hill. Summer bedding had not been 
commenced owing to the long continued drought, 
though preparations were being made for it. Some 
would state the case for us and say that we were too 
late, and just a little too early ; but, on the contrary, 
we affirm there is always something to look at, both 
outside and inside, inde¬ 
pendently of leading fea¬ 
tures at any particular 
season. Moreover,if there 
is fine weather anywhere 
Falkland Park always 
gets a due share of it, and 
the gardener, Mr. A. 
Wright, often wishes that 
it might rain here when it 
does not. The rain and 
storm-clouds nearly al¬ 
ways seem to divide at the 
bottom of the hill, and 
while each half pursues 
its way round the hill to 
join hands again perhaps 
on the other side, both 
decline to climb the steep 
ascent or water the thirsty 
ground at the top. There 
must be exceptional show¬ 
ers, however, for fruits, 
flowers, and vegetables of 
one kind or another are 
usually plentiful. 
The Orchard 
House. 
This is a lean-to structure 
recently built against a 
brick wall for the sake of 
protecting the Peaches 
and Nectarines upon it. 
Immediately outside one 
end is a Fig tree upon the wall, and which has been 
very much injured by the frost of the past winter,while 
another tree of the Brown Turkey Fig, now pro¬ 
tected by the glass, is developing a fine crop of fruit. 
The house is entirely without heating apparatus, yet 
Mr. Wright states that there was a difference of 15 0 
or 16 0 between the temperature of the inside and 
that of the outer air during the severe frost of the 
past winter. By closing the house with sunheat at 
the present time a difference of 18 0 can be main¬ 
tained between the inside and outside temperatures 
The Peach and Nectarine trees bear a good crop of 
fruit. Waterloo is considered the finest early Peach 
here, having a finer appearance and a better flavour 
than Alexander, which ripens about the same time. 
Other good crops are those of Alexandra, Noblesse, 
and Grosse Mignonne. Good also are Lord Napier. 
Hardwicke Seedling, Rivers’ Orange, and Humboldt 
Nectarines. Pine Apple Nectarine comes into use 
just before Victoria, and is regarded as the best late 
variety. Cherries bearing fairly good crops on trees 
in pots or planted out, are Governor Wood, ripening 
when we saw them, and May Duke. Well fruited 
Pear trees in pots are Counseiller de la Cour, Marie 
Louise d’Uckle, Beurre Mortillet, and Glou Morceau. 
The fruits of Hormead Permain Apple are already of 
large size compared with the rest. Plum trees are 
fairly numerous, and excellent crops are borne by 
Green Gage, Coe’s Golden Drop, and Jefferson. In 
another house are much larger trees of Rivers' 
Prolific Plum, lifted from the open ground and put 
in tubs ; they are bearing heavy crops of fruit. 
In the open ground there is nothing to complain 
of on the score of promise of a good crop of fruit 
generally. Apples, perhaps, are best, and many of 
the standards will be heavily laden when the fruit 
swells. The Cherry trees upon the walls are best. 
Plums in the open will be a light crop. Strawberries 
are also bearing well, and Royal Sovereign was 
ripening at the beginning of the month. The fruit is 
quite as early as that of Laxton’s Noble, and far 
superior to it in flavour. The latter has, in fact, 
been discarded. King of the Earlies was also 
ripeniDg. Both soits are grown as annuals or rather 
as biennials, we should say, for they were planted 
from runners in August last. The first dish of Peas 
was gathered from Lightening on June 3rd. 
William I., under the same conditions, was three or 
four days later. The seeds were sown under glass in 
boxes, and afterwards planted out in the open. The 
same varieties sown outside were a week later, at 
least, in being fit for use. 
Hardy Flower Garden. 
Independently of herbaceous borders, hardy flowers 
are grown in beds and masses upon a piece of ground 
on both sides of ornamental water, and the banks of 
the latter take the form of rockeries in places, backed 
up with rooteries and Rhododendrons, the latter of 
which flowered well. Amongst hardy flowers in 
bloom are masses of single and double Pyretbrums, 
Oriental Poppies, Iberis correaefolia, like sheets of 
driven snow, Hemerocallis flava, Phlox subulata 
Nelsoni, and Iris germanica atropurpurea. On the 
edge of the water Caltha palustris flore pleno, and 
Iris Pseud-Acorus in the water are thriving and 
flowering finely. A neat and beautiful plant is 
Lychnis Viscaria splendens. Two large masses or 
banks of Primula japonica, in crimson, white, and 
variegated flowered varieties, on either side of the 
water, are blooming in a way that might well tempt 
others to attempt the cultivation of this fine species 
on a similarly extensive scale. White and yellow 
forms of Water Lilies, the last-named of which has 
bronzy blotched leaves, are now flowering on the 
water. Tree Paeonies were splendid, but are now 
over. Amongst the shrubs close at hand are clumps 
of Lilium auratum now thriving well the second year 
since they were planted; each original bulb has doubled 
itself. Amongst the shrubs Cytisus scoparius 
Andreanus, raised from seeds, is flowering freely. 
About 75 per cent, are true to colour, while the rest 
have reverted to the wild type. Elsewhere a 
curiosity came under our notice in the shape of a 
fasciated raceme of the English Blue Bell, carrying 
a grand total of eighty-three well developed flowers. 
The Plant Houses. 
Both the conservatories or show houses are filled to 
Overflowing with an endless variety of flowers now 
in season. Many things of beauty and interest are 
flowering in the cool greenhouse, including Phoeno- 
coma prolifera, Pimeleas, Heaths, Metrosideros 
floribunda, Sollya Drummondi, and the variegated 
Cobaea scandens, hanging in festoons from the roof. 
The long corridor connecting the houses is gay with 
a varied assortment of things flowering profusely, 
such as Solanum jasminoides, Pelargoniums 8 ft- 
high, Heliotropes r2 ft., Swainsonia galegifolia, 
Abutilons, Rhynchospermum, Rhodochiton volubile, 
Fuchsias, and Tropaeolum Ball of Fire, hanging in 
long festoons from the roof and richly laden with 
fiery scarlet flowers. Amongst the Fuchsias the tall 
plants of Mrs. Marshall and Charming show which 
are best adapted for this kind of work. Gloxinias in 
a great variety of colours are now in perfection in 
one of the stoves. Tuberous Begonias, another 
popular class of plants, are extensively grown in 
frames for bedding purposes. 
Orchids are now one of the leading features of the 
establishment, and are increasing year by year. In 
the cool house, but more especially in the rockery 
house, are numerous flowering specimens of Odonto- 
glossum crispum, O. c. guttatum, O. c. Andersonia- 
num, O. Hallii, Oncidium curtum, and many others. 
The Cattleya house is gay with beautiful forms of 
C. Mossiae, Mendelii, C. labiata Schroderae, C. 
granulosa, C. Warneri, just like a summer 
flowering C. labiata, 
Laelia flava aurantiaca, 
and L. purpurata. Den- 
drobium Dalhouseianum, 
with flowers 5 in. to 6 
in. across, shows Mr. 
Wright’s cultural skill. 
The sweet-scented Odon- 
toglossum citrosmum is 
grown in quantity. 
Amongst the other more 
interesting and showy 
kinds we should mention 
Vanda teres aurora with 
light coloured flowers, 
Coelogyne Dayana, 
Thunia alba, Bensoniae, 
and Marshall, Cymbidi- 
um Lowianum Prewett’s 
variety, and Dendrobium 
suavissimum. In another 
house close by is a fine 
piece of Cypripedium 
caudatum, with eight 
flowers on three spikes. 
Here also are C. bella- 
tulum, C. Volonteanum, 
the graceful Oncidium 
phymatochilum, Aerides 
F i e 1 d i n g i i, and A. 
crispum Lindleyanum, 
both showy kinds, 
Sobralia xantholeuca, 
and the handsome 
Dendrobium Phalaenopsis Schroderianum in 
many shades of colour. The hybrids and 
specially fine varieties of Dendrobium now collected 
here are getting very numerous, but we have no space 
to enter into details, further than to state that all the 
plants have improved immensely in health since Mr. 
Wright took them in hand. 
Several plants are flowering freely in the stove, 
including some well-grown specimens of Medinilla 
magnifica, Clerodendron Balfourianum, forming a 
fringe to the edges of the benches, and Passiflora 
racemosa hanging in long festoons from the roof. 
Foliage plants are not neglected amongst so much of 
the flowering section of plants, and here we should 
mention Leea amabilis in flower, and which we do 
not recollect seeing in that condition before. Cala- 
diums are evidently popular here judging from the 
great number of varieties grown. Very choice are 
the red leaved sorts named Ed. Pynaert, Oriflame, 
and Comtesse de Brosse. Triomphe de Comte has 
a crimson centre, Marie Freeman is soft red, Comte 
de Germiny, red, blotched with white, and Baron A. 
de Rothschild, red, blotched with pink; all are of 
great decorative value, and we have great difficulty 
in deciding which is better than another. Raymond 
Lemoine is red with a creamy margin, and is con¬ 
sidered one of the finest. We were also taken with 
Princess of Teck,which is brilliant red with a peculiar 
green margin—a shade that may be due to a slight 
admixture of yellow but so blended as to hide its 
identity. Charming also is Mons. Leon Say with 
Turnera ulmifolia elegans. 
