106 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 14, 1899 
Cherries well indicate the subjects mostly under 
treatment ; Carnations and Chrysanthemums in 
pots; whilst a field adjacent to the nursery was en¬ 
tirely full of the latter flowering early. 
We observed also the striking Camellia hedge 
parting this section of the nursery from the other. 
Agapanthus umbellatus albus was doing well. Calla 
aethiopica alba was seeding freely in the open. 
Fuchsia Undala filling a greenhouse was flowering 
freely. A field of Daffodils grown for cut bloom 
contained Emperor, Golden Spur, and the principal 
market sorts. Aralias were good. Abies nobilis, 
which seeded here last year, was pointed out, and 
the Mahonias looked verdant and pretty. 
Gladiolus The Bride formed an extensive section 
by itself. Dahlias were getting past their best. Vines 
in pots, of which there was one house full of Ham- 
burghs, struck from eyes, were also noticeable. 
Mr. Guilbert has added a comparatively recent 
departure in a newly constructed Orchid house, 
which he showed us, and which contained a well 
established collection of Cattleyas, Oncidiums, Den- 
drobiums, Odontoglossums and Cypripediums. 
Reverting to his trade in Tomato plants, we were 
interested to learn that during the past season Mr. 
Guilbert’s sales had extended to 160,000. Cutbush’s 
Champion Tomato is the favourite here. Eucharis 
was excellent, flowering in pots. A houseful of 
Asparagus Sprengeri, and another house devoted to 
Cucumbers, with yet another alongside of It 
containing Vines in pots, 8 ft. to io ft. high, 
of which there were some 2,000 plants, were 
all of interest. A house of Aspidistras and 
Stephanotis, the latter containing the biggest 
plant Mr. Guilbert had known, and from which 5,000 
pieces had been cut last season, showed how well 
these subjects were handled. 
Alicantes, occupying a vinery, were very freely 
cropping, and the Apex house devoted at present to 
Freesias was also shown us. Verbenas made a good 
show ; and in the former house the decorative plants 
had a share of attention. 
A show house on the left band of our exit from 
the nursery contained a general collection of flower¬ 
ing subjects. 
Mr. Guilbert concluded by drawing our attention 
to an excellent example of Bambusa Fortunei, and 
after a very pleasant afternoon the guests drove 
back to town. 
Incidentally we gathered that Mr. Guilbert 
has very much developed the extent of the nursery 
during the three years he has owned it. The total 
number of houses here and at his other grounds is 
34; and these necessarily employ a large 
number of hands. The usual appointments of 
potting sheds and so on are well looked after; 
and the nursery is managed by a very capable fore¬ 
man. With the floral department in the town Mr. 
Guilbert, who is enthusiastically assisted by his wife 
and eldest son, may be well understood to have a 
very busy time. 
-*S-- 
LONDON PARKS AND GARDENS. 
V. —Finsbury Park. 
In proportion to the brilliance and continuity of this 
last summer's sunshine, the blaze and sparkling show 
of flowers in the beds at Finsbury Park, London, N., 
seem to have been evolved. Anyone seeking for 
floral, rather than for foliage effects, would have 
found it in this North London park. It is evident 
that Mr. Melville understands what will most please 
his visitors, for as a rule, only very bright displays 
are appreciated by hard-working artisans or others of 
industrial communities. The plants in Finsbury 
Park have to bear against whatever weather prevails, 
for upon the whole it stands high, and any shelter 
the beds have, is from the screening background of 
shrubs and trees which have been planted in times 
past. The bulk of the bedding is arranged on high 
ground in the centre or slightly to the north side of 
the park. The area is really one great oval bisected 
by a path. On either side of the path, laid out in 
grass ther oblong, oval, and square beds. Their 
edges presen one almost continuous straight line, 
and when seen at their best (all the beds being 
edged with the same little white-flowered plant, 
Nycterinia selaginoides) they create an impressive 
effect. In the back parts of the large semi-circular 
areas of the flower garden beds in quite a variety of 
forms are patterned and fit into each other very 
neatly. For the purpose of offering guidance or 
fresh ideas to those who are unable themselves to 
visit the London parks, these references are written. 
Bearing attention then, first to an oval bed, this has 
been tastefully arranged with Begonia floribunda 
rosea as a furnishing, while throughout the bed and 
between the plants were samples of that bright 
close-growing plant, Mesembryanthemum cordi- 
folium variegatum; standard plants of Abutilon 
Thompsonii, helped the dignity of the bed and the 
edge of Emperor William Lobelia added another 
colour which harmonised and heightened the com¬ 
bination. 
In a round bed in contiguity with this last noted, 
we found it edged with the bushy bronze Pelar¬ 
gonium, Harry Hieover from which the flowers 
seemed to be kept off; then in the body of the bed 
Coleus Verschaffelti was massed, above which were 
tall plants of Grevillea robusta. In the background 
furthest from the path, brightness was shown from 
the tasty union of Centaurea candidissima, over-rid¬ 
den by a fine selection of the mauve or magenta- 
flowered Verbena venosa, edged with a light blue 
band of Ageratum. No more telling mixture or 
union can be planned, than that of the white-leaved 
Centaurea and magenta-flowered Verbena noted 
above. In another bed, shaped somewhat like a 
bird’s wing, the plants used were strong growing 
bronze Pelargoniums dotted over with standard 
Eucalyptus globulus, and edged with Nycterinia. 
A bed of Canna Adrian Robinii, edged with 
Cineraria maritima made likewise a fine show when 
at its best. The Brighton Gem Pelargonium, below 
well-flowered Fuchsias and edged with blue 
Ageratum, also made a fine display. Ivy-leaved 
Pelargoniums and Celosia pyramidalis plumosa, 
filled an oblong bed which had for edging rows of 
Lobelia and Echeveria. Again in a central bed 
Abutilon Thompsonii above pink tuberous Begonias 
and edged with Lobelia Snowball gave a finished 
picture which won the public praise. In the beds 
showing their outer edge all in one straight line, the 
same edging plants as already hinted at were 
employed in them and as a second row, Lobelias were 
employed ; all for the sake of a united effect. The 
Eucalyptus Gunnii above a mixture of silver-leaved 
Pelargoniums and Verbena venosa, formed a bed 
whose arrangement is worth the copying. A large 
bed of purple-leaved Cannas, edged with Pyrethrum 
Golden Feather contrasted pleasantly. As a feathery 
dot plant the Acacia lophantha is in its proper place 
above Begonia semperflorens along with an edging 
of Gnaphalium lanatum. 
One of the most brilliant beds in the parks was 
a diamond-shaped one, filled with a glowing 
scarlet variety of Pelargonium edged with Achillea 
odorata and having specimen Eucalyptuses waving 
above them. All these beds are flanked by an 
encircling border of tall growing, massive plants. 
Out about in the very beautiful grounds, beds of 
Gladioli were placed. The scarlet varieties were 
massed in circles by themselves and lent features of 
much interest to the place. Rather a novelty was 
seen in an oblong bed where the Begonias which 
filled it were planted in straight lines having the 
spaces between them filled with Mesembryanth¬ 
emum, the whole being edged with Pyrethrum 
Golden Feather. 
Lobelia cardinalis with plants of Golden Privet 
intermingled and edged with Echeveria metallica 
also added one more noteworthy feature. 
Throughout the very extensive grounds neatness 
and good keeping were the order of things. In its 
higher altitudes Finsbury Park affords some splendid 
views of northern London, extending almost to the 
country districts. Then within itself there is 
a fine stretch of ornamental water enlivened 
by beautiful swans and other aquatic fowls. 
The rock garden and the numerous hardy flower 
borders, beds and open spaces make this park 
a very influential institution in the populous 
district surrounding it. Mr. Melville conducts a 
good work and the best compliment he receives is to 
find this work appreciated by the thousands who 
enjoy Finsbury Park. 
■- - 
Weather in London—Recent weeks have endowed 
us with water, water for thirsty wells, cisterns, 
brooks, and drains. Some days have been showery, 
others have been dull without rain, while again rain 
was all but continuous on Sunday. It drizzles as 
we go to press. 
REDBRAES NURSERY, EDINBURGH. 
About the middle of last month we took a hurried 
run through the Redbraes Nursery, of Messrs, 
James Grieve & Sons, in the Broughton Road, Edin¬ 
burgh. Naturally enough, by that time the season 
was waning, and the flowers in season bore the char¬ 
acter of autumn. Dahlias of various sections were in 
bloom, and between them were Lettuces left to grow 
at their own sweet will. These, we were informed, 
were intended as fraps for earwigs, or rather as food 
for them, because so long as these troublesome in¬ 
sects could get Lettuces they let the Dahlias 
severely alone. Certainly the latter showed no evi¬ 
dence of having been attacked although earwigs were 
plentiful enough. Early flowering Chrysanthemums 
in the open had commenced the display early in 
August, Mons. Grunerwald being the first to expand 
its rosy blossoms. This was followed by Mychett’s 
White, Alice Butcher, bronzy-orange, dwarf and flori- 
ferous ; Youngi, rich purple flowers and dwarf habit; 
and Pilrig, a model, dwarf and bushy variety, with 
golden-yellow flowers. Close by was an orange- 
flowered, dwarf and floriferous variety of the French 
Marigold named Pilrig. It is not affected by a 
droughty season, and forms a good substitute for 
yellow Colceolarias. Chrysanthemum maximum was 
flowering for the second time, the early stems having 
been cut down. 
All of the above we noted on the way to the green¬ 
houses. The bulb season had also commenced and 
a stock had been got together of such bulbs as Hya¬ 
cinths, Tulips, Snowdrops, Daffodils, Crocuses, fine 
samples of Scilla sibirica, &c. The forcing house 
for the time being was filled with such things as 
Pteris tremula, young stuff of P. cretica cristata and 
other Ferns, which were to be displaced later on to 
make way for a great variety of subjects for forcing 
purposes. 
Several of the houses had been filled withTomatos 
planted out in narrow borders during the summer, 
and the remainder of the crop was still hanging. The 
Messrs. Grieve grow a large quantity of stuff purely 
for bedding purposes, and variegated, tricolor, and 
zonal Pelargoniums were being housed on the 
benches under the Tomatos. The next house was 
similarly occupied with Pelargoniums, Chinese 
Primulas, Araucaria brasiliensis, Lilium speciosum 
(lancifolium), L. s. Kratzeri, and two or more strains 
of Primula obconica. Here also was another col¬ 
lection of bulbs direct from the growers for supplying 
the requirements of customers. Pelargoniums for 
bedding filled the next house. 
Asparagus Sprengeri seeds freely, and here we 
noted a large batch of seedlings that will make hand¬ 
some decorative subjects presently. Batches of 
Pteris serrulata major, and P. cretica cristata had 
just been put in 48-sized pots. The next to this was 
also a Fern house in which was a batch of seedlings 
from Gymnogramme schizophylla, showing a con¬ 
siderable range of variation, and the whole stock had 
just been sold. 
Very fine was Adiantum Capillus-Veneris imbrica- 
tum, resembling A. farleyense and constituting a good 
substitute for it. Larger batches of Ferns already 
mentioned were also located here, as well as batches 
of Araucaria excelsa in 48-sized pots, and handsome 
plants of Ficus elastica in 32-size pots. The 
ubiquitous Acalypha Sanderi has also found its way 
here. Thousands of Pteris Wimselti were grown in 
thumb pots and 6o’s. A healthy lot of Doryopteris 
palmata occupied small pots, all being healthy and 
ready to be potted into larger sizes. The above will 
give an idea of the useful decorative stuff grown in 
the houses, and which are always in requisition. 
Passing into the open air we found the materials 
for a cut flower trade, both in early flowering Chrys¬ 
anthemums and the large flowering race grown in 
bush form in pots, at that time in the open air. 
Serried ranks or long lines of them were all staked 
to guard against wind. Plantations for flowering in 
October and November were also planted in the 
open ground. Here was a golden-yellow sport from 
LaTriomphante, a good grower, and easily managed. 
The Wallflower-leaved East Lothian Stock was 
grown in quantity. Gaillardias, Matchett Migno¬ 
nette, for cutting, and large plantations of bushy 
plants of Wallflowers were passed in succession. 
These old-fashioned flowers are very popular about 
Edinburgh, and Mesrs. Grieve require about 60,000 
plants for spring bedding, &c. Border Carnations 
are grown in quantity, many of them being fine varie¬ 
ties raised here. Chrysanthemum Harvest Home is a 
