138 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 28, 1899. 
tions of Cauliflower and Broccoli. We want a few 
degrees of frost to rid them of these pests. All win¬ 
ter stuff looks fairly well, though the continued 
drought has told upon these quarters. Asparagus 
and Seakale have made strong growths ; both appear 
ripening up nicely though a rainy summer certainly 
suits the requirements of these two excellent vege¬ 
tables the best, in our light soil. Autumn Cabbages 
are getting established and I see fine plants every¬ 
where somewhat different to last year; and taking 
things in general the past summer has been more 
favourable to us, Adamites, in Devon at any rate, 
than the preceding one.— J. Mayne, Bicton. 
LONDON PARKS AND GARDENS. 
VIII.— Victoria Park. 
The visit to Victoria Park, a place so well known as 
one of East London’s happy playgrounds, was made 
at a rather late period in the season. The shortened 
day with now and again a very cool night or windy,wet 
weather had taken all the brilliance from the park’s 
great dress, but yet the colours and the pattern were 
there,and it took no great perceptive power to see that 
the garment bad been beautiful and bright. Even 
in the cool autumn days, when the leaves swish from 
off the trees and tangled plants fall brokenly, the 
appearance of Victoria Park is maintained inviolate, 
seemingly impregnable to all arraignment, but this 
is not so without assiduity on the part of the super¬ 
visor and his helpers. Even although we cannot 
always see a galaxy of flower wealth we can at all 
times be sure of neatness, finished appearances, with 
the comforts and satisfaction which cleanliness im¬ 
presses upon one. 
Victoria Park has very few really sheltered spots. 
This always is hard upon a park superintendent, I 
think, because he never can with any confidence 
put out very fine or tender plants, not, at least, until 
the summer has well set in. Then, of course, the 
season is apt to be shorter, not to speak of the atten¬ 
tive management which has to be maintained during 
the run of summer, However, Mr. Moorman, who 
manages Victoria Park so ably, had some very well 
planned designs, the execution and up-keep of which 
had been well carried through. Many of the beds 
are laid out in broad grass borders which skirt the 
paths and carriage ways along the outer limits of 
the park. The sub-tropical gardening, which by the 
way is not extensive, lies nearly in the heart of one 
end of the park, where the greatest shelter and the 
best natural scenery or gardenesqe beauty can be 
viewed. Round the bandstand again, which is on 
the south-east side, there is additional colour and 
form from beddiDg plants. 
To bank up in a relieving way, the beds which 
were mentioned as being in grass, herbaceous plants 
are largely grown. Shrubs and tall trees carry back 
the idea and give some shelter to all within their 
pale. Sunflowers, Helichrysums, bedding Pelar¬ 
goniums, Asters, Tropaeolums, &c , were all to be 
seen. In the beds themselves there was the tasty 
combination of Lobelia cardinalis above the lesser 
and bushy Pelargonium Mrs. Pollock, edged with 
blue Ageratum. A very dark flowered Fuchsia, 
something like Riccartonii, filled an oblong bed, and 
from having used the bright yellow-leaved Pelar¬ 
gonium Golden Flame, effect was developed, and a 
pleasing bed the result. 
The early Chrysanthemums were in full flower, 
and of these Harvest Home, a fairly well known but 
beautiful variety could be seen ; so with Precocite, 
with its neat yellow heads, and others were here and 
there used to advantage. The well known and much 
employed Abutilon Thompsoni, when growing above 
any pink flowering plant such as Pelargonium 
Christine, edged with a contrasting but rich 
Colour such as that from Emperor William Lobelia, 
forms a very effective and pleasant bed. 
Few have courage enough to use Lantanas alone. 
Here, however, in quite a full sized bed, a pink 
variety was used, edged broadly with Alternanthera 
magnifica, and the bed was charming. At the 
diverging point of paths and roadways, where there 
are rounded “ corners," large beds of irregular shape 
having protruding corners and indented or concave 
side?, had been filled with decorative Dahlias, Pent- 
stemons, and such-like, so that at the most prominent 
points things were rich and brighter. 
Rather a refined bed was that in which Acacia 
lophantha waved over some broad-headed Cocks¬ 
combs, which had beneath them again a ground 
work of Alternanthera aurea, which also formed the 
edge. A dark bed of Heliotrope was effective with 
its white edging of the silver-leaved Perlargonium 
Mrs. Selby. 
Annuals are suitable for producing a gay body of 
colour ; and for summer bedding PhloxDrummondii 
and Salpiglossis should be more frequently seen. 
Stoutly grown plants are very able to support 
themselves and last well in shifty weather. The 
beds of Phlox Drummondii were fine. Begonia 
semperflorens, with dot plants of a variety of Abutilon, 
was sweet and neat. The brODzy leaves of Pelar¬ 
gonium Mrs. Quilter, between which was sprinkled 
the lavender of Viola Lottie McNiel, and a shining 
band formed from the Mrs. Selby Pelargonium for 
an edge, made in the united harmony a pleasant 
show. Cannas and Fuchsias, edged with Flower of 
Spring Pelargonium and an outermost edge of blue 
Ageratum, though past their hey-day of vigour, were 
still splendid in dignity, grace, and variety. 
Directly in front of one of the north side entrances 
there were some fine succulent beds. These were 
made up somewhat more realistically by having 
introduced sandstones and other rocks and stones 
arouDd and about the plants. By such beds as this 
a new kind of picture is presented, that of rugged 
picturesqueness. A very tall Opuntia rose 
prominently up as a centrepiece to the middle bed. 
Round it for a yard outward were huge plants of 
Echeveria metallica, some of them as much as 2 ft. 
across. On minor heights were poised well-grown 
Agaves and Aloes, specimens of these being also 
plunged about in the grass. Other varieties of 
Echeveria and any amount of Alternantheras, 
Thyme, Sedum, Saxifragas, &c., were employed with 
good effect. 
Every possible corner had been made use of, 
being filled variously with Gladioli, Phloxes, Stocks 
and other plants of a like nature. Stepping to the 
region of Palms and other exotic plants we found 
them in great plenty and everyone luxuriating. In 
the looser banks of shrubbery, Ficus elastica, 
Grevillea robusta, Castor-oil plants, Eucalyptus 
Globulus, Dracaenas and Palms were becomingly set 
up. Palms, Aspidistras, Dracaenas, Bamboos, and 
flowering plants of a suitable character filled the 
beds along the margin of the ornamental water. 
Curculigo recurvata made a splendid sub-tropical 
plant not very frequently used. 
The sub-tropical beds had been shifted from the 
spot they held last year and the preceding years. 
Changes must always be welcomed by those visitors 
who constantly make use of the park. Coleus and 
Plumbago capensis were extensively planted, the 
real sub-tropical effect being well augmented by the 
introduction of variegated Hops whose long, slender 
shoots crawled over thejPIumbago bushes in jungle 
fashion. 
The variegated Maize, interspersed with Rlcinus 
Gibsonii, was handsome and pretty. The many beds 
of Cannas have been, as they always are, when 
carefully attended to, very strong, sending up 
gorgeous spikes. Then to finish up with there was 
a handsome area of carpet bedding. The usual 
selection of dwarf and neat growing plants were all 
used and have been most effectively blended together 
Here we had the monogram of the London County 
Council, the Queen's CrowD, the Prince of Wales' 
Feather, and other well-known objects portrayed in 
vegetative characters. The whole of the work was 
in a high degree artistic and must have been the 
subject of considerable thought and painstaking 
work. 
Mr. Moorman has inaugurated a small botanical 
garden for the benefit of botanical students resident 
within access of it. The beginning is small but with 
such care as we know will be bestowed in augmenting 
the collection, and the other conveniences which will 
be planned, there is no doubt as to the success and 
the influence to which the venture will attain. 
Before leaving the park, the Chrysanthemums were 
inspected, but notes upon these, all of which were 
stout and promising, will be dealt with later on. 
The large conservatory had a gay assortment of both 
flowering and foliage plants but a little more space 
might be given to the pot plants with advantage to 
them. The propagating ground with its dozens of 
frames and pits, was already well filled with cuttings 
to carry on a stock for fresh work next year. So 
here we leave Mr. Moorman and his increasing work 
which, of course, demands unceasing care, which 
again, is yearly proved to have been given. 
A VISIT TO BEAUMANOR PARK AND 
GARDEN. 
(Concluded from p. 123.) 
Alpine plants. — Acaena Novae - Zealandiae, 
Acantholimon glumaceum, Chionodoxa, Androsace 
sarmentosa, Dianthus Napoleon III., dwarf Campa¬ 
nulas, Gentians, Saxifrages, Sedums, Sempervivum, 
Lithospermum prostratum, Primulas in great variety, 
Ramondia pyrenaica, Rosa alpina, Dryas octopetal3, 
Phlox amoena, F. subulata and varieties, Draba 
AizooD, D. Aizcides, Daphne Cneorum, Heuchera, 
and many other choice and indispensable things for 
rockeries. 
Dessert Apples include early and late varieties, 
such as Beauty of Bath, Cox’s Orange, Ribston 
Pippin, Adam's Pearmain, Scarlet Nonpareil, Brad- 
dick’s Nonpareil, Fearn’s, Sturmer, and Wollaton 
Pippins, &c. 
Pears include such as Louise Bonne of Jersey 
Marie Louise, Marie Louise d’Uccle, Zephirin Gre- 
goire, Easter Beurre, Knight’s Monarch, Doyenne 
du Comice, Chaumontelle, &c. 
-. 8 - -- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
The full realisation of the season is not yet upon us, 
but before many days are over the full force of the 
annual contest will be making itself felt over all the 
southern counties, to be followed by exhibitions and 
competitions of the autumn flower further and fur¬ 
ther northward. Without being on the outlook for 
them chance threw in our way some fine collections 
of Chrysanthemums in an advanced stage of develop¬ 
ment, though few were really fully expanded ; and we 
made notes of a few of the most promising varieties. 
Danesfield, Great Marlow. 
Here, as elsewhere, the Japanese varieties are the 
most popular and in the greatest force. The 
earliest and more forward are situated in the green¬ 
house where they begin to make a display in com¬ 
pany with a fine batch of Salvia splendens grandi- 
flora, with which the contrast in colour is great. 
Gypsophila elegans is also making its presence felt 
along the front of the taller subjects. Amongst the 
earliest of The large types, Mdme. Geo. Bruant is 
notable for the great size of its blooms, which are 
shaded with rose on a white ground. 
The finest display, however, is expected from the 
plants situated in the vineries and other fruit houses 
right and left of the central greenhouse at the top of 
the kitchen garden. Here the plants are bristling 
with giant buds in various stages of advancement. 
The flowers of Mdme. C. du Terraile are large, 
whorled and soft creamy-white, tinted with pink. 
Other promising things are Princess Charles of Den¬ 
mark, Mrs. White Popham, Matthew Hodgson, and 
Mdme. Carnot. There is a grand lot of the latter in 
the finest condition, and Mr. Gibson, the gardener, 
has lost no buds of this rather troublesome variety. 
Mrs. Barclay has fine foliage and is dwarf and 
promising. Mrs. H. Weeks is also strong, but takes 
a long time to develop its splendid blooms. The 
beautiful Nellie Pockett has won favour from every 
grower, and is bound to be greatly in evidence dur¬ 
ing the season. Louis Dawle is a fine yellow, with 
which the public is not yet very familiar on the show 
boards, and the same may be said of Mrs. T. Car¬ 
rington. Mutual Friend, Edwin Molyneux, and 
Edith Tabor are old friends here in very good form. 
Marie Calvat has broad petals, tinted with pink on a 
white ground. Those of Mrs. Coombe are rosy 
pink. A handsome golden-yellow variety is R. 
Hooper Pearson. Other most promising flowers 
were Royal Standard, Lady Crawshaw, and the 
rival dark crimson varieties H. J. Jones, and the 
Hon. W. F. D. Smith. At present the latter has the 
larger flowers, but a few more days are necessary for 
the proper comparison of those that only came be¬ 
fore the public last year for the first time. High 
colour is to be a feature of the Chrysanthemum 
blooms here ; for that the atmosphere is clear goes 
without saying. The gardens of R. W. Hudson, 
Esq., are situated on a bold spur of the chalk 
formation, high above the level of the Thames, and 
about three miles or less to the west of Great Mar¬ 
low, Bucks. He loves his garden and estate 
generally, so that no branch of modern gardening 
will be neglected, nor anything conducive to their 
welfare. Flowers are in continual request, so that 
Chrysanthemums are bound to be well represented, 
as nothing else can take their place during the 
autumn months. 
