412 
February 24, 1900 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
most popular resorts in London for those interested 
in horticulture. This style of gardening was tried 
as an experiment in the cultivation of fine foliage 
plants, which had previously been thought too deli¬ 
cate for anything but a greenhouse ; but for nearly a 
third of a century it has been the means of demons¬ 
trating that there are many plants and shrubs which 
can successfully adorn an open air garden during 
summer and autumn months. In the sub-tropical 
garden there is generally some good carpet bedding. A 
large quantity of the usual bedding plants is grown and 
used here each season. The propagating has recently 
become difficult owing to the water supply getting 
impregnated with salt, which must be brought up 
the river by the tides. The supply of water is 
pumped up from the Thames. There are some in¬ 
teresting bits of scenery in Battersea Park. The 
rcckwork is all artificial, being made on the spot. The 
old style of ribbon borders is still carried out in the 
bedding arrangements. 
Kennington Park is a surprise when first seen, 
as it actually has larger and better grown shrub¬ 
beries than several of the big parks. The shrub¬ 
beries extend well all around the park and have a 
fine appearance on account of the abundance of 
Holly. The bedding plants used in Kennington 
Park are grown and supplied from Battersea Park. 
This cannot be satisfactory. With the exception of 
small parks and gardens, I thick that each place 
should grow its own plants. 
Greenwich Park has a large amount of old 
timber, but many of the trees present a very stunted 
appearance owing to their having been lopped so in¬ 
discriminately, old and young, decayed and sound, 
Spanish Chesnut, Oak, Beech, Elm, and Horse 
Chesnut, every one lopped at the same height from 
the ground, so that in all England there is not such 
a melancholy lot of trees as those in Greenwich 
Park. What should we say of the head physican of 
an hospital who ordered that all the patients should 
be subjected to the same treatment ? 
Dulwich Park is laid out more as a garden than 
a park. There are not many trees, as a few years 
ago the ground which is now the park was pasture 
land belonging to Dulwich College, the trustees of 
which gave it for public use. In laying out this 
park much more money was spent than is usually the 
case, but why hundreds of tons of brick burrs were 
used for the rockeries instead of stone is beyond 
comprehension, as there is no moLture whatever for 
the plants on dry burrs, whereas the stones retain it. 
A good collection of rock plants like that at Dulwich 
Park should have been properly treated, as those 
plants are the speciality of the park. The formal 
line round the margia of the lake could be much 
improved by a few aquatic plants so as to break up 
the formality of it. 
Brockwell Park. —A mile west of Dulwich Park 
is Brockwell, which was formerly the residence of 
Judge Blackburn, from whose trustees it was bought 
for public use. The mansion is now used as a re¬ 
freshment room. The park is on a very open 
beautiful green hill, from which there are extensive 
and some charming views. The Elm trees scattered 
all about the park are large and well grown. On one 
part of the ground is a walled-in, delightful old 
garden, containing old fashioned flowers. This is 
termed the old English garden, and is a great attrac¬ 
tion to the public. Many plants survive the winter 
at Brockwell, which would not live at other parks 
less favoured in altitude. There is a prospect of 
adding another forty acres to this park, which I 
trust may be secured for the public before the jerry 
builder gets his grip upon it. 
Bishop’s Park, Fulham.— In passing, we will 
just notice the lamentable mistake of placing this 
space under the control of local bcdies. Incompe¬ 
tency follows. A considerable portion of the 
palace ground is within the moat. The noble old 
trees and wide green spaces form an appropriate 
setting to the Bishop’s Palace. Instead of utilising 
this as an espanse to the landscape, the short¬ 
sighted policy was adopted; the fine old trees cut 
down, and evergreen shrubs planted to hide the 
beautiful inner grounds. Such a result might be 
expected from the ordinary vestryman. 
Richmond Park, both in its vast extent and 
character, is unlike any other metropolitan park or 
open space. It is more or less known to tens of 
thousands of persons, but is probably intimately 
known only to a few, as it is quite possible to get 
lost in it. The greatest attraction to Richmond 
Park is that one could find there perfect solitariness 
and be alone with Nature. Its fine old trees, wide 
open spaces, and close proximity to the river, has 
given it an advantage over many of the smaller 
parks, half a dozen of which could be hidden in one 
corner of it. From a flower garden point of view, 
there is none in Richmond Park; but this is to be 
found quite near at Hampton Court, where the 
floral display is always on a large scale. The whole 
of the flower beds are backed up with masses of 
green; therefore, colours can be used more pro¬ 
fusely here than in many other places, as green is 
the predominant colour in Nature. 
Horace Walpole speaks of the gardens at Hamp¬ 
ton Court as the finest in England, but that is a 
matter of opinion. The herbaceous borders are inter¬ 
esting, and remind one of Lord Bacon’s eulogy on 
" My Lady’s Garden." There are some splendid 
avenues of Elms at Hampton Court which have a 
fresher appearance than those in parks nearer the 
metropolis, another of which I will mention. 
Ravenscourt Park was formerly a private 
estate before it was acquired for public use. There 
are some fine old trees, which were only saved just 
in time, as the jerry builder had got possession, and 
if he had not been compensated he would have soon 
settled all the trees in his usual way. Some idea of 
the value of land in the suburbs may be realised 
by the fact that the Ravenscourt estate changed 
hands just over two hundred years ago. The price 
then paid for the freehold was a trifle over £io per 
acre; whereas to-day the same land would realise 
over £2,000 per acre ; but even at this figure it is a 
good investment, as all great authorities on health 
agree that it is essential to have these breathing 
spaces for the people. No one doubts nowadays the 
beneficial and softening influence which these parks 
have on the health and tastes of the masses. 
The growing suburbs of Willesden contemplate 
purchasing Lord Aberdeen’s estate. Ealing also 
expects to have another fine old estate shortly. 
Many of our provincial towns have fine parks and 
gardens. The limits of this paper will not enable 
me to describe the splendid collections at Kew Gar¬ 
dens which are unrivalled in the world.— W. B. 
Gingell. 
- -- 
CAN ORCHIDS TALK? 
Well, not exactly, perhaps, but figuratively speak¬ 
ing they can ; for bless you they are as sensitive as 
the lens of your Kodak, and any little slight is 
resented by them quite as much as it would be by 
your pet animals. On the other hand if you coax 
them a bit they will become as tractable as possible, 
springing into activity, vieing with each other to 
please, by putting on their best garb in due course in 
the shape of a grand display of their charming 
flowers the like of which it is difficult to describe. 
I think sometimes, after a close study of their 
peculiarities extending over twenty years, that there 
is not so much difference between the animal and 
vegetable kingdom, in respect to Orchids anyway; 
for really their likes and dislikes are very much on 
a par with our own. 
We get in a draught and to a certainty will take 
cold; they in a like manner suffer, and will soon 
show it by the leaves turning yellow and in time 
falling off. 
Again, if we get but little rest we are soon knocked 
up; so it is with Orchids. They cannot stand the 
strain of continual activity and are soon played out 
if not allowed a season of rest. 
Stimulants, too, if not taken sparingly and in a 
much diluted form, will cause blemishes to appear, 
to be followed by general debility; and so it is with 
Orchids (for they have a big thirst). It acts as a 
sort of a whip for a time, causing them to make 
abnormally large and sappy growths, but it is the 
reaction that shows the mischief up. First comes a 
speck which gradually develops into a spot, and 
presently off the plant goes. 
Overcrowding, too, is bad for man and beast. It 
applies equally to plant life, causing spindly and 
weak growths which are quite unable to stand the 
vicissitudes of our climate. No matter how 
elaborate the scale on which you work in respect to 
structures and heating appliances they must have 
elbow room. 
Regarding cleanliness, of course, it gees without 
saying that nothing or nobody but the Boers thrive 
in dirt, so that it will be seen that being under glass 
Orchids cannot get a wash with the rains so it must 
be done by the sponge, &e. 
I sometimes think they can hear, too. If so, how 
they must laugh at those know-all-abcut the-plants, 
alone-I-did-it sort of people, who like to take the 
credit which is due to others. Knowing full well 
how badly they would fare if it were not for the man 
that watches over them and ministers to their wants 
when out of flower, as well as admires when in 
flower. 
They like a change, too, as well as ourselves. We 
like a fresh garment, they like a fresh pot, and so on, 
so that in most particulars the resemblance is very 
real.— T. H„ S. 
Hardening Miscellany. 
VARIOUS NOTES. 
Seeds of Grevillea robusta, Musa, Dracaena indivisa, 
Smilax, and Cosmos, all very useful market and 
decorative plants, should be sown now. Special 
varieties of double Petunias should be propagated 
from cuttings at this time. A good strain of Petunias 
furnishes a beautiful batch of plants for summer 
indoor flowering. By keeping them well pinched, 
and growing thrm cool and firmly, a later batch will 
come in for August and autumn blooming. Poin- 
settias may now be shortened back somewhat and 
laid away under a warm stage till they are wanted 
for next season’s cuttings. Begonia Gloire de 
Lorraine, or, at least, some of the spent plants, may 
be cut back now and slightly rested, previous to 
taking off cuttings. Stout leaves may be secured at 
this juncture and inserted for propagation in the 
same way as the Rex type are treated. 
PITCAIRNIA CORALLINA. 
The genus Pitcairnia is a very extensive one, the 
species being all members of tropical America. In 
P. corailiDa we have one of the showiest from among 
the long selection. It is in favour at the present 
time, bearing long crimson-ruby spikes, which 
spring from the base of the leaf-stems. These spikes 
number from three to seven, in a well-grown, large 
specimen, and are peculiar in so far that they are 
deflected or bent down over the edge of the pot. 
The leaf is slightly downy, long, broad, and arching ; 
and may roughly be described as like a downy 
Curculigo. A porous soil, a very warm temperature, 
and moisture-laden air, are factors necessary in its 
culture. 
THREE SHRUBBY FLOWERING PLANTS. 
Those gardens are well off which can show batches 
of Rhododendron indicum obtusum, a pretty, 
reddish flowered variety; Chorizsma Chandleri 
elegans, a terra-cotta bloomer ; and Spiraea Van 
Houttei, with white flowers. Batches are much 
more advocated for effect by those fittest to give an 
opinion, than are stray plants which are dotted 
about on the stages. The massing of plants of a 
kind has this advantage, that it gives rest to the eye, 
and satisfies one’s sense in this direction. In smaller 
gardens big batches cannot be grown, especially if a 
varied choice'of plants is wanted. The Spiraea Van 
Houttei bears long sprays of closely set, small, white 
flowers, and light green ovate leaves. It is, like 
many other plants of its class, easy to house and 
take care of once it has attained a year 0: two’s 
growth. The Cborizema is graceful in growth, and 
pretty in foliage, being after the pattern of a small 
holly leal. The flowers are pea-shaped, and of that 
rather rare colour already noted, terra cotta and 
pale mauve. It flowers freely, and is a very pretty 
subject. Rhododendron indicum is well known, and 
much prized. The Spiraea and Chorizema may be 
raised faom seeds, though cuttings of the young 
wood are more preferable in the case of the former. 
The Rhododendrons are much cheaper to buy from 
those who trade in them. 
STREPTOCARPUS. 
The hybrids of recent years have become numerous, 
lending a wide selection of colours to choose from. 
Whites, mauves, and blues predominate, but time 
may give us a fuller range. The shades of colour to 
be found in Cyclamen are only about half-a-dozen, 
and more roughly may be said to be divided into 
red and whites. Streptocarpus are easier to grow 
