694 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
ABELIAS- 
These are not so often met with as one could wish 
considering their value as wall plants. Probably 
with us and further down, especially near the coast 
in Cornwall, bushes in the open would thrive and 
flower well, but my experience is with plants on walls 
only, so will confine my remarks to such. The kind 
most often seen is the Rock Abelia (A. rupestris), 
carrying delicate pale pink flowers in autumn. A. 
uniflora is similar in habit but flowers earlier, is 
pale red, also sweetly scented and an evergreen It 
is often found under the name of A. serrata. These 
two are from China, where things just at present are 
far from satisfactory. A. floribunda bears rosy purple 
flowers in clusters, and is not quite so hardy as those 
before mentioned. A. triflora is in my idea a gem, 
t hree flowered as the name implies and deliciously 
scented, that is, if we have it under the right name. 
[Quite correct.— Ed.] Why I write so cautiously 
is because in Nicholson's Dictionary of Gardening it 
is spoken of as having pale yellow flowers, tinged 
with pink, while Johnson says it is pale red, and in 
Robinson’s English Flower Garden it has pink flowers ; 
and last, and perhaps not least, we find it of the 
purest white, providing of course we have it under 
its right name. 1 am sending Mr. Editor flowers 
for his opinion. The two former authorities give 
September month for it to be in bloom. If that is 
the case, we are fully three months in advance with 
ours. But whatever its name it is a species to be 
proud of, and I believe the Editor will say the same. 
A. triflora comes from India. Cuttings root readily 
in summer.— J. Mayne, Bicton. 
[In Hardy Flowering Trees and Shrubs, A. D. 
Webster says this species flowers continuously from 
May to November, the flowers being white, flushed 
with pink. Those sent by our correspondent were 
flushed with pink while in the bud stage, but the fully 
expanded blooms are pure white, the pmk disappear¬ 
ing. Old or damaged flowers are yellow, even if 
damaged in the bud stage, so that possibly the 
original description was taken from dried plants and 
the error repeated in different books. Pink is present 
in the early stages, but disappears during expansion 
as above stated. Wall plants may be seen in and 
around London, according to A. D. Webster, also at 
Exeter, and in the South of Ireland. As it comes 
from the Himalayan regions that accounts for its 
relative hardiness. Against a wall at Kew a large 
plant shows it to be quite hardy. The flowers sent 
us were deliciously scented. They recalled those of 
a white Verbena. The shrub is well worth cultivat¬ 
ing for cut flowers which it produces in profusion.— 
Ed.] 
-- 
Grape Thinnings.--Jelly can be made from the 
thinnings of half-matured Grape berries. 
THE ROCKERY AT LIMPSFIELD 
GRANGE. 
There is no more pleasant time for visiting the 
country on the south side of the Surrey Downs than 
when summer is young. Limpsfield Grange is 
situated at the north end of the village of Limps¬ 
field, where the geological formations of the Gault 
and Lower Green Sand meet, and therefore close at 
the foot of the North Downs, which here form the 
most elevated point in Surrey. The grounds are 
traversed by the Titsey Brook or Bourne, which 
makes quite a brawling torrent after heavy storms. 
Limpsfield Grange is the residence of D. G. Landale, 
Esq., J.P., and forms a compact estate embowered 
amongst and much hidden by trees from various 
points of view. 
Mrs. Landale is most interested in the rockery, 
and in fact regards it as her portion of the gardeD, 
taking intense delight in the many and varied plants 
there collected together. It is situated in a hollow 
by the brook which sometimes overflows its banks 
and floods the low lying portions. The rockery 
consists of various high mounds, intersected by 
narrow, winding pathways, ascending and descend¬ 
ing by flights of undressed stone steps. The stone¬ 
work consists of green sandstone obtained in the 
neighbourhood, and being porous holds the moisture, 
much to the welfare of the plants. Having been 
recently constructed it is not yet quite covered with 
permanent and perennial occupants, but already 
looks well established. Very bright just now are 
the violet tracts of Salvia Horminum violacea ; and 
the orange, crimson, scarlet and creamy flowered 
varieties of Nemesia strumosa Suttoni. On the 
higher portions are fine bushes of Cytisus scoparius 
andreana, and patches of Cistus and orange, scarlet 
and yellow, single and double forms of Helianthemum 
fugacious enough in the case of individual flowers, 
but producing a liberal succession each day. Phlox 
ovata is also a mass of rosy flowers. Dictamnus 
alba and D. gigantea are also in perfection. Vicia 
pyrenaica with rich purple flowers looks for all the 
world like a greatly magnified form of the British 
V. angustifolia Bobartii. Iceland Poppies are also 
charming by contrast with other subjects. 
Amongst rock plants proper, few of the Llnarias 
are neater or prattler than L. alpina. The Edelweis 
(Leontopodium alpinum) has heen raised from seed 
and successfully brought to the flowering stage. 
Geranium sanguineum, and the lovely pink variety 
G. s. lancastrianse, form bright patches here and 
there on the ledges. Thymus Serpyllum lanuginosus 
seems quite at home creeping over the stones of the 
pathway, from which a grateful perfume arises as 
the foot passes over it. For a profusion of bright 
blue flowers few things will beat the Dwarf Veronica 
Teucrium dubia also known as V. rupestris, here 
June 30, 1900. 
grown in broad masses. A deeper and, perhaps, 
finer blue is met with in Lithospermum prostratum. 
The sky blue flowers of Sisyrinchium bermudianum 
are very profuse at present. The rosy Anthyllis 
montana has just passed out of bloom. 
All of these things the gardener, Mr. W. C. Lewis, 
is delighted to point out, as he is as enthusiastic 
over the hardy plants as Mrs. Landal® herself; and 
propagates various things both from seeds, cuttiDgs 
and division so as to get clumps and masses of a kind 
On the top he has masses of Oriental Poppies, collec¬ 
tions of dwarf, and tall Michaelmas Daisies, Aster 
alpinus being very fine at present though hardly a 
Michaelmas Daisy. A fine bush of Potentilla fruti- 
cosa, a yard in diameter, is cow in full bloom. The 
masses of Spanish Broom (Genista hispanica) have 
ust been splendid; and G. tinctoria will presently 
continue the succession in no mistakable manner. 
Linum perenne delights in a wealth of blue flowers. 
The double white Saxifraga granulata flore pleno is 
just over; but Lychnis dioica flore pleno, another 
British plant, is in full beauty. There will be quite 
a bank of Goldilocks (Chrysocoma Linosyris) pres¬ 
ently, as Mr. Lewis has raised a large quantity from 
one original. The purple Erinus alpinus is truly a 
rock plant. British Orchids are represented by 
Orchis mascula, Ophrys apifera and Habenaria 
chlorantha obtained in the neighbourhood. The 
glaucous leaved Tropaeolum polyphyllum is quite 
happy trailing over the rockwork. Hybrid Aquile- 
gias are plentiful and consist of forms raised chiefly 
from A. chrysantha and A. caerulea, though A. 
canadense and A. vulgaris may also be noted. 
Various strains of fancy Pansies and Violas are 
flowering in profusion. The pretty blue flowered 
V. cornuta is quite at home in pockets on the 
rockery. Of the yellow flowered Linarias, L. 
dalmatica is one of the most handsome by reason 
of its glaucous flowers and large flowers. 
On the lawn is a fine bed of Nemesia strumosa 
Suttoni well varied by cream, yellow, orange, white, 
red, rose,crimson, purple and other shades of colour. 
Passing into the kitchen garden we noted a wealth 
of popular and useful herbaceous plants growing 
luxuriantly in the borders. Some of these were 
Paeonies, Pyrethrums, Spiraea Aruncus, Delphin¬ 
iums, Oriental and Iceland Poppies, Irises, Geranium 
platypetalum, and fine masses of the Maned Barley 
(Hordeum jubatum). 
There is a fine crop of Apples on bush trees. The 
Gooseberries are too heavily laden, even although 
gathering for cooking purpose has been going on for 
the last four weeks. An Apple orchard of standard 
trees was recently planted on what appeared to be 
quite dry ground; but when the holes for the trees 
were taken out the subscil was found to be permeated 
with a substratum of water, and every hole had to 
be drained. Thus though the surface may appear 
dry in summer, the various crops have an abundance 
of moisture beneath. 
Potatos have made good growth. The picking of 
Peas has just commenced, the earliest variety being 
Wm. Hurst. Sangster’s No. i is just a week later. 
Lettuce White Heart is a strong growing kind and 
fit for use earlier than Paris Cos. Early Market 
Cabbage, sown under glass, is now ready for use. 
Tomatos now occupy the pits recently filled with 
bedding plants. In the greenhouse that interesting 
old plant Tropaeolum tricolorum Jarratii is 
making fine progress. Francoa ramosa, Pelargon¬ 
iums, Fuchsias, Streptocarpus, Primula stellata, 
Cineraria stellata, and similar subjects fill up the 
greenhouse, keeping it gay. 
A similar variety of subjects occupy the stove, in¬ 
cluding Crotons, Acalyphas, Dracaenas, Anthuriums, 
Calathea zebrina, Pandanus Veitchi, and others. 
Peach trees under glass are carrying a marvellous 
crop, the trees being grown upon the back wall and 
upon a trellis fitted up some distance below the front 
glass. The Alexandra Peach has been ripe for some 
little time past. Royal George is magnificent. Hales' 
Early is well advanced in the matter of colouring. 
Sea Eagle is also good. The crop everywhere would 
appear to be too heavy; but the soil is evidently 
well suited for them. 
A large stokehole capable of holding boilers and 
fuel to heat a very large establishment has recently 
been put in. A fruit-room has also been admirably 
fitted up. A potting shed has also been constructed, 
together with bins for the storage of Carrots, Pars¬ 
nips, Beet, and Potatos. Mr. Lewis is doing every¬ 
thing to place the establishment in thoroughly working 
order ; and being quite a young man he is full of 
enthusiasm, and we wish him many years of a useful 
career. About five years ago he was m the gardens 
of the Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick. 
Dracaena The Queen (See p. 697). 
