796 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 11, 1900. 
red and blue absorption—bands of the chlorophyll 
spectrum. 
This being the last of the four lectures, proposals of 
thanks were heartily passed to Prof. Henslow, and 
the audience unanimously seconded the hope of Mr. 
S. T. Wright, “ that we may yet again enjoy a 
similar course of lectures such as had just been 
given.” 
In the accompanying transverse section of a leaf, 
C represents the cuticle or hardened outer skin of 
the leaf; E is the epidermal row of cells, of which 
the cuticle is the outer or exposed surface. P 
marks the pallisade cells containing the chlorophyll 
grains. S is the spongy or cellular portion of the 
leaf. The under surface has its skin perforated by 
openings, to wit the stomata (marked St.) through 
which the surplus water is transpired. The two 
masses in the centre are fibrovascular bundles form¬ 
ing two veins of the leaf cut through. 
HOLLAND HOUSE, KENSINGTON. 
In September of last year a report of this fine old 
home appeared in The Gardening World, giving 
an epitome of the history of this demense which 
bears the tale of over 300 years’ experiences. Van 
Dyck, William Penn, General Fairfax (one of Crom¬ 
well’s 'officers) and of course the Holland family, 
have all had possession of the estate at one time or 
another. The present owner is Lord Ilchester, the 
head of the Fox-Strangeways, a branch of the 
Holland family. Lord and Lady Ilchester are keen 
gardeners, and have good professional assistance in 
having Mr. C. Dixon as their head gardener. The 
gardens are very fine, and each year sees improve¬ 
ments affected. There are fifty-five acres of grounds 
altogether, though of course a large area of this on 
the south side is laid out in park-land. Trees, 
shrubs, hardy herbaceous and alpine plants, Bam¬ 
boos and aquatic subjects are what are chiefly 
favoured at Holland House, and the lover of Orchids 
or tender exotics will not find so much to interest 
him. 
The herbaceous borders are exceedingly interesting. 
The common Dragon (Arum Dracunculus) with its 
peculiar violet-purple spathes forms massive plants 
in the borders, and is one of the most interesting, if 
not so beautiful of the many plants recently in 
flower. The Day Lilies, especially the tawny- 
coloured species, Hemerocallis fulva, and the bright 
yellow H. flava, both give beauty and fragrance. 
Gypsophila Stevensii is a subject worthy of special 
notice. It flowers early and is decidedly better than 
G. elegans. When the latter is too thickly sown it 
indeed becomes weedy, but G. Stevensii is sturdier 
though quite as graceful, has large white flowers and 
gray foliage like that of a Mule Pink. On a sloping 
wall which retains a broad terrace in front of the 
house, the Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber) has 
been sown or pricked into chinks here and there and 
is growing and flowering in the most defiant profus¬ 
ion. This is a phase of gardening which of course 
differs from alpine gardening, yet which is on the 
same lines and quite as charming. The wall is by 
no means exclusively devoted to the Valerian, for 
these are only inserted here and there in open spaces 
between the finely grown and choice wall bushes. 
In the centre of this sunny wall there is a splendid 
spreading bush of the yellow-leaved Currant (Ribes 
missouriense) which is quite conspicuous even at a 
distance. 
Close by on a front lawn besides the common 
weeping Ash, there is another graceful Ash (Fraxinus 
excelsior tanacetifolia) also of a weeping character. 
The two harmonise, for the latter is really a greatly 
refined and small leaved form of the weeping Ash, 
F. e. pendula. Out of view of these Ash trees there 
is a very tall and handsome specimen Pyrus Sorbus 
laden with trusses of berries, which like those of P. 
Aucuparia, the Mountain Ash or Rowan tree, become 
beautifully coloured later in the year. Another tree 
which approaches these Pyruses in appearance, is 
Gymnocladus canadensis or Kentucky Coffee tree. 
At Holland House, they have a tree 30 ft. in height, 
and it is most magnificently furnished with its beauti¬ 
ful " shocks ” of fine bipinnate leaves. Sophora 
japonica also does well. It is remarkable, however, 
to note how regularly the Birch trees have 
succumbed just when they have attained to their 
most handsome proportions, or in other cases before 
they had fully developed. The obnoxious winter 
fogs are blamed ; they baffle the resistive powers of 
these free-born natives of the mountains and pure 
air. 
On a small rockery in the garden a spreading 
patch of Thymus Serpyllum coccineum was 
noticed. It is very much brighter than the common 
T. Serpyllum and is quite superior. Antirrhinum 
Asarina, a clammy leaved species with white and 
red tinted flowers, also succeeds well. Phlomis 
fruticosa, with its grey Sage-like leaves and terminal 
yellow verticels, flowers profusely against a wall. 
The north part of the grounds, where really the 
wealth of the garden lies, is laid out in exceedingly 
great variety. In fact, to wander through the acres 
of well filled sunny grounds reminds one of a 
botanical collection. Trees, and very beautiful trees 
most of them are, which one rarely or never sees in 
private gardens, are liberally included here. Lord 
Ilchester, of course, takes a practical interest in the 
planting, and is well versed in hardy plants and in 
the characters of trees and shrubs. Each year, as 
has already been stated, new undertakings are 
planned and carried through. In the last four or 
five winters there have been new rockeries made, new 
Rhododendron dells, aquatic pools, Bamboo gardens, 
vistas planted, having on either side shrubs all of 
one kind, and last of all a new Japanese garden has 
been constructed and planted up. Time, of course, 
will improve all of these, for the original plans im¬ 
prove up to a certain stage as the years roll by. 
Bright groups of shrubs are liberally disposed, 
and specimen trees and shrubs occupy intermediate 
sites. The best of flowering trees and shrubs and 
trees to be effective by a yield of bright fruits in 
autumn, such as the Siberian Crabs, Crataeguses, 
Cherries, Pyruses, and other things are profusely 
employed. Laburnum Parkerii is one of the best of 
the genus, either in flower or fruit. Ptelea trifoliata, 
a hardy and ornamental dwarf tree, was bearing an 
abundance of its rather inconspicuous flowers 
and nearly by it the common but elegant Euonymus 
europaeus. 
The species of Ceanothus are not often seen to 
advantage as bush shrubs, but at Holland House one 
finds the tender yet lovely C. azureus flourishing and 
growing grandly. C. grandiflorus and C. dentatus 
grow side by side, and are large and handsome. C. 
azureus Gloire de Versailles is a fine ornament on 
the walls, and also in sheltered open air beds. The 
Pyrus tribe are mostly grown as standards, and are 
chiefly fresh young trees. Pyrus salicifolia, with 
narrow silvery leaves, is not unlike Elaeagnus angusti- 
folia, though it is not so bright. It is at the same 
time worth the noting. P. amygdaliformis (P. 
Michauxii) is another handsome species. Various 
weeping, golden, silver, and variegated forms of 
Elm trees are effectively disposed. The shrubby 
species of Cistus have been tried, and C. florentinus 
and C. salvifolius, having succeeded, are being more 
largely planted. C. laurifolius, also with large 
white flowers, and having a yellow centre, is a 
charming shrub, though the flowers do not last 
long. 
Deutzia crenata fl. pi. formed large towering pyra¬ 
mids laden with their pretty clusters of double white 
flowers. The weeping Cherry, Cerasus semperflorens 
pendula, was just passing out of flower, but fruits 
take their place and soon a gayer colour will rule. 
Large trees of the Turkey Oak, Quercus Cerris, 
are most pleasing in various parts of the higher 
grounds. They are the more appreciated as they 
are of large size while many of the other subjects have 
only been planted for a short numbers of years. 
Quercus dumosa pendula, a rare variety with beauti¬ 
ful dark foliage, has got a good grip of the soil and 
promises well. Leading from the north side of this 
finely planted area there is a long straight vista 
planted on either side with Ph iladelphus fSyringa) 
grandiflorus. This was recently one of the hand¬ 
somest features of the place. Another of these vistas, 
which promises well for a bright display in the near 
future, is hemmed at the sides with Diervillas 
(Weigelas). Tljese are not grown quite in bush form, 
but are tied up to roughly trimmed Larch branches, 
the lateral shoots of the Diervillas growing outwards 
on either side. These vistas of course are backed up 
with other trees and shrubs, and the path through 
them is of smooth even sward. 
Roses of all sorts literally swathe every corner of 
the grounds. A new feature has been introduced. It 
consists of tall hurdle-shaped erections of the rough¬ 
ly hewn Larch, such as have already been mentioned, 
having here and there along the length of them 
" snags,” which have been intentionally left to lend 
the appearance of rusticity, and also to act as sup¬ 
ports for the Roses, which are now covering them. 
When these " hurdles ” (which are about g ft. high, 
straight both at sides and top) are more fully over¬ 
spread with the Roses, nothing finer can be imagined 
than their effect. They are arranged at intervals of 
a few paces (all being equal in width and height) 
down a winding grassy path which leads to other at¬ 
tractive features. 
On every side there are borders of Sunflowers, 
Campanulas, thousands of Liliums, Delphiniums, 
and other herbaceous plants. Dahlias and Holly¬ 
hocks are mixed with Delphiniums to carry on the 
display of bloom when the latter have passed away. 
The new Rhododendron dell covers nearly half an 
acre, and has been planted from the thinnings made 
from beds in other parts of the grounds. The Rho¬ 
dodendrons, which are all of good-named sorts, have 
flowered well this year, and are now growing freely. 
Coming round in a circle from the north side to the 
west, the visitor may see a golden-leaved Ash tree 
which shows up most brilliantly from amongst a host 
of neighbouring green-leaved trees. This (Fraxinus 
foliis aureis) cannot be found anywhere in any of 
the nurseries, according to information, and there may 
be only a very few, if any, specimens of it about any¬ 
where. The history of the tree in question cannot 
now be given, but it is a most brilliant and handsome 
subject, about 12 ft. high.— H. 
(To be continued.) 
»»< ■ — — 
HARDY PLANTS AT LONG DITTON. 
A portion of this notice appeared on p. 747, the re¬ 
mainder at the time beiDg excluded on account of 
pressure on our space. 
The yellow Asphodelus, with tall slender stems, 
shows up well, and Anchusas, Anthericums, and all 
the Yarrows or Achilleas are flowering in much pro¬ 
fusion. Anemone dichotoma is a pretty species with 
dark green lobed foliage and the ordinary white 
Anemone flowers. It grows eight or nine inches in 
height. Digitalis gloxiniaeflora is a noble Foxglove, 
having large and handsome spikes of violet purple 
flowers. The Virgin Thistle, Silybum marianum 
also formed attractive groups. Another pretty 
Anemone, not at present in flower, however, is A. riv- 
ularis which forms silky mop-heads after the blooms 
wither. The ornamental-leaved Epimediums are 
plants all worthy of more attention. The Veronicas, 
such as V. incana with dense blue spikes, V. spicata 
alba, white, V. Teucrium, two feet high and a perfect 
mass of brilliant blue, were in the pink of perfection. 
Senecio macrophyllus with its large smooth oval leaves 
and dense yellow flower spike, is a splendid subject 
to associate with other subjects by the side of water. 
Amaryllis longifolia alba was flowering freely 
enough in an open air bed. The Poppies form bril¬ 
liant beds, one of the best being Papaver bracteatum 
coccineum, having intense crimson-scarlet flowers of 
large size and possessing a black base. There are 
many other choice species and varieties. Another 
fine scarlet flowering plant is Pentstemon barbatus, 
and the Messrs. Barr have a selection from this which 
Is very superior, and named P.b. Barr’s Scarlet. It 
is very graceful and has Honeysuckle-like flowers. 
Quite a distinct herbaceous plant is found in 
Euphorbia pilosa with large branching heads of deep 
yellow-hued bracts. It is distinct and good. Ver- 
bascum Lychnitis is also a handsome plant. Lathyrus 
rotundifolius should be known to all. It is a peren¬ 
nial species, with brick-red flowers. Salvia argentea 
is large in all its parts, having sweet smelling white 
flowers, which attract bees in great numbers. It is 
a fine plant for a big, country garden. The varieties 
of Crambe (Seakale), Bear's Brush or Acanthus, with 
its ornamental foliage, Malopes, Gaillardias, Cam¬ 
panulas, Sweet Williams, of which there are some 
beautiful velvety dark crimson sorts, Antirrhinums, 
Pinks and Cloves, Columbines (already mentioned), 
and a host of other good things were flowering in pro¬ 
digal profusion. A variety of Campanula persicifolia 
named pallida, is another of the selections made by 
the firm. The blooms are paler blue than those of 
the species, but are larger and the number of them 
is greater. It ought to be well accepted, being dis¬ 
tinct. A number of new tanks for aquatics have been 
constructed and in these, Nymphaeas are chiefly to 
be seen. Most of the plants are doing first rate and 
were flowering well. Mr. William Barr was good 
enough to point out how the Nymphaea blooms may 
be made to remain open continuously. It is well 
