October 29, 1904 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
871 
Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh. 
The visitor passing along Princes Street, Edinburgh, and 
coming upon the East Princes Street Gardens during the 
month of September, could almost fancy himself looking 
through the rails at the front of a, florist’s shop, by reason of 
the enormous number of Lilium speciosum, which has again 
proved a success, alongside the principal street.of the northern 
capital. Since Mr. J. W. McHattie took charge of the city 
gardens he has quite transformed this old terrace garden, 
which used to pass for flower bedding, although it consisted 
chiefly of ribbon borders, and not very effective at that. 
Edinburgh has not many open spaces utilised for the pur¬ 
pose of flower-bedding, as the citizens seem, to rely upon the 
Botanic Gardens for their flowers in the northern, capital, while 
the rest, is devoted to trees or greensward. At. the same time 
a determined effort has been made' t.O' make the most of East 
Princes Street Gardens, the beds of which are' exceedingly 
Ornithogalum nutans. (See p. 866.) 
numerous. We counted no. less than fifty-four of these beds, in 
which Lilium speciosum constituted a feature in September 
last. A few other Lilies are employed, but the above was 
certainly the favourite, and has given the greatest satisfaction 
by making good growth a.nd flowering profusely. 
Other highly conspicuous plants used in this garden during 
September were early-flowering Chrysanthemums, Lobelia 
Queen Victoria, Fuchsias, Ficus elastica, Phorrnium tenax, 
Euonymus japonicus in several of its variegated forms', both 
broad a.nd narrow-lea.ved; also Celosia pyramidalis. Con¬ 
spicuous plants used upon the corners of the beds were Cordy- 
lines, Cuphea platyoeotra, 18 in. to 24 in. high, and resem¬ 
bling Fuchsias, these all being planted on a groundwork of 
dwarfer subjects. A very striking hardy plant was a pale 
yellow variety of Chrysanthemum Parthenium flore pleno- 
having button-like heads, which at a little distance away had 
the appearance of a yellow Ageratum. 
Some of the plants used for a groundwork to the taller sub¬ 
jects were zonal Pelargoniums, P. Mine. Sallery, and other 
white-edged varieties, Tropaeolum Ball of Fire, Chinese Asters, 
and French Marigold Legion of Honour. Many of the beds', 
are elevated above their surroundings, and the sharply slop¬ 
ing sides were panelled with Echeveria secunda., Lobelia, Me- 
sembryantheimum oordifolium variegatum, and Antennaria 
dioica tomentosa., all of which were well adapted for forming 
low carpets of beautifully coloured vegetation. On -the sloping 
sides of these raised beds were isolated columnar plants of 
Kochia, scoparia, which had made good growth, and was already 
beginning to assume its bronzy and red autumnal hues. While 
passing along these flowery terraces we noted two fine speci¬ 
mens of the pigmy Japanese Trees. They were specimens of 
Cupressus obtusa, and were described a® over 100 years old. 
The Scotch Elm is largely planted on this terrace, and seems 
to withstand the smoke of the city and that of the railway 
not tar off. 
The ground in the hollow below the Castle always presents 
a beautifully -green -sw'ard at all time® of the year, and never 
seems to -get burnt -even on the steepest slopes, and some of 
them here arei rather -steep. Amongst trees we noted a. fine 
round-headed specimen of Pyrus intermedia, about. 30 ft. to 
35 ft. high, and having a 'Spread of branches about equal to 
the height. An uncommon tree in the north, is the Evergreen 
Oak (Quercus Ilex), here, forming a low round-headed tree. 
More than one form of the London Plane may also be noted 
around these gardens. 
On the top of the Wa.verley market w-e noted a. very fine 
variety of Lobelia known as Waverley Blue, which is of com¬ 
pact habit, and flowers continuously from early in the season 
until the end of the bedding season. Even during wet 
weather it. never seems to run a,way to leafy growth, but main¬ 
tains its dwarf and Auriferous character. 
Rose Single Crimson Bedder. 
Under the above Same I have for the past three seasons 
grown a. remarkably floriferous and showy Rose. It was sent 
me from a. remote source, and I have been unable to obtain 
any information respecting it, -but. tarn .somewhat doubtful as 
to this being its correct name. True, it is a single crimson, 
but its rampant, wild-like habit does- not aoc-ord with ones 
idea of a bedding Rose, unless indeed the pegging down method 
be adopted. 
I much prefer giving treatment similar to that afforded 
the Penzance Briers, which in my ease ha® secured glorious 
results, the bushes having become 'great .spreading masses of 
vigorous branches, well covered with blooms of large dimen¬ 
sions and vivid colour. I would be glad to hear from any 
other grower who knows this variety or who—-as. I deem more 
probable—grows a, variety of tins description under a, different, 
name. Of one thing, however, I am pretty certain, it is not 
so widely known as it deserve® to' be, for during the whole 
period of my acquaintance with it I have sought, in vain for 
it® appearance at any of the shows I have visited up and down 
the country. The habit of growth and size of bloom would 
correspond with Bardou Job, but the colour is more vivid— 
dazzling one might almost say—and the single row of petals 
lie. quite flat and open; a. few on standards, however, have pro¬ 
duced smaller blooms with additional petals. 
Heather Bell. 
Newtown Putin Aitle. —It is said that this variety hailed 
originally from Devonshire, and was taken across the Atlantic 
a couple of centuries ago. In the interval attempts have been 
made to cultivate the Newtown here for market purposes, but 
the fruit then loses its rich, aromatic flavour. It is named after 
Newtown, on Long Island, U.S.A. 
