December 31, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
1063 
Rustic Work. 
A Chat about Zonal Pelargoniums. 
No form of garden scenery is more generally criticised than 
this. Faulty disposition and construction have done much to 
bring this about. Sometimes it happens that what would 
otherwise be a good piece of work is marred by its being 
too much in evidence. In another instance, although the site 
is an ideal one, the work is put together in such a way (in 
order, as it is thought, to giVe it a natural appearance) that 
the whole thing looks like a load of wood shot out of a cart. 
A rustic summer-house in the middle of a lawn or lake is 
certainly out of place, yet such things are sometimes to be 
seen. The situation for such a structure should be a secluded 
nook in the less prominent part of the pleasure-grounds, or if 
it is desired to have it over the water, it should be near the 
margin and under the shelter of trees, so that when viewed from 
the far side it appears to be nestling in their shade, while on 
the approach side the structure is not seen at all, indications 
of its whereabouts being known only by the walk through the 
trees leading to it. 
In building a summer-house over water a mistake generally 
made is that of isolating it upon a sort of island. A far better 
method is to build on the end of a causeway, artificial, 
or as sometimes happens, a natural one. If a causeway 
has to be made, a wal 1 of concrete a foot thick should be 
built round what is intended to be the base, and should 
be no higher up than the water at flood, then bring it 
up to the surrounding level with earth, afterwards 
facing up the sides and end with rough stones wedged 
in, spaces being left for planting such things as Hyperi¬ 
cums, Wichuriana Roses, Cotoneasters, Vincas, trailing 
Ivies, etc. Reeds and Waterflags should be planted 
round the "base to hide the concrete. 
The material for facing up the outside of the summer¬ 
house should be in accordance with the surrounding 
woodlands. For instance, if the Oak is the principal 
tree, cordwood should be used ; that is, Oak wood that 
has been stripped of its bark for tanning but is not large 
enough for the timber merchant. If Conifers are the 
prevailing feature Larch poles should be used. By rip¬ 
ping these up through the middle with a saw, two pur¬ 
poses are served—economy of material, and a flat sur¬ 
face for affixing to the framework, ensuring a better 
fit. The bark should not be removed. 
Rustic bridges can be built of similar material, but 
here it is best to remove the bark in all cases. 
A coat of Stockholm tar, with a coat of varnish on 
top, will take its place and enable the wood to defy the 
elements for a good many years. 
Rustic work done in this way, and not too much of it, is a 
feature instead of a blot, and it has its uses, too, for no better 
position can be had for viewing aquatics than from a bridge or 
causeway, and for a quiet retreat a, summer-house is adequate, 
but they must be placed so as not to interfere with other 
features in the grounds. 
The photograph shows a bridge and summer-house standing 
on the end of a causeway built as I have described—the roof is 
thatched with heather, and a good idea can be obtained from it 
of the kind of scenery rustic work is adapted to. 
Messrs. Cheal and Sons, of Crawley, make quite a speciality 
of this kind of work; the scene in the photo was, I think, 
designed by them. H. Arnold. 
A Royal Christmas Tree. —A fine young Conifer was sent 
from the Royal Gardens at Frogmore to Sandringham, where 
it was to be decorated as a Christmas tree for the benefit of the 
young members of the Royal Family, particularly for Princess 
Victoria of Wales and her brothers and cousins of Fife. When 
placed ill the ballroom the top of this tree nearly touched the 
ceiling. Besides usual trimmings, the tree was lighted by 
myriads of small coloured globes illuminated by electricity. 
All these lamps were in direct connection with the general 
system of the house, so that the light was turned on by a 
switch. All danger of the tree or its trimmings catching fire 
was thus eliminated by the use of the electric light. 
There is small necessity to endeavour to impress upon 
readers the value of zonals as winter-flowering plants; every 
gardener knows full well there are few subjects capable of a 
finer display throughout the dull winter months. Equally 
superfluous we deem it would be to enter into general instruc¬ 
tions as to their culture and management; for although, of 
course, much care and attention is required in order to achieve 
successful results, there is little real difficulty comiected there¬ 
with, and it would be tantamount to insult to infer that the 
readers of The Gardening World cannot grow zonals as well as 
we ourselves coidd teach them. There is, nevertheless, scope 
for a chat about zonals, and, to begin with, we have a word to 
say about varieties. 
Their number is very large—some, indeed, complain that it 
is too large, and that further additions are quite unnecessary, 
except it be in the case of absolutely new and distinct colours, 
such as the yellow or the blue so often spoken of. With this 
view we cannot agree, for experience has taught us that 
although in form and colour varieties may be practically iden¬ 
tical, there are, generally speaking, other distinctions that 
fully warrant the existence of the several varieties. To illus¬ 
trate our meaning we will refer to the varieties Lord Aberdeen, 
Eleanor, and Donald Beaton, which are all of one bright orange 
shade. Lord Aberdeen is the larger and most perfect in form 
of flower, but is somewhat rampant in habit and shy of bloom¬ 
ing, whereas Eleanor, the smaller pipped, is of bushy habit and 
carries at all times an abundance of large trusses. Donald 
Beaton has blooms of rare substance arid lasting qualities, so 
that all three are worthy of cultivation. 
There are, again, some varieties which, though slightly in¬ 
ferior to others in point of quality, seem better able, by reason 
of stouter substance, to withstand the evil effects of a smoke¬ 
laden and foggy atmosphere. For instance, Isult, which has 
always held a place of honour in my collection, has been dis¬ 
carded by a prominent grower in the suburbs of London, and 
its place taken by J. K. Jerome, which, with me, is never pleas¬ 
ing. It therefore appears indispensable that the number of 
varieties shall continue to increase until a race evolves which 
embraces every possible shade of colour, combined in every in¬ 
stance with perfection of form, habit and constitution. I 
have recently seen one or two single varieties with a clearly 
defined Picotee edge, which would seem to indicate the advent 
of a new and charming class that will undoubtedly receive 
warm welcome. I have often wondered whether a race of 
hybrids could be produced between the zonal and regal Pelar¬ 
gonium, and also between the former and the scented-leaved 
class. Such hybrids, if obtainable, could not fail to be 
teresting and beautiful. 
Rustic Work. 
