12 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
May i, 1903. 
In the great medley of growth are also 
Oieanders and _fig-trees. Beyond the 
Boxthorn hedge is a paddock devoted to 
grewing feed for the prize beauties in the 
stables, and ai part also reserved for the 
kitchen chef. 
Now, turning to the great heart-shaped 
centre facing the house, we find a miscel- 
laneous collection of trees, shrubs, and 
flowers, the citrus tribe being. the prevail- 
ing growth. The lovely © Erythrina 
cristagalli' demands attention, ‘also the 
Yuccas, and the Palms, Chamaerops for- 
tunei, and Phcenix reclinata, Cycas re- 
voluta, Botvardia Humboldti, Tecoma 
Australis, Polygala, Roses, Livistonia 1.us-- 
tralis, Dombeya Nataliensis, Strelitzia Re“ 
gine, Pritchardia filamentosa, Viburnum, 
Opulus, Hisbiscus, and a number of an- 
Wear 
nuals are grouped here and there, also 
-Templetonia retusa, and ~Clianthus 
punicens. From the front of the 
house .we pass under, a Cloth 
Gold archway on to _ the 
and across to the fountain, wherein are 
growing Nymphaeas, and around the edge 
we note the native Nardoo, Chloris 
latifolia, Cyperus, and Cannas. On the 
eastern corner of the lawn are Statice 
arborea, , Swainsonia Osbornii, 
Velutina (yellow), and T. Smithii (orange), 
while at the back is seen Tecoma rosea, 
Cordyline Australis, Cape gooseberries, 
_ Brugmansia sanguinea, and B. Arborea. 
- Passing out of the lawn through an arch-| 
of: -¢ 
lawn, © 
Tecoma ~ 
of erection, and the stables, the denizens 
way of White Banksia to the north, we 
come upon the drive again, and note good 
specimens of Hibiscus splendens and 
Choisya ternata, Jacaranda mimo- 
safolia. Fruits, flowers, and shrubs 
of various orders. are bedded along 
the drive until we come again to the 
Cactus group. Before reaching here, how- 
ever, we pass away to the right, and two 
bushes of Bauhinia purpurea and 
alba in profuse bloom catch the 
eye, and also a double Punica 
nana fl. pl. This pathway leads 
tu the tennis court, surrounded by high 
netting, covered here and there with 
Tecomas, Wistaria, Passifloras, Phaseolus, 
Clematis, and grape vines. Retracing our 
steps to the house we pass a number of 
fruit-trees, amongst them being a flat 
* 
St. Catherine’s Entrance to the Native Reserve. 
peach from Japan. The peculiarity of 
tie fruit is its round and flat shape, in- 
stead of the usual globular form. Coming 
up to the northern corner of the house we 
sez specimens of Doryanthes and Clivia- 
Miniata, and a trellis of Mandevillea 
suaveolens and Tecoma chiare. Along- 
side a plant of New Zealand flax (Phor- 
mium tenax yariegata) is a fine specimen 
of Erythrina splendens. 
An inspection of a shade-house in course 
of which Mr. Johnson is proud, and, par- 
_or in similar positions. 
SWAINSONIA GALEGIFOLIA 
ALBA. 
Tuis, also known ag the New Zealand — 
Vetch, is a capital subject for clothing a 
portion of the back wall of a greenhouse, 
It may be grown 
in large pots, but succeeds much better 
planted out in a border of prepared com- 
post, as it then grows more luxuriantly, 
and produces its flowers with greater free- 
dem, both the size of the flower and the 
strength of the spike then being consider- — 
ably enhanced. A compost’ of two-thirds 
loam and one-third leaf-mould, with a 
liberal addition of coarse sand, suit’ its re- . 
quirements admirably. When in full 
srewth the roots demand an abundance 
of moisture, and timely attention must be 
given to the regulating and tying in of 
the young growths ere they become en- 
tangled and untidy-looking. During the 
winter months the plants should be given 
a thorough rest, consequently but little 
water at the roots is then needed. Be- 
fore the plants start into growth they 
should be relieved of quite two-thirds of 
the previous seasoni’s growth, which makes 
them break strongly and imparts extra 
vigor to them. As itis a free rooter it is 
always prudent to afford a top-dressing of 
fresh compost each season. as soon as the 
prening and tying are completed. The 
flower-spike and blossoms are similar in 
appearance to those of the Everlasting 
Pes, but are not quite so robust. They 
are very useful for cutting, as they may 
be employed for bouquet making, dinner- 
table and drawing-room decoration, ‘with — 
excellent effect, particularly if cut with a 
piece of stem and accompanying foliage. 
After the plants have done flowering the 
young shoots may be used in various ways, 
not the least of which is in mixing them 
with cut flowers in vases. If loosely and 
informally disposed they greatly add to the 
general ‘effect of any arrangement, and 
suchas it-is-almost-impossible to obtain 
with the shoots and foliage of any other 
plant at this season of the year—A. W. 
adie SE be (aoe seeser 
taking of his kind hospitality, completes a _ 
_ visit to the very interesting; if not artistic, 
garden at “St. Catherine’s.” 
renee ee oe ee eee) a a 
POISONOUS FLOWERS. 
People who are fond of flowers will 
learn with some surprise that quite a num- 
ber of favorite blossoms are actually - 
poisonous, and should for that reason -be 
haudled with extreme care. Generally 
speaking, all flowers grown from bulbs are 
dangerous in, sick rooms, and there is no 
doubt that Hyacinths, Lily of the Valley, 
Tuberoses, and Narcissi should never be 
sent to invalids, ‘since they may prove as 
harmful to a person in a critical state of 
health as a dose of morphia would be— 
without, of course, the benefit which that . 
drug sometimes confers. Another com-_ 
mon flower whose odor is noxious is the 
Poppy, which causes violent headache, to- , 
~ gether with a disinclination to moye about. ,, 
