Septcm'‘<er  12, 1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
253 
chief  thing  aimed  at  seems  to  be  to  get  as  much  variety  as  possible, 
and  to  dispense  with  any  tendency  towards  monotony  and  flatness,  and 
in  this  Mr.  Brown,  the  able  Superintendent,  has  obtained  a  large 
measure  of  success,  for  as  we  passed  along  everywhere  was  some  new 
departure. 
In  one  large  bed  a  mass  of  yellow  presented  itself  formed  by  dwarf 
plants  of  Chrysanthemum  Jardin  des  Plantes,  and  close  to  was  an 
elegant  mixture  of  Lilium  speciosum  and  Celosias.  Further  on  was  a 
sheet  of  white  Marguerite  bloom  edged  with  blue  Lobelia,  followed  by  a 
pleasing  mixture  of  herbaceous  Phloxes  and  Fuchsias  surrounded  by 
the  pretty  yellow  Viola  Ardwell  Gem.  Very  elegant,  too,  looked  a  large 
bed  of  Erythrina  crista-galli,  towering  up  above  a  groundwork  of  Musk. 
Elegance  was  also  pourtrayed  in  round  beds  of  Coreopsis  lanceolata, 
blue  Lobelia.  Several  round  beds  of  many  coloured  Verbenas  were 
exceedingly  effective,  and  along  the  whole  length  any  idea  of  sameness 
that  might  arise  from  the  long  extent  of  flower  beds  is  dispensed  with 
the  feathery  plumes  of  Humea  elegans,  clumps  of  Blue  Gums.  Latania 
borbonica.  Bamboos,  Eucalyptus  trees,  and  elegant  pyramid  Fuchsias, 
Heliotropes,  and  Plumbagos.  Was  there  nothing  to  criticise  in  all  this 
field  for  admiration  ?  Well,  some  few  things,  perhaps,  but  of  so  little 
note  as  to  be  hardly  worth  a  mention,  unless  we  except  the  Cannas, 
which  would  have  certainly  looked  better  if  there  had  been  more  flower 
and  less  leaf,  though  doubtless  these  had  been  brighter  earlier  in*the 
season. 
Arriving  at  the  Marble  Arch  thoughts  of  “  The  Dell”  flashediacross 
the  mind,  for  whoever  went  to  Hyde  Park  without  visitingiTheJDell  ? 
Fig.  40.— cattle  Y  a  AUBE  a  VAK.  MRS.  F.  HARDY.  (&>e  page  252.') 
intermixed  with  Celosias  and  surrounded  by  Antennaria  tomentosa.  As 
might  be  expected  Begonias  figure  conspicuously,  and  several  bright 
scarlet  masses  form  a  pretty  contrast.  Ivy-leaved  Pelargoniums,  too, 
are  largely  in  evidence,  beds  of  Mrs.  H.  Cannell  and  others  of  Gallilee 
all  covered  with  excellent  blooms  forming  quite  a  picture. 
No  less  striking  were  combinations  of  scarlet  Zonal  Pelargoniums 
and  Mignonette,  edged  with  the  charming  little  Koniga  maritima. 
The  beds  that  seemed  to  attract  the  greatest  share  of  attention  were 
several  which,  while  being  most  attractive  and  harmonious  in  make-up, 
also  emitted  a  delicious  odour,  and  were  composed  of  tall  Fuchsias  and 
Ivy  Pelargoniums,  with  a  groundwork  of  dwarf  Heliotrope  surrounded 
with  a  band  of  Fuchsia  Cloth  of  Gold  ;  others  were  formed  of  Helio¬ 
trope  in  pyramid  form,  intermixed  with  numberless  spikes  of  the 
sweet-scented  Nicotiana  affinis,  with  a  few  Coreopsis  lanceolata,  and  a 
marginal  band  of  Swanley  Blue  Lobelia.  Plants  of  Grevillea  robusta 
looked  very  pretty  in  company  with  Begonias  on  a  groundwork  of 
Lysimachia  nummularia  aurea  or  the  yellow  Creeping  Jenny. 
Asters  were  flowering  most  profusely,  and  combinations  of  these 
flowers  and  Pheasant-foot  Pelargoniums  were  much  admired,  as  also 
was  a  mixture  of  Fuchsia  Madame  Corneilhon  and  Asters  edged  with 
and  so  to  this  we  hied  our  steps,  and  were  fully  satisfied  with  the 
appearance  of  this  well-known  spot.  The  gathering  gloom  of  evening 
indicated  that  the  bright  September  day  had  nearly  ended.  Over  the 
tops  of  the  giant  forest  trees  could  be  discerned  the  fainting  glow  of  the 
setting  sun  ;  the  waterfall  and  meandering  streamlet,  the  playful  rabbits 
hopping  here  and  there,  all  seemed  to  give  an  air  of  peacefulness  to  the 
scene.  And  all  this  in  London  1  you  exclaim.  Yes,  truly  so  ;  for  on  every 
side  of  this  quiet  spot  could  be  distinctly  heard  the  dull  roar  of  the- 
traffic  in  the  mighty  city  stretching  for  miles  all  round,  but  were  it  not- 
for  this  the  soothing  influences  of  The  Dell  might  have  led  us  to  forget 
for  the  time  being  that  we  were  in  the  heart  of  London,  but  far  away- 
in  some  quiet  country  retreat.  A  most  graceful  effect  is  here  formed 
by  the  tall  Dracmnas,  Bananas,  and  Tree  Ferns,  contrasting  pleasingly 
with  other  evergreen  shrubs  and  the  green  sward  beneath.  Long  might 
we  have  lingered,  but  deeper  fell  the  shades  of  evening,  the  glorious 
harvest  moon  shed  her  silvern  light  through  the  canopy  of  foliage  over¬ 
head,  and  the  bright  September  day  was  gone,  so  with  a  lingering  gaze 
•n  the  placid  surface  of  the  Serpentine  we  passed  with  some  feelings 
of  regret  outside  the  gates,  and  mingled  once  more  with  the  thronging 
crowd  in  the  streets. — Wanderee. 
