August  3, 
103 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND 
COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
The  diversity  of  scenery  funn  the  Abbey  level  is  very  considerable, 
and  includes  finely  wooded  hills,  green  meadows  with,  from  one  point, 
just  a  glimpse  of  the  sea.  some  six  or  seven  miles  a»ay.  The  park 
itself  is  splendidly  wooded,  though  we  learn  from  the  Guido  already 
quoted  that  none  of  the  trees  ts  of  any  great  age.  The  lake  shown 
in  one  of  the  pictures,  and  which,  as  one  may  readily  see,  is  covered 
with  Water  Lilie-,  both  yellow  and  white,  is  the  first  point  of  attraction 
in  our  trip  to  the  gardens.  It  is  not  a  large  piece  of  water,  but  it  is 
pleasantly  situated,  and  has  upon  its  banks  trees  and  shrubs  of  beauty  and 
interest.  Luxuriating  at  one  end  is  the  Bog  Bean,  Menyanthes  trifoliata, 
whose  singularly  beautiful  bearded  flowers  Mr.  Catnm,  the  gardener 
in  chief,  finds  extremely  useful  for  decoration.  It  is  one  ot  the  most 
charming  flowers  that  can  be  grown  for  such  a  purpose,  and  it  is  a  matter 
for  surprise  that  it  i"  not  much  more  commonly  employed.  Here,  too,  are 
graceful  Bamboos,  imposing  Gunneras,  handsome  Arundos  and  Gyneriums, 
the  Stone  Bine  (Pinus  pinaster),  and  several  other  plants  in  immense 
clumps.  Not  far  from  the  Lily  pool  is  a  bed  of  Fielder’s  While  Azalea, 
which,  planted  about  fourteen  years  ago,  survived  frost,  snow,  rain,  and 
sun,  until  the  third  week  of  last  March,  when  the  piercing  wind  cut  it 
Bignonia  Cfiieri.  Rhyr.chospermum  jasminoides,  Habrothamnus  elegans 
(deep  crimson  in  colour  and  always  in  flower),  Aloysia  citriodora 
(immense  plants),  Tropaeolum  pentaphyllum,  Escallonia  montevidiense, 
Solanurn  jasminoides,  Physianthus  albens  (fruits  and  seeds  every  year), 
Passiflora  coerulea,  P.  Constance  Elliott,  Wistaria  sinensis,  and  Ampe- 
lopsis  (on  one  of  the  towers).  Fig  Baby  Castle,  Stauntonia  latifolia  (a 
gi*and  plant),  Ceanothus  Gloire  <le  Versailles  (which  are  pruned  back  in 
March  like  Vines),  C.  azureus,  Choisya  ornata,  and  a  Pittosporum,  besides 
many  others  that  could  be  named. 
A  considerable  number  of  the?e  grow  on  the  buttresses  of  the  walls, 
the  remainder  occupying  the  bays.  At  the  base  is  a  broad  border 
for  the  roots  of  the  climbers,  and  here  are  accommodated  plants,  almost 
almost  all  of  which  are  generally  regarded  as  tender.  Salvia  patens  and 
8.  gesneraeflora  are  perennial,  and  the  roots  do  nut  suffer  in  the  slightest 
degree  during  the  winter  any  more  than  does  Crinum  capense.  Pentste- 
mons,  Ga/.ania  splendens,  Tritonia  aurea,  and  Hyacinthus  candicans  were 
observed  in  different  parts,  and  all  were  doing  their  duly  well  towards 
the  general  display. 
Photo  by 
Algernon  Brooker,  Honings 
POND  AND  REFECTORY 
1 
V.A 
■  V- 
LL 
down  to  tte  ground.  From  the  remaining  stumps  one  could  readily 
see  how  excellent  had  been  the  plants,  and  this  makes  the  disaster  the 
more  regretable.  _ 
There  can  be  little  doubt  but  that  the  wall  which  extends  beneath  the 
Refectory  (fig.  2+)  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  in  the  country.  It  is  rich 
indeed  in  splendid  plants  that  grow  and  flower  yearly  with  the  greatest 
profusion.  For  example,  Coronilla  emurus  (!)  is  seldom  without  its  bright 
yellow  flowers,  and  Weigela  rosea  is  superb  and  of  an  intensity  of  colour 
that  is  only  too  seldom  seen.  Magnolia  Soulangeana  flowers  and  fruits 
almost  every  year,  while  Eccremocarpus  scaber  was  literally  smothered 
with  blooms  ;  Chimonanthus  fragrans  is  always  welcome  for  its  quaintly 
constructed  deliciously  perfumed  flowers.  On  the  end  of  the  Refectory  is  a 
Wm.  Allen  Richardson  Ro-,e  that  produces  splendid  flowers  of  a  wonderful 
tone  of  colour,  as  do  L'ldeal,  the  Banksian,  and  a  red  Rose  of  which 
Mr.  Camm  has  been  unable  to  proem e  the  name.  It  is  an  old-fashioni  d 
variety,  and  one  of  the  most  floriferous  I  have  seen  A  charming  com¬ 
bination  is  that  of  Roses  and  C.ematis  on  one  of  the  buttresses,  where 
also  are  in  simply  remarkable  condition  Eryihrina  crista-galli.  Fuchsia 
corallins,  Myrtles,  Lonicera  aurea  reticulata,  Medinilla  suaveolens, 
Within  the  noble  old  Refectory  in  a  scene  of  ruin  and  desolation,  ar.d 
yet  one  of  charm  to  all  beholders.  Clematis  montana  hangs  in  graceful 
I  festoons  from  the  walls,  and  lends  attractiveness  to  the  remnants  of 
the  structure.  Roses  and  Honeysuckle  ramble  at  will  in  various  places, 
und  Valerian  occupies  the  embrasures  of  the  windows,  where  it  in¬ 
creases  rapidly  and  flowers  profusely.  At  no  great  distance  from 
the  Refectory  is  the  position  where  Harold  fell,  and  the  Saxons 
ceased  to  reign  over  beautiful  England.  The  spot  had  been  handed 
I  down  by  tradition,  and  it  was  said  that  the  grass  would  never  grow 
there.  Excavations  proved  the  exactitude  of  the  place  of  death,  and 
disclosed  the  trefoil  shaped  high  altar.  Relative  to  this  in  the  Guide  to 
the  Alibey  her  Grace  says  :  — 
“When  we  came  here  in  1858  it  was  choked  with  reeds,  and  more 
than  half  full  of  water.  No  attempt  had  ever  been  made  to  drain  it,  and 
the  cement  flooring  retained  every  drop  of  rain  that  fell,  forming  a  pond, 
often  2  or  3  feet  deep,  throughout  the  winter  months.  Even  in  summer 
the  place  was  never  thoroughly  dry,  and  abundantly  justified  the  descrip¬ 
tion  given  of  it  by  Lord  Lytton  :  *  All  forlorn  and  shattered,  amidst 
stagnant  water,  stands  the  high  altar  stone  of  Battle  Abbey;’  or  the 
i  pathetic  words  of  Sir  Francis  Palgrave  :  ‘The  “perpetual  prayer’’  has 
