330 
Journal  of  Horticulture  and  OoTTage  gardener. 
April  0,  189& 
i 
period,  otherwise  its  cumulated  resources  will  be  very  small  when 
most  required  for  winter  blooming. 
As  the  autumn  approaches  and  the  nights  grow  cold,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  remove  the  plants  to  their  winter  quarters  in  the 
greenhouse.  For  ordinary  conservatory  and  greenhouse  decoration 
they  are  well  adapted,  being  of  a  most  floriferous  disposition,  while 
at  the  same  time  for  expediting  flowering  they  can  be  placed  in  a 
higher  temperature,  and  will  flower  equally  well. — Grower. 
THAT  PRETTY  GARDEN. 
“Yes  !  you  are  a  public  benefactor  ;  for  your  garden  is  always 
pretty,  and  quite  an  ornament  to  the  locality.”  This  is  often  said, 
and  I  like  to  see  the  place  well  kept  up  and  to  have  flowers  outside 
in  every  season.  Perhaps  some  of  your  readers  may  like  to  know 
what  plants  are  utilised  to  secure  this  flattering  remark  and 
brilliant  show  over  such  a  long  season.  My  house  is  about 
100  yards  from  the  main  road,  and  as  you  enter  there  are  ranges  of 
vineries  and  plant  houses  on  your  left,  and  on  the  right  hand  at  an 
angle  following  the  line  of  the  high  road  for  200  yards  is  a  lawn 
with  a  gravel  path  next  to  the  front  railings,  and  the  lawn  is 
continued  facing  you  on  the  right  to  the  house,  about  18  feet  wide, 
on  the  level  of  the  carriage  drive.  Privacy  is  obtained  by  planting 
three  elegant  trees — viz.,  Scarlet  Chestnut,  Silver  Birch,  and 
Almond,  with  a  hedge  of  Laurel  (for  the  winter),  and  Sweet  Briar 
for  its  scent,  beautiful  flowers  in  June,  and  red  heps  in  the 
autumn.  About  24  feet  from  the  gravel  walk  we  have  a  hedge  of 
Oval  Privet,  and  from  the  lower  end  of  the  house  a  hedge  of 
China  Roses,  Berberis  Darwini,  Cotoneaster  Simmondsi,  while  in 
the  summer  the  white  Bearbind  (Calystegia  dahurica),  Nastur¬ 
tiums.  and  Everlasting  Peas  twine  in  and  out  of  the  evergreens, 
and  I  hope  to  get  the  scarlet  Tropseolum  (speciosum)  to 
grow  there.  Thus  my  lawn  is  like  a  letter  L  turned  the  wrong 
way.  Therefore  when  you  enter  you  secure  a  pretty  peep  in  two 
ways. 
In  front,  of  the  vinery  on  your  left  is  a  12-feet  raised  border, 
on  which  Violas  show  to  the  greatest  advantage,  and  blossom  both 
early  and  late.  I  find  the  mnst  effective  are  Champion  and  Snow¬ 
flake  (whites),  Countess  of  Kintore  (violet  and  mauve),  Cliveden 
(purple),  Cliveden  (blue),  and  in  yellows,  Sovereign  and  Yellow 
Queen.  On  the  front  lawn,  where  the  land  rises  a  little,  I  have 
made  nine  oblong  beds  with  ten  circular  beds  of  3  feet  over  in 
front  of  them,  about  2  feet  from  the  gravel  walk,  to  cut  in  the 
openings  of  the  oblongs.  A  10  feet  border  before  the  background 
of  Privet  hedge  is  filled  with  herbaceous  plants,  and  a  few  bright 
Zonal  Pelargoniums  dotted  here  and  there  to  give  colour  at  such 
times  when  the  mixed  border  requires  it.  The  Privet  hedge  is 
cut  in  once  a  year,  so  that  it  is  not  formal,  and  it  forms  an 
effective  setting  for  the  plants  in  the  border. 
The  oblongs  are  filled  for  early  spring  work  with  Tulips,  one 
bed  of  a  kind,  and  Van  Thols  in  the  circular  beds  ;  at  another  time, 
Silene  in  the  circulars  and  yellow  and  blood  red  Wallflowers  in  the 
oblongs,  and  are  most  effective.  For  summer,  some  of  the  beds  are 
edged  with  Stachys  lanata,  others  with  Pyrethrums  and  Lobelias, 
and  the  centres  filled  with  the  best  Zonal  bedding  Pelargoniums, 
such  as  Henry  Jacoby,  Vesuvius,  Brighton  Gem  for  scarlet,  and 
Christine  for  pink,  while  Mrs.  Bartleman  (a  soft  cerise  rose),  a  local 
kind  toned  down  with  May  Queen  and  Bijou  among  the  silvers,  and 
one  of  Crystal  Palace  Gem  (golden)  alternated  with  the  more  glaring 
colours  render  the  view  from  the  entrance  very  cheerful.  The 
round  beds  have  bronze  and  Mrs.  Pollock  Pelargoniums  edged 
with  a  white-leaved  close-growing  plant,  a  kind  of  Gnaphalium. 
The  flowers  in  these  circles  are  picked  off,  and  foliage  alone  gives 
colour.  On  the  opposite  side  to  the  Violas  on  the  Vine  border  is  a 
long  bed  about  5  feet  wide,  and  this  is  filled  with  Tulips  for  the 
spring.  These  are  left  in  the  soil,  and  I  sow  some  pretty  annuals 
on  the  bed. 
In  the  centre  of  the  lawn  before  you  come  to  the  long  raised 
border  there  is  at  the  far  end  a  heart-shaped  bed  which  last  year 
provided  a  grand  show  of  Chrysanthemum  segetura  (improved 
variety).  This  was  self-sown  on  a  bed  of  English  Iris,  and  was 
for  months  most  charming.  Another  bed  towards  the  front  was 
filled  with  about  100  of  scarlet  Lobelia  Queen  Victoria  for  an 
autumn  flower  with  a  carpet  of  white  Virginian  Stock.  The  centre 
of  this  wide  lawn  has  a  small  3  feet  circle,  in  which  a  fine  Scotch 
Thistle  flourished,  carpeted  at  the  base  with  Shrubland  Pet 
Geranium.  The  raised  border  falls  to  the  lawn,  and  is  curved  in 
and  out,  a  few  trees  being  planted  at  the  back.  Conifers  cannot 
endure  the  smoke,  and  a  solitary  Wellingtonia  in  this  border  does 
duty  for  that  family,  but  a  background  is  given  by  triangular 
patches  of  variegated  Maple,  Prunus  Pissardi,  Siberian  Lilac,  Spiraea 
confusa,  and  Berberis  stenopbylla.  Next  to  the  grass  in  this  border 
and  the  one  up  to  the  road  is  a  thick  line  of  yellow  Crocus, 
which  is  grand  in  its  season. 
The  rest  of  the  garden  is  given  up  to  fruit,  vegetables  and 
flowers,  and  being  effectually  hidden  from  the  road  is  very  enjoyable 
for  a  stroll  in  the  warm  evenings,  while  in  the  winter  a  reserve  of 
Hollies  shuts  out  the  house  from  the  view.  About  half  way  from 
the  entrance  to  the  house  is  a  cross  path  on  the  right  to  the  upper 
garden  and  on  the  left  to  the  houses.  Further  along  on  the  left  is 
a  very  interesting  spot.  The  wall  of  a  span-roofed  greenhouse  was 
objectionable,  so  a  set  of  ten  tanks  was  introduced  along  the  whole 
length  backed  by  a  narrow  border,  in  which  next  to  the  wall  are 
planted  a  few  semi-aquatics,  such  as  Mimulus,  Iris  Sieboldi, 
Lythrum,  Trollius,  with  wild  Ragwort,  the  wall  at  the  back  having 
Ivies  for  the  winter  view,  as  this  part  is  in  full  view  of  the  house 
windows. 
Following  the  line  of  the  road  the  level  falls,  and  hence  we  have 
tanks  from  6  inches  to  2  feet  deep  for  plants  requiring  partial  or 
total  immersion.  The  water  is  introduced  at  the  shallow  end,  and 
passes  through  pipes  from  tank  to  tank,  from  front  to  back,  and 
empties  itself  in  a  large  tank  behind  the  greenhouse,  which  supplies 
water  for  inside  use,  and  the  hard  water  of  our  district  is  softened 
and  made  more  fitted  to  the  plants  by  passing  through  the  aquatic 
tanks. 
In  the  deeper  ones  next  the  house  we  start  with  the  Scented 
Rush,  and  Water  Plantain  next  a  tank  of  white  Water  Lilies,  then 
one  of  yellow,  and,  to  make  a  change,  Arum  Lilies  are  introduced 
in  the  summer.  A  tank  of  Ranunculus  lingua  is  conspicuous,  and 
its  evergreen  foliage  is  welcome  below  the  water  in  the  winter 
months.  The  Cotton  Grass  comes  in.  and  among  the  Juncus 
zebrinus  forms  a  pretty  floating  carpet.  The  elegant  Yillarsia 
nympbaeoides,  with  its  interesting'  yellow  flowers,  makes  a  diversion. 
Some  Reed  Mace  (Typha),  the  Flowering  Rush  (Sparganium),  and 
a  tall  Juncus  with  brown  flowers  also  find  place,  while  in  the  more 
shallow  tanks  Butomus  umbellatus,  Plantain,  and  the  double 
Arrowhead  are  at  home  with  the  spring-flowering  Arums,  Calla 
palustris,  the  Frogbit,  and  Forget-me-not  for  companions.  We  hope 
to  increase  our  stock  of  aquatics,  as  from  May  to  November  these 
tanks  are  a  great  pleasure.  In  order  to  relieve  the  flat  of  the  tanks 
the  outer  edges  have  cups  of  stones  built  in  at  intervals,  and  in  these 
the  dwarf  Campanulas,  pumila  alba  and  imbricata,  Saxifraga 
lantoscana,  Saxifraga  ajugse folia,  Lysimachia  nummularia,  Musk, 
and  Sedums,  are  grown.  Between  the  cups  to  hide  the  wall  the 
purple-leaved  Oxalis  corniculata  rubra  and  Musk  form  a  pretty 
base,  which  is  very  pleasant  in  the  summer  evenings. 
Our  raised  borders  are  a  constant  delight.  In  the  early  spring 
masses  of  the  blue  Squill  appear  under  the  Sweet  Briar  hedge, 
Aconite  and  early  Daffodils  following.  Then  the  Doronicum 
austriacum  struggles  into  its  yellow  flowers,  and  Aubrietia  purpurea, 
and  Leitchlini,  with  Arabis  alpina  herald  the  spring.  Ranunculus 
amplexicaulis,  Anemone  sylvestris,  with  Iris  reticulata  and  Iris 
germanica  pumila,  also  assist  in  beautifying  the  whole.  In  the 
summer  time  the  most  effective  masses  are  Thrift  (Armeria 
Laucheana),  Helianthemum  vulgare,  in  sorts  (Rock  Roses),  Anthe- 
ricum  ramosum,  various  German  Iris,  the  early  purple  Yictorine 
and  dalmaticum  being  prominent  ;  grand  masses  of  Paeonies,  and 
here  and  there  masses  of  Spiraea,  Delphinium,  double  and  single 
Pyrethrums,  with  Dielytra  spectabilis,  Yiolas  towards  the  edge, 
and  masses  of  Mrs.  Sinkins  and  alba  fimbriata  white  Pinks,  Gera¬ 
nium,  Eriostemon,  Foxglove,  Oriental  Poppies,  Golden  Trollius, 
and  the  glorious  Doronicum  Harpur  Crewe,  with  low  masses  of 
Rock  Phloxes  and  Dianthus  arenarius  and  csesius  are  conspicuous. 
In  August  we  have  such  majestic  plants  as  Galtonia  candicans, 
Harpahum  rigidum,  the  blue  Thistle,  Echinops  ntro,  white  and 
pink  Japan  Anemone,  tall  Phloxes,  Bocconia  cordata,  Eryngium 
amethystinum,  Lythrum  superbum,  8  feet  stems  of  Echinops 
sphoerocephalus,  Yerbascum  olympicum,  Red-hot  Poker  (Tri- 
toma),  Hollyhocks,  Golden  Rod,  hardy  Sunflowers,  Aquilegia 
chrysantha,  Galega  officinalis  alba,  Centaurea  montana,  Harpalium 
rigidum,  Rudbeckias  nitida  and  Newmani,  Montbretias,  orange 
Lilies  and  white  Trumpet  Lily,  purple  and  red  Bergamot  (Monarda), 
Michaelmas  Daisies  of  every  style  and  colour,  Rickets,  Monks¬ 
hoods,  with  light  masses  of  Cornflowers  and  Coreopsis.  Near  the 
house  are  Wallflowers  for  the  spring,  and  Carnations  for  cutting.  In 
a  kidney-shaped  bed  in  front  of  the  house  we  are  now  making  a 
rockery  shaded  by  a  pretty  tree  of  the  Thomasia  (Gleditschia), 
which  we  hope  to  make  a  success,  though  the  smoke  and  dust  of 
the  town  is  fatal  to  Mossy  Saxifrages,  Gentianas,  and  many  choice 
gems. 
In  brief  notes  of  this  sort  one  is  sorry  to  omit  many  good 
things,  and  among  those  not  named  I  should  recommend  amateurs 
to  try  the  beautiful  class  of  hardy  Larkspurs  (Delphiniums),  with 
their  peacock-like  colours  and  blends  of  azure  violet  and  slate  blues  ; 
a  few  of  the  best  Grasses  for  cutting  and  effect,  as  Agrostis 
nebulosa,  Bromus  brizasformis,  Arundo  colorata,  and  Ribbon 
