August  1897. 
Journal  of  horticulture  and  cottage  gardener. 
127 
is  difficult  to  see  in  what  respect  the  general  design  could  be  improved, 
and  though  farther  years’  growth  may  furnish  larger  specimens  the 
majority  of  the  shrubs  and  trees  have  reached  a  stage  in  which  all  their 
attractions  are  sufficiently  developed  to  satisfy  the  most  exacting 
admirer. 
Ascott  is  undoubtedly  unique  as  a  garden,  and  though  tastes  differ 
as  to  styles,  if  one  is  adopted  absolutely  and  carried  out  freely  and  well 
the  results  are  often  such  as  surprise  or  even  please  the  advocates  of  other 
methods.  A  bold  course  was  adopted  in  this  garden  when  it  was 
determined  to  make  golden  leaved  shrubs  and  plants  the  great  feature 
of  the  place,  but  that  the  fullest  measure  of  success  has  been  attained 
is  evident  to  the  most  critical  if  the  results  be  inspected  on  a  brilliant 
summer’s  day.  The  hedges  and  beds  of  Golden  Yews  are  now  in  per¬ 
fection,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  such  an  extensive  array  of  this  richly 
coloured  shrub  could  be  seen  elsewhere  in  the  kingdom.  Two  points 
particularly  strike  a  visitor  when  viewing  them,  the  first  being  the 
remarkable  uniformity  in  colour  and  habit,  showing  the  care  with  which 
the  plants  were  selected,  and  the  second  is  their  healthy  condition, 
proving  that  the  original  preparation  and  subsequent  treatment  have 
been  exactly  what  the  plants  required.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  see 
isolated  specimens  of  Golden  Yews  on  lawns,  and  occasionally  the  variety 
elegantiesima  assumes  a  very  handsome  form  and  rich  colour,  but  the 
•  latter  quality  does  not  always  last  so  well.  The  true  autea  (Taxus 
baccata  aurea)  is  one  of  the  most  useful  golden  shrubs,  as  it  makes  good 
progress  and  bears  cutting  well. 
The  best  point  at  Ascott  to  see  the  plants  is  near  the  sundial,  from 
which  a  good  view  is  obtained  of  the  celebrated  Madeira  Walk,  having 
a  fine  hedge  of  Golden  Yews  on  one  side  and  a  terrace  wall  on  the  other. 
Several  other  hedges  run  off  from  this,  all  even  as  a  wall  and  all  equally 
richly  coloured,  the  effect  being  heightened  by  massive  “  pillars  "  of  the 
ordinary  dark  green  variety  at  the  entrances  to  the  Fountain  Garden. 
The  wall  of  the  Madeira  Walk  is  surmounted  by  a  low  hedge  of  Golden 
Hollies,  similarly  well  coloured  ;  but  the  face  next  to  the  walk  is  draped 
with  grand  masses  of  rich  purple  Clematis  (Jackmanni),  the  plume-like 
heads  of  Ceanothus,  the  bright  red  fiowers  of  Escallonias,  with  Boses  in 
abundance.  Scarcely  an  inch  of  the  wall  itself  is  visible,  and  though  we 
know  that  much  gardening  skill  and  labour  have  been  expended  upon 
the  planting  and  training  here,  yet  so  free  and  natural  does  it  all  appear 
that  one  might  fancy  it  was  not  the  production  of  art. 
In  other  parts  of  the  garden  Golden  Hollies,  Arbor  Vitse,  and  Privet 
are  used  with  good  effect,  but  the  standard  plants  of  Golden  Privet  are, 
perhaps,  the  most  notable,  the  stems  4  to  6  feet  high,  the  beads  freely 
developed,  and  the  foliage  richly  coloured.  They  are  introduced  amongst 
dark-leav^  shrubs,  and,  rising  slightly  above  them,  have  a  very  telling 
appearance,  which  is  almost  equally  shared  by  silver  variegated  standard 
Privets.  Some  charming  combinations  and  contrasts  have  been  skilfully 
managed  at  various  points,  and  two  dwell  in  the  memory  especially.  In 
both  of  these  the  variegated  Maple,  Acer  negundo  variegata,  is  conspicuous, 
a  luxuriant  specimen  in  one  case  being  partly  covered  at  the  corner  of  a 
dark  background  of  trees  and  shrubs  with  festoons  of  Clematis  Jackmanni, 
the  purple  flowers  of  which  mingle  charmingly  with  the  silvery  white 
foliage  of  the  Maple.  The  other  example  is  by  the  rockery  steps  leading 
to  the  upper  garden,  where  some  fine  Copper  Beech  are  contrasted  with 
the  same  variegated  Maple,  a  superb  effect  resnlting. 
The  dells  and  banks  and  cool  retreats  of  the  water  garden  furnish  a 
considerable  attraction,  and  especially  is  this  department  appreciated  on 
a  hot  summer’s  day,  the  Bulrushes,  Beeds,  and  Water  Lilies  being  all  in 
vigorous  growth  now  ;  but  especially  fine  is  Gunnera  manicata,  which 
seems  to  he  thoroughly  at  home,  huge  specimens  having  a  grand  appear¬ 
ance  near  the  margins  of  the  pools.  The  rock  garden  also  is  rapidly 
becoming  another  of  the  Ascott  features.  Bespecting  the  glass  depart¬ 
ment  the  vigorous  Carnations  and  the  innumerable  other  attractions 
nothing  can  now  be  said,  except  that  they  form  a  portion  of  the 
magnificent  garden,  of  which  Leopold  de  Bothschild,  Esq.,  has  every 
reason  to  be  proud,  and  every  portion  of  which  reflects  the  skill 
of  his  gardener,  Mr.  Jennings.— L.  Castle. 
KEW  GARDENS. 
Opening  of  a  New  House. 
On  Sunday,  July  25th,  the  new  wing,  which  has  recently  been  added 
to  the  Winter  Garden  at  Kew,  was  opened  to  the  public  for  the  first 
time.  The  new  part  forms  a  noble  addition  to  an  already  fine  structure. 
It  is  114  feet  long  and  63  feet  wide  (inside  measurement),  and  differs 
from  the  old  house  by  being  much  lighter,  having  everything  planted 
out,  and  higher  temperature.  A  path  runs  through  the  centre  of  the 
building,  making  a  continuation  of  the  path  through  the  middle  of  the 
big  house  and  octagons.  This  path  from  end  to  end  measures  456  feet. 
The  house  contains  six  beds,  four  in  the  middle  and  two  round  the 
sides  and  ends,  all  the  beds  ^ing  separated  by  paths.  Each  of  the 
centre  beds  is  41  feet  by  15  feet  8  inches,  the  side  ones,  with  the  ends, 
being  each  148  feet  by  7  feet.  The  occupants  of  the  house  are  numerous 
and  varied,  about  500  species  and  varieties  being  planted.  Plants  of 
economic  value,  which  require  an  intermediate  temperature,  come  in  for 
a  large  share  of  attention.  Among  the  most  noteworthy  are  Cinchona, 
in  variety,  Cyphomandra  betacea.  Tree  Tomato,  Diospyros  Kaki  (in 
fruit),  small  collection  of  Eucalypti,  Eugenia  Jambos,  Bose  Apple, 
various  species  of  Ficus,  Carica,  and  Kigelia.  The  purple  Guava,  Psidium 
Cattleyanum  and  the  Mango  are  both  to  be  seen  in  fruit. 
Of  flowering  plants,  some  of  the  most  noteworthy  are  Lagerstrmmia 
indica,  two  large  plants  8  feet  high  and  as  far  through,  smothered  with 
large  panicles  of  rose  pink  flowers  ;  LagerstrEemia  elegans,  with  flowers 
of  a  deeper  colour  than  the  former  ;  Erythrina  Humei,  with  several 
upright  racemes  of  scarlet  flowers  ;  Luculia  gratissima,  Acokanthera 
spectabilis,  Mackaya  bella,  the  rare  Blakea  trinerva,  a  collection  of  the 
garden  varieties  of  Malay  Bhododendrons,  Barnadesia  rosea,  Alberta 
magna,  and  a  host  of  others. 
Foliage  plants  are  also  in  evidence.  An  avenue  is  formed  along  the 
sides  of  the  middle  path  with  Cocos  plumosa,  a  fine  plant  of  the 
“  Blue  Palm  Erythea  armata,  a  good  specimen  of  Howea  Belmoreana  ; 
also  plants  of  Geonoma  gracilis.  Pseudophoenix  Sargenti,  Cocos  Wed- 
deliana,  and  others.  Brythrina  tomentosa  makes  a  good  effect  with  its 
large  handsome  foliage.  A  specimen  of  Leucadendron  argenteum  makes 
a  fine  contrast  to  the  surrounding  plants.  Many  other  foliage  plants, 
such  as  Dracaena  Lindeni,  Lomatia  Bidwilli,  Musas,  and  Aralias.  The 
ends  of  the  two  middle  beds  near  the  south  door  are  made  up  with 
rockwork,  which  accommodate  numerous  Mexican  and  South  African 
plants,  such  as  Agaves,  Aloes,  Cereus,  Opuntias,  and  Euphorbias.  A 
selection  of  good  climbers  covers  the  roof  and  pillars,  finishing  a  large 
collection  of  interesting  plants. 
Indigofera  Gerardiana. 
In  a  natural  order  of  plants  where  the  majority  of  the  hardy  shrubby 
section  possess  considerable  merit  as  good  garden  plants,  it  is  a  risky 
thing  to  say  that  any  particular  one  is  the  best.  It  can,  however,  be 
said  of  this  that  it  ranks  among  the  foremost.  It  fs  a  temperate 
Himalayan  plant,  and  is  one  of  the  hardiest  of  the  genus.  The  pinnate 
leaves  are  made  up  of  from  seventeen  to  twenty-three  oval  leaflets, 
which  are  pale  green  above  and  silvery  beneath.  The  flowers  are  rosy 
red,  and  produced  forty  to  fifty  together  on  slightly  drooping  racemes 
along  almost  the  entire  length  of  the  current  year’s  growth  (fig.  19). 
It  is  a  good-natured  plant,  and  lends  itself  for  a  variety  of  purposes. 
If  planted  against  a  wall,  and  sparred  back  each  spring,  longer  branches 
are  made  than  when  grown  in  the  open,  with  a  correspondingly  larger 
inflorescence.  For  a  bed  where  a  low-growing  shrub  is  wanted  this 
does  beautifully.  When  treated  in  this  way  it  will  be  found  necessary 
to  cut  back  the  growths  to  the  top  of  the  soil  each  spring,  as  the  growths 
being  soft  they  are  usually  damaged  by  frost.  In  April  they  start 
strongly,  and  by  the  end  of  June  are  showing  their  earliest  blossoms  ;  it 
is  not,  however,  until  the  end  of  July  and  all  through  August  that  the 
greatest  wealth  of  bloom  is  obtained.  When  planted  against  a  wall  the 
flowers  are  at  their  best  a  fortnight  earlier.  Cuttings  inserted  in  sandy 
soil  during  July  and  August,  and  kept  close  and  on  the  dry  side,  root 
readily. — W.  D. 
