April  13,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
291 
process  now  is  comruenced.  The  old-time  bedders  wt  re  alTorded  room 
to  grow,  and — they  grew.  They  were,  too,  1  believe,  hardier,  as  well 
as  more  vigorous  in  constitution,  than  their  degenerate  descendants. 
For  instance,  the  old  variegated  Pelargonium,  Flower  of  the  Day, 
which  was  superseded  by  Flower  of  Spring,  a  form  infinitely  superior, 
it  is  admitted,  was  inferior  to  it  in  hardy  qualities.  Some  eighteen 
or  twenty  years  since  a  severe  frost  was  experienced  eaily  in  June, 
which  cut  some  large  beds  of  Flower  of  Spring  to  the  ground. 
Among  these  had,  inadvertently,  been  planted  some  of  the  old 
Flower  of  the  Day,  and  these  escaped.  Its  only  met  it  now  is  to 
point  a  moral,  but  other  things  there  are  for  which  an  early  love 
has  made  the  memories  long  and  lastii  g. 
Of  Lobelias  thirty  years  ago  there  was  a  variety  called  Paxtoniana, 
and  another,  I  think.  Crystal  Palace  Oern  ;  and  what  charming  edgings 
they  made  in  their  rambling  propensities.  And  how  rarely  seen 
nowadays  is  the  beautiful  old  Calceolaria  amnlexicaulis.  Among  the 
Pelargoniums,  Stella  and  Cybister,  grand  rejiresentatives  of  the 
Nosegay  type,  have  never  been  surpassed  for  tones  of  colour  and 
fioriferousness ;  but  they  were  given  to  rambling,  and  had  to  go 
altogether  when  tlie  neater  habited 
fiery  Vesuvius  came  on  the  scene. 
If  it  is  still  possible  to  procure  the 
old  Stella,  and  J  doubt  if,  I  would 
strongly  advise  anyone,  with  a 
lingering  regaid  for  old-fashioned 
bedding,  to  reinstate  it  in  a  bed 
or  two  which  have  the  harmonious 
framework  of  a  good  expanse  of 
lawn ;  moreover,  to  employ  it  with¬ 
out  any  edging,  and  to  let  it  grow 
comparatively  unrestricted. 
I  have  never  seen  a  prettier  or 
more  pleasing  bed  than  one  formed 
of  the  old  Pelargonium  Mangle.'i 
and  Verbena  venosa  planted  pro¬ 
miscuously  through  it.  For  some 
years  this  was  a  feature  in  an  old- 
fashioned  garden,  the  bed  being  a 
large  informal  one  raised  in  tiers 
by  the  aid  of  rustic  timber,  its 
position  in  a  sunny  nook  on  the 
lawn  being  a  particularly  hapipy 
one.  Also  comes  the  memory  ot  a 
long  winding  border  backed  with 
shrubs.  Tliis  was  planted  in 
longitudinal  rows  with  Calceolaria 
amplexicaulis,  Salvia  patens,  one  or 
two  varieties  of  Pelargoniums  uow 
obsolete,  and  an  odorous  f'oliaged 
one,  still  fortunately  with  us,  the 
old  tall  Ageratum,  Cuphea  platy- 
centra.  Heliotropes,  and  a  strag¬ 
gling  Lobelia  in  front  which  had  a 
habit  of  trailing  through  its  neigh¬ 
bours,  peepdng  up  in  unexpected 
places  in  a  way  of  which  no  well- 
behaved  modern  bedder  would  be 
guilty.  What  a  treat  that  border 
was,  surely  !  and  in  its  thin  planting 
how  little  it  taxed  the  resources  of 
the  old-fashioned  gardener  and  his 
antique  “  grinhouse  ”  heated  by  a 
flue.  Still  it  was  his  pride,  and  he  grudged  not  a  good  annual 
dressing  of  manure  and  leaf  mould  in  which  the  occupants  grew 
rampant — a  veritable  outrage  on  orthodox  bedding,  but  charming 
withal. 
Among  the  bedding  pjlants  of  thirty  years  ago  were  Nierembergia 
gracilis,  an  elegant  little  plant  for  bordering  ;  a  variegated  Alyssum, 
locally  known  as  “  Crystal  Palace  edging;”  Cineraria  maritima  ;  Coleus 
Verschafifelti,  for  warm  positions,  which  went  well  with  a  bordering  of 
Gnaphalium  lanatum ;  such  Pelargoniums  as  were  then  in  vogue, 
which,  with  other  things,  have  been  previously  mentioned.  Purple 
King,  Snowflake,  and  Firefly  Verbenas  played  a  prominent  part  in 
old-fashioned  bedding  arrangements.  So  vast  has  been  the  improve¬ 
ment  upon  these  old  types  of  Verbenas  that  one  regrets  they  are  not 
more  commonly  employed  for  summer  adornment.  Seedlings  are  of 
robust  habit,  and  a  packet  of  mixed  seeds  of  a  good  strain  raised 
annually,  and  planted  out  thinly,  make  an  interesting  display.  Peyond 
a  few  pegs  to  di.spose  the  first  strong  growths  in  the  way  they  should 
go,  they  give  no  further  trouble,  and  flower  continuously  till  late 
autumn. 
The  later  methods  of  crowded  planting :  severe  restrictions  of 
growth  amoirg  higher  bred  bedders,  with  the  heavy  demands  upon 
room,  time,  labour,  and  expense  generally,  have  brought  with  them 
the  Nemesis  of  fate.  Few  regret  it,  and  rightly  so  ;  but  fain  would  I 
I  lead  fur  some,  at  least,  of  the  old-fashioned  Ixdding  plants;  and, 
above  all,  for  the  more  natural  methods  erniiloyed  in  tfieir  cultivation 
thirty  years  ago. — Invicta. 
LONDON  GARDENS  OVER  FIFTY  YEAliS. 
No.  G. 
Fouty  or  fifty  years  ago  there  was  a  well  marked  contrast  Iretween 
the  burial  grounds  of  the  Fast  and  West  of  London,  with  a  lew 
exceptions.  Neglect  and  poverty  left  their  impress  on  most  of  those 
of  1  ast  London,  but  those  of  the  West  were  usually  made  moie 
cheerlid  by  plants  and  shrubs,  expressive  of  leisure,  al-o,  no  doubt,  ot 
money.  Put  still,  some  of  the  latter  were  far  from  being  what  they 
miglit  have  been,  e\ en  till  recently.  Addressing  his  congregation  on 
a  Sunday  in  1878,  the  Rev.  11.  R.  llaweis  remarked  ttiat  he  had 
visited  their  jrarish  ground  in  Paddington  Street,  .Marylebonc,  and 
found  oystershells,  cast  off  hair-plaits,  crockery,  parcels  of  broken 
meat,  dead  and  living  cats,  while 
on  a  grave  near  the  centre  were 
twelve  kettles,  two  coal-scuttles, 
and  three  old  hats !  Some  folks 
doubted,  but  they  went  and  were 
satitfied.  This  If -acre  plot  is  turned 
into  a  garden  now,  having  been  laid 
out  by  the  Marylebone  Vestry  in 
18SG.  The  year  before,  the  larger 
Paddington  Churchyard,  which 
contains  the  grave  of  Mrs.  Siddons,, 
was  laid  out  at  a  cost  ot  illfOOO. 
JMrs.  Pasd  Holmes  relates  that  she 
w'as  witness  to  the  delight  of  the 
children  wdien  on  the  day  of  open¬ 
ing  they  were  allowed  tu  niter  a 
gulden,  which  seemed  to  theni 
like  lairyland.  A  valuaVde  little 
garden,  opened  by  fjad}'  llobhouse, 
in  June  18'J‘2,  is  that  attached  to 
St.  Ann’s,  Soho,  ami  another  im¬ 
portant  one  ot  West  London  is  iliac 
upon  the  much  fought-over  ground 
of  the  'rabernacle,  Tottenham  Court 
Road.  Farther  north  we  have  a 
fine  garden  ol  7  acres  lurnied  Iroiu 
the  old  ground  of  St.  John’s  W  oed 
Chapel,  which  aluitson  the  Regent  s 
Park. 
Same  comment  has  been  matio 
upon  the  scarcity  of  iniblic  gardens, 
just  where  we  nvght  exjicct  lo 
find  most,  in  that  part  ot  London 
which  is  often  called  “the  district 
of  the  .squares.”  Were  all  thtse 
joined  together  they  would  lorm 
a  park  of  many  acres.  There  i.s 
Russell  Sijuare  of  10  aerts,^  Gros- 
venor,  Portman,  and  Euston  Squares 
of  about  7  acres  each,  others  of 
4  and  5  acres,  nearly  all  now  being 
reserved  as  private  gardens,  some 
very  little  used  by  the  privileged 
few.  The  need  of  recreation  grounds  m  this  district  is  lessened  by  the 
fact  that  the  extensive  West-end  parks  aie  within  an  easy  disiauce; 
still  it  has  been  asked  lately  why  some  of  these  at  least  should  not  be 
open  to  everybody,  and  eventually  I  expect  they  will.  One  di  icu  ty 
is,  that  occasionally  public  gardens  in  certain  much  frequented  districts 
of  London  are  made  the  rendezvous  of  betting  men  and  doubtful 
characters,  against  whom  precautions  would  have  to  be  taken. 
How’ever,  as  things  are,  such  squargs  do  serve  one  purpose  of 
importance— they  supply  air,  which  is  comparatively  free  from  smoke 
and  noxious  gases.  Many  of  these  squares,  considered  as  gardens,  may 
be  said  to  have  undergone  a  notable  improvement  during  recent  years. 
The  beds  are  kept  more  tidy,  they  contain  a  gre.ater  variety  ct 
herbaceous  species,  while  the  spring  and  summer  have  their  special 
display  of  flo..ers.  We  miss  some  trees  and  slirt  bs  we  iiscd  to  see  in 
the  squares.  Robinias  are  less  numerous  now;  of  Phillyieas  there 
were  affew,  but  they  have  entirely  vanished  ;  nor  is  it  olten  wo  come 
upon  a  Magnolia  or  a  Rhododendron.  But  other  species  have  been 
planted  better  suited  to  the  atmosphere  of  London,  especially  ever¬ 
greens,  which  look  bright  during  winter.  . 
Several  old  authors  speak  of  the  pleasant  and  extensive  gardens 
that  belonged  to  the  mansions  of  nobles  along  the  Strand,  twc)  of  the 
larger  were  those  attached  to  Somerset  House  and  Northumbeiland 
Fio.  69. — Mr.  J.  Ollekiiead. 
