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JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
May  11,  1699. 
Windsor  come  into  view,  with  tlie  great  Castle  rising  above  them. 
Nearer  and  nearer  we  are  drawn  towards  it,  hut  the  train  sweeps 
on  as  if  leaving  it  behind,  yet  suddenly  it  takes  a  half-circular  turn 
to  the  left,  and  we  are  brought  as  if  within  a  stone’s  throw  of  the 
wonderful  north  terrace  on  its  rocky  bed  high  above  the  tops  of  the 
loftiest  trees  on  the  slope  and  in  the  foreground;  but  where  all  is  so 
vast,  distance  is  deceiving,  and  the  visitor  will  find  something  of  a  walk 
or  a  climb  before  he  stands  on  the  level  above,  w'hich  a  few  moments 
before  seemed  so  near. 
But  when  the  climb  is  over  and  the  terrace  reached,  whether  it  be 
tip  the  “  hundred  steps  ”  (much  nearer  200),  or  by  the  longer  route 
round  St.  George’s  Chapel,  and  the  atmosphere  is  clear,  all  w'ill  be 
forgotten,  save  the  majestic  building  on  the  one  hand  and  the  glorious 
view  on  the  other.  It  is  as  if  taking  a  bird’s  eye  glance  of  a  vast  pleasure 
ground  extending  over  many  square  miles,  the  bright  green  fields 
between  the  trees  resembling  lawns,  with  the  Thames  winding  its  way 
in  serpentine  curves  to  the  west  till  lost  in  the  distant  blue-tinted  hills. 
The  royal  mistress  of  this  regal  home  of  British  monarchs  has  during 
her  wondrous  career  witnessed  many  scenes  in  Nature  of  entrancing 
beauty — scenes  of  grandeur  in  rugged  cliffs,  in  heath-clad  hills,  in 
snow-capped  mountains,  and  flowering  slopes  skirting  southern  lakes 
and  sunny  seas ;  but  for  quiet,  pastoral,  placid,  restful  beauty,  of  the 
true  home  type,  it  seems  hard  to  conceive  that  even  the  Queen  has 
viewed  a  fairer  scene  of  its  kind  than  this,  when  the  light  is  of  the 
best  for  revealing  its  peculiar  charms. 
Ornamental. 
A  few  steps  onward  and  nature  in  a  large  degree  vanishes,  and  art 
Is  the  dominating  feature,  for  from  the  eastern  terrace  we  are  looking 
down  on  the  fine  semicircular  flower  garden,  bounded  by  its  castel¬ 
lated  wall.  This  garden  is  essentially  a  work  of  art,  with  its  fountain, 
statuary,  neatly  kept  choice  shrubs  and  Conifers,  beds  of  Heather,  and 
smooth  lawn  brightened  with  masses  and  lines  of  flowers.  This  is  her 
Majesty’s  flower  garden,  overlooked  every  morning  in  the  direction  of 
the  rising  sun.  The  beauty  of  the  enclosure  is  shared  by  the  public, 
who  have  access  to  its  great  curving  terrace  walk  on  regular  occasions, 
and  Queen,  princes,  and  people  enjoy  at  the  same  time  the  flowers  and 
the  strains  of  one  of  the  famous  military  bands.  The  flowers,  now 
so  bright  and  cheerful,  are  such  as  any  cottager  may  grow — large 
jiiasses  of  clear  yellow,  crimson,  and  particoloured  Wallflowers  ;  rich 
lines  of  the  flower  well  named  “Gold  Dust,”  Alyssum  saxatile 
compactum  ;  long  margins  of  rosy  tinted  double  Daisies  ;  sheets  and 
^ines  of  purple  Aubrietias  ;  creamy  white  masses  of  fine  and  floriferous 
Polyanthuses ;  bright  blue  Forget-me-nots,  with  groups  of  Daffodils 
here  and  there,  and  Pansies  in  the  foreground.  It  is  an  enlivening 
floral  scene,  a  beautiful  setting  to  the  well  kept  Hollies  and  other 
shrubs  that  are  permanent  features  in  the  beds.  And  how  easily 
all  the  flowers  are  raised,  and  none  more  easily  than  the  dainty 
Daisies,  for  by  sowing  seeds  now  in  the  open,  and  treating  the 
seedlings  naturally,  any  number  of  fine  plants  may  be  raised  to  be 
clustered  with  flowers  next  spring.  By  its  smooth  lawns  and  paths, 
and  closely  clipped  edgings— in  a  word,  by  its  faultlessness  in  order, 
ibis  garden  was,  as  if  assuming  a  smile  of  welcome,  ready  for  the 
(Jueen. 
From  this  eastern  terrace,  and  curving  gradually  southwards,  a 
drive  leads  through  the  Home  Park  on  to  the  great  walled  supply 
gardens  at  Frogmore.  In  passing  along  it  was  pleasing  to  see  how 
well  every  tree  of  some  sixty  Cupressus  atlantica  glauca,  planted 
in  June,  1897,  was  thriving.  They  are  about  35  yards  apart 
and  are  df^stined  to  form  a  beautiful  and  lasting  memorial  of  the 
unjiaralleled  event  they  were  intended  to  commemorate — the  Diamond 
Jubilee  of  Britain’s  illustrious  Queen.  On  asking  Mr.  Thomas  what 
reason  he  had  for  feeling  certain  these  trees  would  flourish  in  their 
])osition,  he  pointed  to  a  noble  sp3cimen  of  a  Cedar  of  Lebanon,  and 
remarkid,  “That  tree  was  planted  by  Mr.  Ingram  during  the  Queen’s 
reign.’  1  he  reply  was  conclusive.  The  matter  had  been  well  thought 
out,  for  where  the  Lebanon  will  thrive  the  Mount  Atlas  Cedar  will 
flourish. 
Useful. 
The  supply  gardens  are  reached  under  a  canopy  of  blossom — the 
branches  of  standard  Pears  being  densely  clothed  from  base  to 
extremity ;  but  we  enter  the  houses  first— or,  at  least,  some  of  them,  for 
to  pass  through  all  and  along  all  the  paths  must  surely  mean  a  wmlk 
of  a  mile.  What  must  arrest  the  attention  of  every  visitor  must  be 
not  only  the  thorough  order  and  cleanliness  prevailing,  but  to  see  how 
completely  every  structure  is  fulfilling  its  purpose.  House  after  house 
of  Vines,  and  every  house  giving  its  quota  of  Grapes,  just  such  as  are 
and  will  be  wanted  throughout  the  season.  Duke  of  Buccleucli  is 
bearing  as  heavily  as  any  other,  Madresfield  Court  colouring.  Muscats 
and  other  late  kinds  advancing,  and  many  little  known  and  grown 
varieties  flourishing  in  a  young  state.  The  foundation  is  laid  for  the 
most  complete  col'ection  of  Grapes  in  Britain,  and  it  will  be  a  wonder 
if  varieties  not  yet  seen  have  their  birth  at  Frogmore.  As  with  the 
Grapes,  so  with  the  Peaches  and  Nectarines,  every  tree  in  every  house 
in  the  richest  garb  of  health,  and  laden  with  fruit — not  a  failure  to  be 
seen.  Cherries  in  abundance,  ripe  and  ripening;  Figs  the  same. 
Grand  crops  of  Melons,  many  noble  fruits  of  a  new  variety  of  the 
Beech  wood  type  having  been  cut  during  the  past  three  weeks,  others 
ripening,  and  other  ranges  coming  on.  Strawberries  Royal  Sovereign 
and  La  Grosse  Sucree  laden  with  handsome  fruits,  the  crops  from 
hundreds  of  pots  exactly  in  to  time,  and  others  of  the  10,000  grown 
following  in  order,  to  the  later  planted  in  pits  for  meeting  the 
outdoor  supply — a  case  of  Strawberries  under  glass  during  the  first 
six  months  of  the  year.  As  to  Pines,  it  may  be  said  in  a  sentence 
that  nowhere  are  more  to  be  seen  or  better  than  at  Frogmore. 
A  word  may  be  crowded  in  about  vegetables,  and  perhaps  a  few 
about  flowers,  if  the  pen  hold  out  and  the  patience  of  the  reader  should 
happen  not  to  be  exhausted.  Peas,  then,  there  are  in  abundance,  sturdy 
plants  heavily  bearing  in  pots.  Kidney  Beans  apparently  by  the 
bushel,  and  certainly  Potatoes  by  the  sack,  ripe  and  ready  for  the 
great  demand.  Tomatoes  in  bountiful  supply — the  new  plum-shaped 
Epicure,  as  great  a  favourite  in  its  way  as  the  well  proved  Frogmore 
Selected.  A  houseful  of  Cauliflowers  in  6-inch  pots,  advancing  to  the 
beading  stage,  is  not  seen  everywhere.  Small  tender  heads  of  these 
are  tor  the  Royal  table  in  lieu  of  the  bigger  Broccoli  that  go  elsewhere. 
Asparagus  forcing  is  over.  What  a  demand  there  must  be  for  this 
coveted  vegetable,  since  half  a  mile  in  length  of  5  feet  wide  beds 
have  been  planted  this  year  for  maintaining  the  supply ;  and  so  we 
might  go  on,  but  as  a  stop  must  be  made  somewhere  in  this  section,  it 
shall,  as  our  affectionate  brothers  in  the  “  States  ”  would  say,  be  made 
“  right  here.” 
But  mention  of  the  outdoor  fruit  must  not  be  omitted.  Peaches  and 
Nectarines  on  walls  are  admirably  managed,  and  their  blossoms 
judiciou.sly  protected  by  movable  blinds.  It  may  be  said  that  crops 
of  these  fruits  rarely  if  ever  fail.  This  year  fruit  is  over-abounding, 
and  not  an  insect  to  be  seen  on  the  trees.  These  are  usually  dressed 
with  an  insecticide  before  the  blossoms  open — an  old  and  admirable 
practice.  Apricots  are  less  plentiful  than  Peaches.  Plums  and  Cherries 
are  setting  in  profusion.  Pears  are  in  full  beauty,  the  branches 
densely  packed  with  flowers — millions  too  many — and  Apples  will 
be  much  the  same  when  the  blossoms  are  expanded.  The  branches  of 
bash  Apples  and  free  informal  pyramid  Pears  are  from  2  to  3  feet 
apart,  each  a  cordon  of  spurs  the  entire  length.  No  summer  pinching 
is  needed  here,  for  the  light  and  air  act  directly  on  the  basal  leaves 
of  the  summer  growths,  and  hence  the  fruitful  branches  down  to  the 
main  stem ;  in  fact,  where  the  branches  are  very  thinly  disposed, 
large  trusses  of  flowers  push  directly  from  the  central  stem,  and 
there  is  good  promise  that  more  than  90  jier  cent,  of  the  trees  in 
this  great  garden  will  be  laden  with  fruit,  but  the  haven  of  surety 
is  not  reached  yet. 
Beautiful. 
As  might  be  expected,  the  chief  display  of  flowers  was  in  the 
conservatory,  and  seme  of  these  were  in  preparation  for  the  Castle. 
This  means  that  whenever  groups  are  wanted  in  the  Royal  ajiartments 
they  have  to  ^be  formed  in  the  garden — every  plant  in  its  place  to 
occupy  the  desired  space,  and  thus  the  final  arrangement  is  quickly 
done.  The  Lilac  is  one  of  her  Majesty’s  favourite  flowers,  and  a 
beautiful  group  of  densely  flowered  plants  of  the  familiar  old  colour. 
