December  20,  1900 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
559 
made  by  the  plantiug  cf  immense  beds  with  one  kind  of  plant  only. 
Thus  we  see  entire  beds  of  Rosa  rugosa,  of  Dogwood,  of  Spiraeas,  cf 
Rubus  deliciosus,  of  Hydrangea  panioulata  grandiflora,  and  so  on, 
which  are  most  imposing  when  they  are  in  flower,  or,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  Dogwood,  when  the  glowing  red  stems  stand  naked  in  the 
winter.  The  plants  have  been  chosen  to  come  into  flower  and  to 
extend  in  beauty  over  the  longest  possible  period.  The  result  of 
this  wisdom  is  found  in  the  fact  a  walk  over  the  thoroughly  drained 
and  therefore  constantly  dry  grass  walks  is  a  source  of  perennial 
interest  to  anyone.  Flowering  shrubs  and  trees  have  been  freely 
utilised  and  add  very  materially  to  the  many  other  charms.  Of  late 
years,  too,  Mr.  Beckett  has  added  pillar  Roses  in  striking  positions, 
and  every  reader  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  will  be  able  to 
picture  in  his  mind  the  beauty  of  a  12  feet  pillar  of  such  varieties 
as  Paul’s  Carmine  Pillar  and  Turner’s  Crimson  Rambler.  But  we 
must  pass  in  brief  review  other  features,  and  time  flies  fast. 
collection  at  the  Drill  Hall  three  varieties  were  recommended  for  awards 
of  merit  from  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
Vegetables  in  Perfection. 
If  no  flower,  fruit,  tree,  or  shrub  had  been  grown  at  Aldenham,  Mr. 
Beckett  would  have  made  the  gardens  famous  throughout  the  country  for 
the  superb  vegetables  he  has  produced.  As  a  producer  and  exhibitor  of 
all  kinds  of  vegetables  he  is  second  to  none.  Considering  the  amount 
of  work  he  has  had  to  do  in  the  gardens  it  is  nothing  short  of  remark¬ 
able  to  see  the  splendid  crops  that  are  grown  under  his  direction. 
Nothing  comes  amiss — Potatoes,  Carrots,  Parsnips,  green  crops.  Peas, 
and  Beans  are  alike  in  perfection,  and  no  gardener  who  visited  Aldenham 
could  see  them  all  without  delight,  and  perhaps  a  touch  of  regret,  that 
it  was  not  given  to  him  to  go  home  and  do  likewise.  Having  these 
facts  in  mind,  it  must  be  superfluous  to  add  that  the  most  excellent 
methods  of  working  the  soil  and  raising  the  plants  are  practised,  as 
Fig.  144.— aldenham  HOUSE. 
The  Flower  Gardena. 
Like  the  features  that  have  been  already  adverted  to  these  are 
varied  in  formation  and  character.  The  garden  in  immediate  contiguity 
to  the  mansion  (of  which  the  northern  aspect  is  shown  in  the 
illustration)  is  laid  out  in  somewhat  formal  beds  filled  with  various 
brightly  coloured  flowers.  This  with  the  several  handsome  trees  about 
is  very  charming,  and  some  attractive  views  may  be  had  therefrom  to 
the  pleasure  grounds  and  the  surrounding  country.  Within  a  stone’s 
throw  is  a  most  delightful  subtropical  garden,  which  compensates  in 
beauty  what  it  lacks  in  size.  It  is  filled  with  all  the  well-known  plants 
that  usually  find  a  place  in  such  gardens.  To  an  extent  these  both 
have  formal  characteristics,  and  to  the  lover  of  freer  planting  and  less 
restriction  in  growth  the  Michaelmas  Daisy  Garden  will  be  a  centre 
of  the  keenest  pleasure.  It  finds  accommodation  for  a  most  complete 
collection  of  the  Asters  including  the  best  of  the  older  varieties,  with 
several  that  have  found  a  birthplace  at  Aldenham.  As  indicative  of 
the  quality  of  those  it  may  be  observed  that  when  Mr.  Beckett  staged  a 
without  these  such  success  could  never  be  attained.  That  Mr.  Beckett 
can  teach  as  well  as  work  is  proved  in  his  admirable  treatise  on 
vegetable  growing  for  various  purposes. 
Under  Glass. 
The  limits  of  available  space  are  reached,  and  much  that  ought  to 
have  been  said  must  be  excluded.  A  small  corner  must,  however,  be 
devoted  to  a  cursory  glance  into  the  houses  where  fruits  and  flowers 
wield  a  charming  sway.  The  first  thing  to  attract  attention  was  the 
grandest  collection  of  Capsicums  the  writer  has  ever  been  privileged  to 
see.  They  were  in  5-inoh  pots,  and  presented  a  unique  and  beautiful 
display.  Besides  these  there  was  the  usual  complement  of  foliage  and 
flowering,  as  well  as  fruits,  and  every  kind  and  variety  bore  the  impress 
of  the  most  skilful  cultivation.  The  opportunity  to  visit  Aldenham 
garden  should  never  be  missed,  as  if  one  went  every  week  for  a  year 
one  would  still  find  something  on  the  next  occasion  to  see  and  to  admire 
that  had  been  overlooked  on  every  previous  pilgrimage. — Zingabi. 
