SOME NOVEL GARDENS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 8, 25 August 1909, Page 39

SOME NOVEL GARDENS

TRANSFORMING SITES BY LANDSCAPE GARDENING—A MINIATURE MATTERHORN—FORMAL DESIGNS—TOPIARY—TROPICAL AND WATERGARDENS.

By

S. LEONARD BASTIN

THE modern gardener is nothing if he is not original. A few generations ago those who followed the art of horticulture were content to keep closely to the wellworn paths of their predecessors. With the dawn of the twentieth century a

vastly different state of affairs arose, and to-day we see an interest in gardening such as has never been witnessed before in England. The movement is one which has affected all classes, and a nation which a few years ago was singularly indifferent to garden literature, now supports a small army of horticultural journals. In these cir-

cumstances it is not surprising to find a wholesome rivalry amongst the devotees of the gentle art. It frequently happens that the places in which it is most desirable to live are not very richly endowed with natural beauties. The site which the busi-

ness man chooses for his residence must be within easy reach of the metropolis or some other large city, and will probably be a very ordinary piece of meadow-land. To transform it into something which might well be a slice of Derbyshire at its best is no mean achievement, yet it is an achievement which the modern landscape-gardener

will undertake with composure, and, moreover, will bring to a conclusion in a wonderfully short time. Turning Meadows Into Hills. If the land is flat it is probable that the owner will desire that some of it should Im- of an undulating nature, and the initial stages of the work will be concerned with carving out valleys and casting up hills. On a large scale, this will involve a prodigious amount of manual labour, and it is quite likely that hundreds of men will find employment on the scene. Here and there a tree will have to be taken up and replanted, and every scar which is made with the spade on the land must be clothed again with suitable vegetation. Of course an estate will be nothing without its rock gardens, and it is likely that no stone will be available in the district at all. The material will probably have to come all the way from Yorkshire in the form of roughly hew’n blocks. In one instance several thousand tons of rock were worked into an

estate in the South of England during five or six years. Each piece of stone must be put into its place, so that it will look as if it had been in the position since the dawn of time. On occasion the gardener will put in a “rocking stone,” entirely artificial, of course, but not to be distinguished from the natural ones which abound in some parts of England. The attraction of the rock garden will be much enhanced by the addition of cunningly devised cascades and pools. Perhaps water is not easy to obtain, and the designer may have to go far afield for his supply. The writer knows of a ease where the water for several large lakes and innumerable pools and cascades is drawn from a town supply—expensive for the owner of the estate, but a very satisfactory thing from the water company’s point of view! As soon as the rocks are in position, a number of gardeners come on the scene and establish all kinds of creeping plants in the crevices. The final result has a marvellously natural effect, so that the visitor cannot believe that all he sees has been wrought by artificial means.

The Alps in England. On occasion the enthusiast will ask the landscape-gardener to carry out for him a very ambitious scheme, as when a well-known city man requested a firm to construct him a replica of the Matterhorn at the back of his mansion. The order was accepted, although it was pointed out that its execution would mean the expenditure of a small fortune. The w’ork took several years to accomplish, but at the end of that time a really wonderful scheme had been brought to perfection. Standing at the door of a typical Swiss chalet, one gazes up the slopes of what appears to be a formidable mountain, the sides of which are relieved by the silver streaks of cascades. Towards the summit the dark masses of pine-trees cluster round a peak which seems to be covered with eternal snow. This effect is obtained by the use of the purest white crystal, a substance which had to be specially imported from abroad. This Matterhorn in miniature is not made merely to look at, for one may stroll up the slopes and revel in all the glories

of the Alpine flora—yet the whole affair barely covers an acre of land! Carpet Beds and Clocks. The days of the formal garden are not entirely gone, for within the last few years there has been a distinct revival in “carpet bedding.” This is really rather effective if it is well done, and the clever gardener will produce some striking designs. An unusually fine example of a crest is shown in an accompanying photograph. One of the most interesting forms of designed beds is that known as the floral clock. This is usually on the lines of a circular bed divided into twelve sections, each division representing one hour, from six in the morning to five in the evening. It is a well-known fact that certain plants display their blossoms at a particular time each day, and this they do with surprising regularity. By a careful selection it is possible to find species which will almost cover the period from dawn to dusk of a summer’s day. A collection of plants on the lines of the following list would make an interesting addition to any garden:

6 o’clock. Hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum). 7 „ Marigold (Calendula pluvialis). 8 „ Venus’ Looking Glass (Specularia speculum). 9 „ Corn Marigold (Calendula arvensis). 10 „ Clovewort (Arenaria rubra). 11 „ Mountain Dandelion (Taraxicum montanum). 12 „ Fig Marigold (Mesembryanthemum). 1 „ Carnations. 2 „ Pyrethrum corymbosum. 3 „ (Red Hawkweed (Hieracium). 4 ~ Lady of the Night (Mirabilis dichotora). 5 „ Catchfly (Silene noctiflora). A Revival of Topiary. Of late years there has been a great revival in the interest surrounding the art of topiary, and the garden of clipped trees is quite a necessary addition to the modern estate. It is characteristic of the times that it is no longer necessary to produce the trees by years of arduous cuttings, for it is possible to obtain any number of perfect specimens all ready prepared and reared in nurseries. Of course the examples are decidedly expensive, and good designs may cost as much as fifty guineas apiece; .but even this amount is not excessive when it is remembered that the grower may have had the trees in hand for ten years or more. The most ambitious subjects are attempted, and strikingly original representations of animale, birds, and serpents, not to mention a host of inanimate objects, are carried out with a marvellous ingenuity. One of the best collections of topiary work contains a hundred or more clipped trees, which are tastefully arranged on grass lawns with a number of artistic sundials. In the same garden is to be seen a rather clever mode of arranging a couple of small lakes. They have been designed in such a way that an observer standing at distance experiences a most strange illusion. Across one of the lakes are a number of steppingstones, and if any one should be going over, he appears from a short way off to be wading waist deep through the water. This effect is obtained by having the near lake somewhat higher than the one on its farther side.

How to Obtain Tropical Effects. Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks is the designing of the sub-tropical garden. Herein the gardener must strive to produce an effect as foreign as possible to our northern clime, so that the observer will think himself in. the favoured regions of the south. Of course there are a number of perfectly hardy plants available, which give' a distinctly foreign appearance, and of these the gardener will make full use. Numbered amongst these species are the Yuccas, and the South American Gunneras, the lastnamed being perhaps the most striking plants grown in English gardens. A tine specimen resembles nothing so much as a huge rhubarb; actually it is of such colossal dimensions that a man can easily shelter under one of its broad leaves. There is at least one palm (Chaemerops fortune!) which is quite hardy, only needing protection during the occasional severe winters which are experienced in this country. A few examples of this tree planted in shady positions give a pleasantly tropical effect. Again, the gardener will call into requisition a number of the graceful bamboos, which by

tt«fr feathery foliage very much add to the general effect. During the four summer months, from June to September, the appearance of the sub-tropical garden is much enhanced by the addition of •pecimena from the hot-house. Many of the tropical palms and tree ferns will not suffer if they are placed in a sheltered situation. It is a usual plan to bury th« tubs containing the examples in the ground, and if they are being arranged on a lawn, to cover in all trace of the receptacles with turf, so that the plants look as if they were permanently growing out of doors. Some most charming effects have been obtained in this way. sVall Gardens. A most delightful phase of horticulture is wall gardening. As is well-known, many plants are perfectly at home in the crevices which abound in old walls, and when in bloom the most beautiful effect? are obtained. It is not every gardener, however, who is the possessor of an old wall; still it is well worth while building one specially for the culture of suitable plants. Old bricks are generally used, or better still natural stone. It is not considered wise to employ more mortar than is necessary to make the erection Btrong, as the lime is injurious to plant life. Of course the wall may be any height or length, but it must be of sufficient elevation to bring the top well up into the light. The object in the con< etruction is always to arrange for plenty of crevices into which small quantities of rich soil are pressed. In the spring or autumn, the gardener sprinkles quantities of seeds of such plants as wallflowers, snapdragons, pinks, evening primroses, to mention only a few out of a large number of possible subjects. Under the care of a careful gardener, the wall garden will even in a couple of years appear to be quite hory with age. .'Water Gardens. Closely following the wall gardens in interest, are the water-gardens for the cultivation of all kinds of aquatic plants, and those which grow on the margins of pools. There are very few situations where it is not possible to establish a small water-garden, and indeed some most interesting collections of moistureloving plants have been formed in wash-ing-tubs! Of course the ambitious gardener tries to secure as natural an effect as is possible by forming a pond, or making use of an existing one. Foremost among the aqua ties are, of course, the water-lilies, and, thanks to the work of the famous plant breeder, M. Marliae, many perfectly hardy forms of these plants are available which produce coloured flowers. A very large number of plants suitable for the margins of the water-garden are obtainable, and some of these are very striking. During the last few years a great deal of attention has been directed towards the establishment of indoor water-gardens. Some of the most beautiful of the water-plants will not stand the British climate, and can only be grown under glass. The giant Regia, with leaves five feet across and flowers in proportion, stands at the top of the list of splendid tropical water-plants which may be grown in a hot-house. Many of the smaller species produce blossoms which are coloured blue, pink, and yellow in the most brilliant fashion. Some of the best indoor water-gardens are so cleverly constructed that it is not easy to realise that the observer is standing in an English greenhouse and not on the banks of a lake far away in some tropical region. J* ««

WANGANUI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. There was a good attendance at the annual meeting ot the Wanganui Horticultural Society. The president, Mr. C. C. Hutton, was unavoidably absent, and (Mr. 0. W. Babbage was elected to the chair. The revenue account showed a debit balance of £29 5/2, and the assets were stated to be £3B 9/4. Referring to the prize money and the expenditure, Mr. G. Smith said that the difference was far too great. Only £6O had been given as prize money and the expenses had amounted to about £2OO. The following officers were elected: — (President, Mr. A. Robinson; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. A. Allison, C. W. Babbage, F. 11. Allen, G. Smith, and D. R. Walker; committee: Miss Bayley, Messrs. Braik, (R. Garrett, jr., and T. Jones; auditor, ,Mr. D. R. Walker; secretary and treas|urcr, Mr. F. R. Field. The committee was given power to add to its number.