The Expenses Of London Parks And Gardens

The amount recommended for the care and maintenance of the numerous parks and gardens of London this year was $558,000, but only $202,000 were voted for the purpose. The cutting down is not an index of failing interest in public parks, but from a belief that much of the money is ignorantly wasted.

The Grounds Of Mr. Potter Palmer

Mr. Palmer's grounds along the Lake Shore Boulevard have been surrounded by a high stone wall at an expense of $3,000. It has been suggested by a Chicago paper that a live hedge with barb wire run through it, would have been just as protective and more ornamental, but this will depend on what particular style of gardening the wall is to enclose.

Bananas As Foliage Plants

It is remarkable that more use is not made of the Banana as a plant for the summer decoration of American gardens. It has a much grander effect than the Canna, and luxuriates under our summer suns, - especially if in rather damp soil.

Water Lilies

Mr. Sturtevant's water lily culture at Bordentown, near Philadelphia, is getting quite famous. A considerable party of lovers of beautiful aquatics, known as the Lotos Club, made a special railroad excursion there on the 9th of September. The famed and deservedly admired Egyptan Lotus has been naturalized there, and this alone is worth many miles of a journey to see, - to say nothing of the wonderful Victoria regia also in bloom at the same time.

The Washington China Aster

Among the novelties offered in Europe for the coming season is a variety of Aster called Washington. The flowers have been produced four and a half inches in diameter, and the petals are rolled up like porcupine quills, with only a bare opening at the apex.

Lespedeza Bicolor

We believe this is the accepted name of a pretty half shrubby, herbaceous plant, originally introduced as Desmodium penduliflorum. Whatever its correct name, it is one of the best possible plants to grow under the shade of trees, or in comparatively dry situations. It is emphatically a plant for wild gardens, where the garden is part woodlands. Almost all plants of the Desmodium family are nemorine, and this seems to be particularly a wood-lover.

New Hardy Rhododendrons

In the Garten-flora, Prof. Regel figures and describes two species, found in the Caucasus, in the district where Rhododendron Ponticum grows. One is pure white, and named R. Ungeri; the other, with medium-sized cherry red flowers, is described as R. Smirnowi.