Formal arrangements in London parks
The formality of the true geometrical garden is charming to many to whom this style is offensive; and there is not the slightest reason why the most beautiful combinations of fine-leaved and fine-flowered plants should not be made in any kind of geometrical garden.
Acanthus latifolius (lusitanicus).
Ornamental foliaged herbaceous Section; retaining its leaves till very late in the year. The leaves of this are bold and noble in outline, and the plant has a tendency, rare in some hardy things with otherwise fine qualities, to retain them till the end of the season without losing a particle of their freshness and polished verdure. In fact, the only thing we have to decide about this subject is, what is the best place for it? Now, it is one of those things that will not disgrace any position, and will prove equally at home in the centre of the mixed border, projected in the grass a little from the edge of a choice shrubbery, or in the flower-garden; nobody need fear its displaying anything like the seediness which such things as the Heracleums show at the end of summer.
Shady and sheltered Dell
Shady and sheltered Dell, with Tree Ferns and other Stove Plants placed out for the summer.
Leucadendron Stokoei
Leucadendron Stokoei
Crassula falcata
Cyrtanthus Angustifolius
Witsenia maura
Witsenia maura
Tulbaghia violacea
Tulbaghia violacea
Streptocarpus Dunnii
Streptocarpus Dunnii
Stapelia Gettleffii
Stapelia Gettleffii
Senecio stapeliaeformis
Senecio stapeliaeformis
Sarcocaulon rigidum
Sarcocaulon rigidum
Richardia Rehmanni
Richardia Rehmanni
Richardia angustiloba
Richardia angustiloba
Protea abyssinica
Protea abyssinica
Pachypodium succulentum
Pachypodium succulentum
Orothamnus Zeyheri
Orothamnus Zeyheri
Nymphaea stellata
Nymphaea stellata
Moraea iridioides
Moraea iridioides
Mimetes palustris
Mimetes palustris
Leucadendron Stokoei
Leucadendron Stokoei
Haemanthus natalensis
Haemanthus natalensis
Gladiolus Rehmanni
Gladiolus Rehmanni
Gladiolus psittacinus
Gladiolus psittacinus
Gerbera Jamesoni
Gerbera Jamesoni
Gardenia globosa
Gardenia globosa
Freesia refracta
Freesia refracta
Cyrtanthus sanguineus
Cyrtanthus sanguineus
Cyrtanthus rotundilobus
Cyrtanthus rotundilobus
Cyrtanthus obliquus
Cyrtanthus obliquus
Cyrtanthus McKenii
Cyrtanthus McKenii
Cyrtanthus Angustifolius
Clivia miniata
Clivia miniata
Clerodendron triphyllum
Clerodendron triphyllum
Ceropegia Rendallii
Ceropegia Rendallii
Ceropegia Meyeri
Ceropegia Meyeri
Bolusanthus speciosus
Bolusanthus speciosus
Arctotis Decurrens
Arctotis Decurrens
Aloe Globuligemma
Aloe Globuligemma
Aloe pretoriensis
Aloe pretoriensis
Aloe Pienaarii
Aloe Pienaarii
Agapanthus Umbellatus
Agapanthus Umbellatus
Adenium multiflorum
Adenium multiflorum
Acokanthera spectabilis
Acokanthera spectabilis
Pentapterygium serpens
This is one of five species of Himalayan plants which, until recently, were included in the genus vaccinium. The new name for them is ugly enough to make one wish that they were vacciniums still. Pentapterygium serpens is the most beautiful of the lot, and, so far as I know, this and P. rugosum are the only species in cultivation in England. The former was collected in the Himalayas about ten years ago by Captain Elwes, who forwarded it to Kew, where it grows and flowers freely under the same treatment as suits Cape heaths.
Pentapterygium serpens (flowers deep crimson)
In the wet season they push out new shoots, from which grow rapidly wands three or four feet long, clothed with box-like leaves, and afterward with numerous pendulous flowers. These are elegant in shape and richly colored. They are urn-shaped, with five ribs running the whole length of the corolla, and their color is bright crimson with deeper colored V-shaped veins, as shown in the illustration of the flowers of almost natural size. They remain fresh upon the plant for several weeks. The beautiful appearance of a well grown specimen when in flower may be seen from the accompanying sketch of the specimen at Kew, which was at its best in July, and remained in bloom until the middle of September.
quince
Boyle your Quinces that you intend to keep, whole and unpared, in faire water, till they be soft, but not too violently for feare you break them, when they are soft take them out, and boyle some Quinces pared, quarter'd, and coar'd, and the parings of the Quinces with them in the same liquor, to make it strong, and when they have boyled a good time, enough to make the liquor of sufficient strength, take out the quartered Quinces and parings, and put the liquor into a pot big enough to receive all the Quinces, both whole and quartered, and put them into it, when the liquor is thorow cold, and so keep them for your use close covered.
Rose
Take Damask Roses, clip off the white of them, and take six ounces of them to every pint of faire water, first well boyled and scummed, let them stand so as abovesaid, twelve hours, as you doe in the Syrupe of Violets, wringing out the Roses and putting in new eight times, then wringing out the last put in onely the juice of four ounces of Roses, so make it up as before, if you will put in Rubarb, take to every two drams, slice it, string it on a thred, hang it within the pot after the first shifting, and let it infuse within your Roses: Some use to boyle the Rubarb in the Syrupe, but it is dangerous, the Syrupe purgeth Choller and Melancholly.
Strawberry
A Tart of Straw-Berries. Pick and wash your Straw-Berries clean, and put them in the past one by another, as thick as you can, then take Sugar, Cinamon, and a little Ginger finely beaten, and well mingled together, cast them upon the Straw Berries, and cover them with the lid finely cut into Lozenges, and so let them bake a quarter of an houre, then take it out, stewing it with a little Cinamon, and Sugar, and so serve it.
Cherries
To make a close Tart of Cherries. Take out the stones, and lay them as whole as you can in a Charger, and put Mustard, Cinamon, and Sugar, into them, and lay them into a Tart whole, and close them, then let them stand three quarters of an hour in the Oven, and then make a Syrupe of Muskadine, and Damask water and sugar, and so serve it.
Lemon
Recipe from the 1653 book (with original spelling) Take Lemmons, rub them upon a Grate, to make their rinds smooth, cut them in halves, take out the meat of them, and boyle them in faire water a good while, changing the water once or twice in the boyling, to take away the bitternesse of them, when they are tender take them out and scrape away all the meat (if any be left) very cleane, then cut them as thin as you can (to make them hold) in a long string, or in reasonable short pieces, and lay them in your glasse, and boyling some of the best White-wine vineger with shugar, to a reasonable thin Syrupe, powre it upon them into your glasse, and keep them for your use.
Violets
The use of Oyle of Violets. Oyle of Violets, Cammomile, Lillies, Elder flowers, Cowslips, Rue, Wormwood, and Mint, are made after the same sort; Oyle of Violets, if it be rubbed about the Tempels of the head, doth remove the extream heat, asswageth the head Ache, provoketh sleep, and moistneth the braine; it is good against melancholly, dullnesse, and heavinesse of the spirits, and against swellings, and soares that be over-hot.
Aprecocks
To dry Apricocks. Take them when they be ripe, stone them, and pare off their rindes very thin, then take halfe as much Sugar as they weigh, finely beaten, and lay them with that Sugar into a silver or earthen dish, laying first a lay of Sugar, and then of Fruit, and let them stand so all night, and in the morning the Sugar will be all melted, then put them into a Skillet, and boyle them apace, scumming them well, and as soon as they grow tender take them off from the fire, and let them stand two dayes in the Syrupe, then take them out, and lay them on a fine plate, and so dry them in a Stove.
Beans
Take Beanes, the rinde or the upper skin being pul'd off, bruise them, and mingle them with the white of an Egg, and make it stick to the temples, it keepeth back humours flowing to the Eyes. To dissolve the Stone; which is one of the Physitians greatest secrets. Take a peck of green Beane cods, well cleaved, and without dew or rain, and two good handfulls of Saxifrage, lay the same into a Still, one row of Bean cods, another of Saxifrage, and so Distill another quart of water after this manner, and then Distill another proportion of Bean codds alone, and use to drink oft these two Waters; if the Patient be most troubled with heat of the Reins, then it is good to use the Bean codd water stilled alone more often, and the other upon comming downe of the sharp gravell or stone.
cowslips
Oyle of Cowslips. Oyle of Cowslips, if the Nape of the Neck be annointed with it, is good for the Palsie, it comforteth the sinews, the heart and the head.
Medlers
To make a Tart of Medlers. Take Medlers that be rotten, and stamp them, and set them upon a chafin dish with coales, and beat in two yolks of Eggs, boyling till it be somewhat thick, then season it with Sugar, Cinamon, and Ginger, and lay it in paste.
Olives
Olives
the pine just starting out in the world, with its six seed leaves
white potato
wood lily covered with underground leaves
Stages of growth of a squash plant