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THE ESSEX NATURALIST
over 4 feet tall. In this garden still survive many unusual and
beautiful plants. There are the anemones, alliums, scillas and
chinadoxas already mentioned, and plants like Aristolochia
clematitis, Lilium monadelphum, L. martagon, Buphthalmum
speciosum., Fig, Astrantia major, Meconopsis cambrica, Bergenia,
Pimpinella major rosea, Ornithogalum umbellatum, O. nutans,
Cheldonium majus, Veronica filiformis, Beta trigyna, Polygonatum
multiflorum., P. odoratum, Baptisa tinctoria, Crocus nudiflorus,
Lunaria rediviva, Geranium pratense, G. grandiflorum and,
growing between the flagstones, I found Cardamine impatiens. The
normal garden plants like Michaelmas daisies, Solidagos,
Helianthus spp. and Aquilegias are there, but have not become
unruly like the Giant Hogweed and many of the roses, which have
reverted to type.
The rock garden is rather disappointing in that very little has
survived. It may be, of course, that the rare and beautiful
plants which adorned this delightful area were removed just
after Miss Willmott died or have disappeared for lack of atten-
tion.
Round and in the lower pond, which was part of the rockery,
are still the ferns already mentioned with Caltha palustris,
Ranunculus lingua, Typha angustifolia, Eupatorium cannabinum,
Lysichitum americanum, Carex pendula and Rumex hydro-
lapathum. Nearby on the bank is a large colony of Geranium
nodosum. In the general area, which was part of the rock garden
there still occurs: —Funkia, Lilium martagon, a single plant like a
Veratrum, which does not flower, Trachystemon orientalis with its
large leaves and Borage-like flowers, Rodgersia podophylla, with
large palmate leaves, circular in outline and the five leaflets having
four or five large pointed lobes on each side. Most of the Heathers
have now died off under the shade of the trees. In the more open
parts Erica tetralix and E. cinerea are just hanging on, but just
above the ravine is a magnificent 'bush' of Erica vagans. There
is a fine stand here of a small leaved Bamboo. Also Doronicum
pardalianches, Daphne laureola, Acer japonicus laciniata, Quercus
ilex, a fine Beech, and that delightful small leaved holly, Ilex
cornuta, which I found in flower. It has small rectangular shaped
leaves with four large spines, one at each corner, reminiscent of
a bat with outstretched limbs.
In addition to these definable areas there are so many parts
of the gardens now overgrown, trees have grown tall making a
dense canopy of leaves overhead, there are ruined buildings and
greenhouses, making it very difficult to find the other old named
gardens, so to end, I propose to give the names of the more
important finds in the rest of the grounds. Mahonia aquifolium
is common, Smilax excelsa trails about in the ruins near the house.
Impatiens parviflora and Calamagrostis epigejos also grow near
here. There are many varietal forms of Ivy with attractive leaf
shapes and colouring, also a delightful Periwinkle, Vinca major
hirsuta, which has distinctive star-like flowers. At the base of a