New-York tribune., 1886-05-23
CENTRAL PARK IN BLOOM.
THE SHRUBBERY NOW AT ITS BEST.


GOOD POINT OF VIEW IN THE RAMBLE.
There never has been year since the Central
Park opened when the shrubberes were more
attractive than nOw They in the flush of love
lness both of color and LEAKAGE, and afford sight
that will amply repay pilgrimage to the Park and
an extended stroll throughout its bounds The
idea of those who planned the cherished play
ground of New York in the creation of strawberries
was to fill IN points between walks and drives and
bride paths to hide transverse roads; to accent
points at branching paths; but above all to form
groups that should offer masses of strong color IN
conspicuous places The broken character of the
ground, while it offered aim ,st insuperabe obstl-
clcs to routine landscape g1rlenllg. presented ad-
vantages to man of creative genius. These adyant-
ages were utilized, so that the very rocks, the
bare. uncOmpromlslng masses of hard gray gness
that burst out Of the grass, became points of con-
trast, served as foils for the many attractions
which it is in the power of landscape gardening to
display and added much TO the charms of the shrnb-
beres
For some time the influence of the creative spirit
was felt by Park commissioners and superntend-
cnts, and no arm resulted from that unwritten law
of Democratic government By which everybolyis 10
have his turn of official glory and sweetness
whether capable or incapable. sensible or wrong
Office was bound to fetch" the Park some time or
other-if not today then to-norrow-and at last
came some one whose main idea of shrubb,ries was
that the shrubs shOuld consist OF bare poles with
full domed tops, covered with all the glories Of
thelr blO,Somiug He said that shrIbbcrcs should
not be walls of verdurc, AMI therefore gave the
order to prune vigorously, and he was obeyed.
Some of the shrubs notably the hllesias, Or silver
bells" from the Blue K dge of West Virginia. dld
MOI suffer much consequence OF this heroic treat
ment because. being tree-lIke, nature ntd con
SGructcl them upon the formula atnlred by TINS
official. Bat the llacs the japanese ounces; tine
Missouri currant bushes, the forSythas the blue
berry bushes and the viburnums underwent GER
rbe things and presented the most foriorn aspects;
More than that the extensive pruning retarded
their vitality aud growth, and the result was tnat
they deficient IN spring blooming
All this hls now been changed and by the happy
intlcncn OF the stars that protect New-fork there
| seems to reign Il harmony of intention among all
the powers of the Park Il thorough conpre nenSlon
Ot the aims of the original plan. ana deteilnlna-
| ron To work upon the old lines. ne consequences
will he far-rraching and fortunate and as q first
| Instalment of the future good we nave the re-
stored beauties of the Towering shrubs. he
! ear lest in bloom were the Forsythlas or golden
| bells of JaDan, which are now exhausted. At
PRESENT there are in full flower the rhodotypu'
| winch looks like n svrluga but has a cluster OF
green seeds III the centre; the kerria from Japan,
| which strongly resembles the rhodotypus. but has
yellow flowers; ylbnrnums oi yaIions KINDS. III.
| bail: lllcs. both white and purple and also the
| Persian variety; matrimoDy vines Iartarlan hon
| eysucl>les AndrOmedas or sOrrel trees from the
| Blue Ridge so-called from the acid taste of the
| caves; azaleas of different kinds the crlnson one
| called amela the much cOarSer and larger Ghent
| aZaleas. with their profuson of yellow. pink aud
purple flowers; the Hibo aWcul0. the towering cur
| rant bush OF Missouri, which grows very bushy
when not unkindly pruned; me Nacci4lums, WIN
their pendant waX-ke bead flowers; the deutzias;
the towering cherry: the lowering almond, which,
alas was pruncd almost to extinction: the cara
gana a tree like shrub with small. yellow legumin-
| ,r. fI,tVl |
appie trees upon The Eighth Avenue drive were eX-
cccdngy handsome. bnt are now faded and next TO
them in beauty the Towering cherry trees, near
he boat-house. These trees are so loaded WIN
flowers as to resemble, at distance: clouds OF
blossoms. All the branches are covered from one
end 10 the her and offer an enchanting spectacle
| to 4 a>ympathetic spectator m ,
The wistcriaS are in full bloom now. Those in the
the ueirhborhood of The Casino in the so-called
# the wlstera arDor on tho man dIlVe
Those that are twded aT3nnd mPe a Pie FftS iris
ave- side, have been for some time Ill ful
flower, but they surprise t he visitor rather than
please him. and do not produce the same bewllder-
ing effects of color as the wisteraS OF the aro9rS
aud trellises, which are alone and not intermlngled
with the foliage Of other plants. beautiful point
of observation will be found IN one oi the paths oi
the Ralnbe. where the great lake ends IN marrow
creek after passing Oak Bridge. The banks here
are rocky, especially the western side Upon the
eastern bank. which Is more shelving, wlsterla
vines spread themselves at ease Ike lazy Great
ures, and display their glowing punches
Of blossoms th ag2S e bo ",h othcr SsJGGe sGe
yellow barbarea has planted itself. and grows
vigorous Y, towering with profuslon. Further
du upon that side are clusters OF lovely
dorwoOd The blossoms are not only cXpulsltoly
white but nature arranges them IN some myster-
ous way SO thar they form the broken lines that
artists love. Some lines show the pale green oi the
under side Others the snow white Interior There
Is moreover u fairy grace about the branches and
the stems which are 81 ght that they melt into
the back ground given by the green sward. pom
the eastern side a light sunaden glade where
robins hop lies between the WIS erias and tall
Nordmann spruce. the one great success OF the
evergreen trees planted In the Park Beyond these
are gmpses of Oak Bridge, and women with
brjrhf-cooreti hats and brilliant sun umbrellas