The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-07-23
LEON ROSE PARK.
Two Hours Ramble Amid q Maze
Of Magnificent Flowers

county Jail, not very attractive piece OF archi-
lecture and one that the public was glad TO see
torn down. Now we have substantial new
Jail, located in the suburbs, as it should be- and
upon the site of the old one are the greenhouses
and flower gardens Of Mr.. John G. Hein Of
which Mr. Peter j. HORT, an efficient and scien-
tifc florist, is manager. 1t is astonishing
what wonderful results have been brought about
in these short months, and one to see the mag
nifcent flowers blooming there now would
think that years of hard labor had been required
to bring them to their present perfection.
With note book in hand, guided by Mr.. Hort,
FLoRDIAN reporter, few days since, wan
dered for two hours amid this magnificent floral
maze. Do you admire flowers? Then follow
us. We will first look at the roses-fully forty
varieties, several of which are new bybrids.
Among these are the Mrs John Laing," an ex-
Quisite pink perpetual; a remarkable strong
grower, very fragrant and free bloomer The
stems are long and surmounted by large size
buds. The "Silver Queen" also a perpetual,
bears flowers of a svery blush color, shaded in
the center with delicate rose pink Among the
magnificent varieties of everblOOmng roses
were noted the "Lucole," MADAME Schwaller"
and "Viscountess Folkesone," all charming va
rieties Then come a long array OF tea roses
of almost every shade OF red and yellow. But
if we nger longer over the roses we Will
not have time TO see the many other choice flow
eIS.
But what are these long rows of peculiar
plants? This is the aucuba japOniCa, and that
is Taurus nobs, both magnificent foliage plants,
the leaves of which, together with English ivy
and sago palm, are to be shipped TO Northern
markets. where they are used as decorations at
funerals.
Here is an arbor, the trailing vines of which
are four varieties of ipomea, one of which
is the beautiful bona noX, or moon flower,
which has pure White blossom, six
inches across and opens only at night. Be
meath this arbor are japonlcas, oleos and azaleas
growing in pots.
But time passeth, we can only take hurried
glance as we 60 Here is bed of amaryllis,
Towering bulb of of the lily family, the flora of
which is beautiful, and in this bed there are
many varieties. Mr.. Hort ships quantities of
the bulbs to Northern markets.
Here are four different kinds of tube roses.
And what is that peculiar looking plant: That
is the doon edue, an ornamental palm from
Mexico Oh, look at the gladiolas Twenty
FIVE different varieties aren't they beautiful:
And there that trailing vine with its superb,
rich purple star shaped blossom: That is the
clematis jackmanni And here are four differ
ent kinds OF iris, which bear large, ornamental
flowers of rich and elegantly blended coors.
Now we pass Grand Duke jasmines, great beds
of marigolds, thiry-five varieties of chrysanthe-
NUNS, coleus, lemon yerbena, improved cape
jasmines, petunias, Chinese astors of all coors,
double pinkS in protusion and Of all shades of
colors four kinds of hibiscus and other flowers
with ma mes too long TO attempt TO spell them
Here are some novelties: A late canddssima
white japonica that blooms in February; varie-
gated box elder, golden arborvila otahete or
anges variegated oranges, the leaves of which
are white and green Gamma the seed of which
were imported from Europe.
All along the fences are rows of century plants
and roses and the beds are bordered with sago
palms, the latter a beautiful ornamental plant
and specially, Mr.. HORT being prepared to sup.
ply them in any quantity Here is frame for
roofing japonica cuttings and there are long
rows of seed beds in which numerous kinds of
plants are beginning 10 peep out of the ground
and by Their side are the rose cutting beds
Then come rows OF English walnuts, Spanish
chestnuis, Japan persimmons, Kelsey plums, va
rious kinds of pears, etc But let's peep into
the
GREENHOUSES
In this one are long rows of pots each hold
ing up the graceful ronds of a sago palm; truly
a romantic picture, carrying ones mind TO tropic
lands. And in the corner, there, what is that
exquisiteiy pretty plant, The branches spreading
out, and the ironds more delicate than the finest
Tern! That is the asparagus tenussmus. the
sprays of which retain their beauty long while
alter being cut, and are extensively used as a
green blending to bouquets This corner is
filed with choice begonias and ferns. and nv
their side an Abyssinian banana lifts alofl its
graceful leaves. Here are some India-rubber
plants, the leaves of which will take roo, and
grow if stuck down in the sand. In the other
greenhouses we find many choice plants, among
which are the aspdstra, IA beautiful varieraied
ornamental plant the stephanotis floribun,la, a
native OF Madagascar, the flowers of which arc
pure white, something like a star Jasmine, and
OF delicate fragrance; varega,ed yucca; poinset-
tia pulcherrlma which at Christmas time has a
bloom surrounded by brilliant scarlet bracts ,ha,
measure twelve inches across then there. is q
peculiar plant, dracaena terminals, which will
root at every ioirt, The process OF roofing being
quite interesting and well worth a trip to Leon