5 MAY 1950, Page 20

In the Garden In visiting a country-house garden (thrown open

under an admirable scheme) I noticed one bed that seemed to me rarely ingenious. It con- sisted of tree peonies and early tulips. The middle leaves of the peonies " half revealed and half-concealed " the tall and gorgeous tulips and would completely ennoble the bed when tulip time was over. The money made on these visiting days now goes in part to the National Trust towards keeping up the splendid gardens that continually fall into the beneficent hands of the Trust, which is poorer than it ought to be.

W. BEACH THOMAS