44 



IRISH GARDENING 



The Training of a Lady 

 Gardener. 



Bv Miss M. A. Ckosbik. 



Till'; subject is a very large one for a short 

 article. My intention is to deal liriefly with the 

 training- advisable for girls who inteiid to make 

 their living by gardening; those who wish to take it up 

 as a hobby would probably learn quite enough by 

 working and studying the plants in their own gardens, 

 by looking at other gardens, and by getting help from 

 gardening friends — not to mention all the good books 

 now to be obtained on every phase of the subject. 



A large proportion of the students at horticultural 

 colleges do not intend to use the knowledge obtained 

 there as a means of livelihood. There is the sociability 

 entailed by so many girls living together and all the 

 variety afforded by such a community, so that to many 

 the gardening is by no means the sole attraction of 

 their time at college. This fact is, I fancy, partly 

 responsible for the dislike with which many regard 

 some of the horticultural colleges. Also, formerly, a 

 student entirely trained at a college was probably 

 much more efficient in theory than in practice. This 

 has been remedied ; but I would never advise a girl to 

 begin and end her training at a college. 



Health, strength, and a liking for the work are 

 essential, as the work is hard and hours as a rule long; 

 but there is no doubt that for a strong girl the life is 

 both healthy and exceedingly interesting. There is 

 one thing that cannot be too strongly impressed upon 

 any intending gar-dener, and that is — that the training 

 she gets must be thorough and practical. .\11 through 

 her training she must remember that it is not enough 

 to see even elementary things done, she inust do them 

 herself. For instance, she may think, and rightly too, 

 that when her training is finished and she lakes a post 

 she need not do any digging, but it is useless for her 

 to attempt to show others how to dig when she cannot 

 do it herself. Also, she must keep her eyes open, ask 

 questions about anything she doesn't thoroughly under- 

 stand, and take copious and careful notes. 



There are three main branches in which posts mai| be 

 got, to choose from (i) teaching in schools or lecturing ; 

 (2) gardening in private places ; (i,) market gardening 

 or any form of nursery work. 



She would require a certain amount of special training 

 for any of these branches, but no matter which branch 

 she intends to take up, a year, or if possible two years, 

 should first be spent by her in general work in any 

 large garden which is well managed, where she would 

 get experience in fruit, flower, vegetable and indoor 

 work. If she has two years to spare, the first year 

 would be best spent in one garden, so as to see the 

 complete round of the seasons there. If she has a 

 second ye;ir, or even six months, she ought to go to 

 another garden as far as possible from the previous 

 one, where she would be working among plants grown 

 under different conditions of soil, situation, and climate, 

 which will entail some change in the tre.atnient of them. 



VV'ith regard to this, many owners of large places 

 could be of great assistance by taking one or two 

 girls at a time as apprentices and giving them the 

 opporttniity of learning a great deal in a very practical 



way. There is no reason why the owner should be put 

 to any inconvenience or bothered an\' more bv a lady 

 working in their garden than by an ordinary journey- 

 man apprentice ; as a matter of fact, in many large 

 places the owner is only in residence for a few months 

 in the year. I think if owners realised the enormous 

 advantage it would be to many girls they would 

 willingly allow them into their gardens. 



A course of study at the Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 

 owing to the kindness of Sir Frederick Moore, is open 

 to two ladies every year. The large collection of 

 plants and the all-round excellence of the garden 

 management afford unique opportunities to any would- 

 be gardetier who is fortunate enough to obtain a 

 vacancy. Sir Frederick Moore spares no trouble that 

 his pupils may have ever}' facility of using their time to 

 the best advantage. A year spent at Glasnevin would 

 be a year well spent. 



When this general portion of her training is over she 

 will have to go where she can obtain the special 

 knowledge for the sort of work she means to lake up, 

 and which she thinks would suit her best. 



There are perhaps more openings in the way of 

 teaching and lecturing than in any other branch of the 

 profession. Most schools now have their gardens 

 under the care of a qualified teacher under whom the 

 pupils work, and from whom they learn horticulture 

 and botany. If she decides on this particular line, one 

 of the horticultural colleges would be the best place 

 to complete her training ; and if she has made the most 

 of her previous practical work, she can devote herself 

 now more to the theoretical side of the subject and to 

 botany, and also attend indoor lectures, which will be 

 most useful to her in the future when she will have to 

 lecture to a class herself. She ought to get the Royal 

 Horticultural Society's Certificate, as it would be great 

 help in getting her a good post. 



Posts held by women as gardeners in private places 

 are as yet comparatively few. But as time goes on, and 

 employers get used to the idea, suitable openings in 

 this direction will probably increase. If this is her 

 object, after the first two j'ears spent in general work 

 she ought, if she has done well, be capable of taking 

 a post as forewoman or assistant under a head lady gar- 

 dener, and in course of time, when she has had more 

 experience, advance to head herself; but she must be 

 content with small beginnings. There are modifications 

 and offshoots of this work — temporary jobs, such as 

 giving advice on gardens, planning and carrying out 

 alterations, overseeing pruning operations, &c. In- 

 teresting and varied work, and of a kind particularlv 

 fitted for women to undertake, as it gives scope for 

 originality and tasteful ideas in planning improvements, 

 S;c., and, when a connection has been established, 

 remunerative. 



For this sonu' knowletlge o( l.-indscape gartlening and 

 the laying out of ground is necessary. There are, in 

 England, several places that make a speciality of this, 

 and at which courses of varying length can be taken. 

 However, it would be most inadvisable for any girl, 

 without exceptional talotit in that direction, to devote 

 herself to landscape work. 



The third branch, market or nurserj- gardening, is 

 carried out very successfully in many places by women. 

 It perhaps ent.iils the hardest work. If market work 



