436 



JOITRNAL OF HOETICtrLTTJEE AND COTTAGE GAEDEISrEE. 



[ Decemlier 1, 1863, 



\^e had ever seen, grown in large boxes to resemble Orange 

 trees, and vieing in si2e with the largest Orange trees im- 

 ported at times firom Italy and the south of France — such as 

 may be seen at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, and Holland House, 

 Kensington. Set at regular intervals of from 70 to 80 feet 

 apart by the sides of the walk, the deception, as to Orange 

 trees, when looked at from a distance was complete, and 

 they were even more beautiful in winter than in summer. 

 The teiTible frost of 1860 and 18G1, however, settled their 

 beauty, the elevation of the roots in the boxes no doubt 

 rendering theii- destruction more easy. Nearly two years 

 ago very nice plants were obtained from Messrs. Lane, of 

 Berkhampstead, which now average (and the plants ai-e 

 very much aUke), 5 feet in height of clear stem, and 4^ feet 

 in diameter of head, and all look healthy and vigorous. 

 The mode of planting by Mr. Henderson, as likely to guard 

 against severe frost, is worthy of especial notice. To keep 

 up the idea of Orange trees, boxes are stiU used. These 

 are very neat, 3 feet 8 inches on the square, and 1 foot 

 10 inches deep, with 10 inches of stone below that, on wliich 

 the bottomless boxes rest. The plants, then, were carefully 

 planted in the ground, the soil rising as high only as the 

 top of the stonework and not at all into the box. At present, 

 to keep up the deception the box is filled with fern, so that 

 a visitor that did not know otherwise would think it was 

 merely used as mulching. A false bottom of slate is to be 

 put across near the top of the box, and that covered with 

 soil will give the idea that the planting has t.aken place in 

 the usual way. Security and appeai-anees, and, perhaps, 

 giving in to a prejudice, hai-mless, however, will be combined. 

 The boxes are jJaced on the lawn by the sides of the walks. 

 There are thi-ee dozen in aU, nine on each side of the wide 

 central walk, and nine along each of the two longitudinal 

 walks on the side next the panel gardens. They are so 

 regulated that a box stands near the corner of each of the 

 cross walks. 



The raised side terraces of these gardens are embellished 

 and enhvened with massive seats, statuary, and vases ; but 

 the most conspicuous of such objects, in an artistic point of 

 view, is a colossal group of bronze statuary at the end of the 

 middle walk, close to the lake, representing the triumph of 

 Perseus over Medusa, the only sister among the di-ead 

 Gorgons that was subject to mortality, and whose very look 

 tamed aU who beheld it into stone. And no wonder, for the 

 severed head held in the hand of Perseus has not only 

 serpents entwined in the hair, but every drop of blood as it 

 oozes out becomes a serjjent, and thus enough of them are 

 the whole, with their progeny, to keep in countenance the 

 fable, and enable them to spread over the whole of Africa. 

 We iH-esume there will be little difference of opinion as to 

 this statuary when looked at by the eye of the anatomist, 

 the sculptor, or the painter, and yet from the jar it gave our 

 oiSTi susceptibilities we might question its fitness for the 

 position in which it is placed. We seemed instinctively to 

 long for a gi-oup of the Graces ; something like the statue 

 on the bin, to commemorate family honoiu-s; something 

 oir anything calculated to arouse thoughts of peace, hope, 

 goodness, and happiness, as more in accordance than 

 "Gorgons dire," with the elegant refinement and beauty 

 of these gardens, and the charms of the clear, placid lake, 

 with its side background of ancient Oaks, not only speaking 

 of the past, but in their health and luxuriance inviting us 

 to look forward to the " good times coming," which no 

 doubt they wiU be privileged to witness. 



The waters of this fine lake consisted originally of the 

 stream of the Trent, an-ested by means of an embankment 

 thrown across the lower end, but in floods so much mud was 

 canied in, that silting-up seemed merely a question of time. 

 To remedy this, Mr. Fleming undertook the onerous task of 

 changing the course of the river, and supplying the lake from 

 a clear rivulet, and this also enabled him to drain a mias- 

 matic marsh of many acres, and turn it into part of the 

 extensive pleasure gi-ounds. Neither he nor Mr. Henderson, 

 however, with all their care, have been able to eradicate the 

 dread American Waterweed, which is threatening to take 

 possession of oiu- best sheets of water, and become a nuisance 

 ajid a hindi-ance in all water-communications by canal or 

 river. It is, however, pretty well kept under at Trentham; 

 but we fear there is little chance of completely eradicating it, 

 unless the bottom and sides were thoroughly macadanused 



and concreted, as at Carton, and no mud allowed to accu- 

 mulate. 



With two or three unconnected remarks we wiU for the 

 present bid good-bye to Trentham. Ffrst, as respects visitors 

 to gardens. Through Mr. Henderson's great kindness we 

 were enabled to take a leisurely survey, and obtained fr-om 

 him all the information we asked for. The suggestiveness 

 of much as to valuable practical details wiU be our apology 

 for this Ul-aiTanged lengthened outline of the place. The 

 being treated as a privileged person, and not as a mere 

 casual visitor, rendered it possible for us to do so. Aa far 

 as we know, there is no objection to visitors ; but then when 

 they are so numerous as at Trentham, the time allowed for 

 parties in general must be very bniited — little more than a 

 quiet walk tlu-ough. In places far less than Trentham we 

 have heard of endless complaints on tliis score, especially 

 from people who had come from long distances. In the latter 

 case it would always be advisable to make a distinct ai'rance- 

 ment beforehand. Even in rather small places there is 

 also often something like a giievance because jjarties are 

 not attended by the gardener. Come when they will, they 

 expect he wiU be in readiness to receive them. If the gar- 

 dener were to intrude upon them when particidarly engaged 

 that would be quite a different thing. No class of men 

 have done so much as gardeners to oblige and serve the 

 public, and often with scant courtesy for then- trouble. The 

 public should never get so much attention as to interfere 

 with duty to the employer, who Jiays the gardener for his 

 services. If general visitors are attended by any one de- 

 puted for that office, they should be content and thankful. 

 No attempts should be made to interfere with the time oi* 

 the engagements of the gardener in such ch-cumstances. Oa 

 this account, too, none but private friends should intrude 

 as garden visitors after working hoiu-s. We candidly state- 

 that for next to perfect strangers we have lost many even- 

 ings from this practice, because we could not pleasantly say 

 No, and have had to make up by want of sleep in conse- 

 quence. In all jjopular gardens in densely-jjeopled neigh- 

 bourhoods, it is a good jjlau for gardenei-s and for visitors 

 to have a few days or afternoons in summer set apart in 

 which visitors are admitted without attendance. In such 

 cases visitors should rigidly confine themselves to the de- 

 partments thus free of access to them, aud scrupulously 

 refrain from aU that is forbidden. The regulation-breakers 

 are only confined to a few of the "fast" order, who think it 

 makes them big and Uke gentlemen — save the mark ! — to 

 show off their airs and woidd-be independence, for which the 

 best reward would be a good ducking in a horse-pond, to take 

 their starched bad manners out of them. Mind, we know 

 nothing of the conduct of visitors at Trentham, except what 

 is right ; but the numbers that resort there have brought 

 these ideas to our mind and our pen. It is always a mis- 

 fortune when the misdeeds of a unit or two tend to deprive 

 thousands of worthy people of a privilege and a pleasure. 



Secondly. Though in many places we have seen finer 

 trees and plantations, and bolder and more striking scenery 

 than at Trentham, it would be difficult or next to impossible 

 to find any jjlace at aU comparable in size, or, indeed, of 

 any size, where a gi-eater attention is evinced to order, neat- 

 ness, and superior culture in every department. That 

 attention is seen in everything, from a Pine Apple down to 

 an annual Candytuft. This is aU done with the greatest 

 attention to economy, the £ s. d. matter is kept steadily in 

 the foreground. No doubt Mr. Henderson has advantages in, 

 having his own work -horses, &c., and being thus far indepen- 

 dent of beseeching for help in this way ; but stUl there can 

 be no question that many in small places would here gain 

 valuable lessons on economics, and the undesu-ableness of 

 having even one corner which they woidd be ashamed for 

 other people to see. The pecuUar- mode of management 

 .adopted, there being no foreman properly speaking, must 

 requii-e from the superintendent an amount of energy, bodily 

 and mental, constant thought, and never-ceasing cai'e, of 

 wliich none can form a correct idea, except they who have 

 been placed in similar circumstances and under such weighty 

 responsibiUties. 



And once more. But for exercising too much liberty, we 

 might direct the attention of oui' younger bretliren to the 

 superintendent of these gardens, as another evidence of 

 what can be aceompUshed in surmounting difficulties by 



