254 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 3, 1867. 



mentioned that siicb things endured the severe frost while 

 growing on the margins of a lake, we may be sure they are 

 tolerably hardy. 



In looking over these specimens with Mr. Don, the very 

 intelligent manager of the gardens, it was interesting to 

 see the different effect which the soil of Bedgebnry had on the 

 growth of the various species as compared with that of Liu- 

 ton. Some that are at the latter place in the grenteet luxuri- 

 ance, were evidently not at home at Bedgehury, while such as 

 Abies Douglasii seem to thrive at Bedgebury, while it may 

 be said only merely to live at Lfnton. The cause is ob- 

 vious enough — the Uixuriauco of the Heath and Bracken Fern 

 denotes the soil at once. Neither is found at Linton, and can 

 only be made to grow by means of imported material. Most 

 of the Linton specimens are growing where lime prevails, a 

 substance diametrically opposed to peat, and the wonder why 

 plants do not thrive equally well in both soils ceases at once. 

 But apart from the Pinuses found on the margins of the lake, 

 and backward some distance in the wood, there are specimens 

 also in the dressed grounds. The soil of these differs in some 

 degree from that of the position just described, being more of 

 a ferruginous than of a calcareous nature, and is, consequently, 

 favoiirable to the growth of that class of plants of which the 

 Rhododendron may be said to be the type, for that shrub is 

 met with in the greatest luxuiianceat every turning. The lake 

 itself being quite artificial, masses of Rhododendrons are em- 

 ployed to screen the dams and waterfalls which are necessary, 

 the inclination of the stream down the vallej' being too much 

 to have the water all in one sheet, but it is very well regulated 

 as to its sinuous shore-line ; and at those places where a fall 

 cannot be avoided, judicious planting shuts out from view ail 

 that is objectionable. The lake occupies several acres, and 

 in its lower compartment an island of Rhododendrons of ap- 

 parently about half au acre in extent, must be very lovely 

 when in bloom, and the rising banks on tlie opposite side 

 being, as before described, of wild Heath 3 or 4 feet high, 

 must, when in bloom, present a mass of flowers to which our 

 most highly cultivated flower-beds can bear no comparison, 

 while the sombre Scotch Firs recall the mind to scenes in which 

 Hops and fruit orchards are things unknown, yet a few minutes' 

 ride brings the visitor into intimate association with these 

 emblems of high cultivation. Leaving, therefore, the lake and 

 its various surroundings, let us retrace our steps and make a 

 more intimate acquaintance with the objects that require cul- 

 tivation, and examine more in detail the contents of that all- 

 important adjunct to country dwellings, great and small, the 

 kitchen garden. 



Perhaps there is no feature in connection witli the mansions 

 of our gentry and nobilitj', which shows more pointedly than 

 anything else the additions that have been made to it from time 

 to time, than the kitchen garden. When it becomes necessary 

 to enlarge a mansion, means are taken to harmonise the new 

 part with the old, and when the boundary of the pleasure 

 ground fence is pushed further out into the park, the annexed 

 portion is quickly made to assume the polished aspect of the 

 other ; hut generally speaking, a kitchen garden is walled round, 

 and against these walls glass and other structures are often 

 reared, or where not so, fruit trees are trained ; so that when it 

 is found out that the kitchen garden and its appurtenances are 

 too small, its enlargement can only be accomplished by adding 

 a piece on the other side of the wall — another garden, in fact, 

 having no connection with No. 1 but by the door. Now, 

 Bedgebury is no exception to a rule tliat is exemplified in quite 

 one-half the large gardens in this country, for additions have 

 been made from time to time, and houses and pits built in 

 places well adapted, it is trne, for the well-being of the subjects 

 cultivated, but not near enough each other to produce a striking 

 effect as a whole. There is a range of vineries broad and 

 lofty, with the iron curvilinear roof, so strongly advocated 

 thirty or thirty-five years ago, occupying a suitable site against 

 a south wall, and excellent Grapes were hanging in abundance, 

 protected from the inroads of wasps by a framework of per- 

 forated zinc over the ventilators ; and a door frame of the same 

 material opening the reverse w,ay to the glass one, which was 

 fastened back, gave ample ventilation in that way as well. The 

 credit of this arrangement, which answeis admirably, I believe 

 was due to Mr. Don. In another place a span-roofed stove wag 

 well filled with such plants as are most useful when stove 

 plants properly are of most value — that is, in winter. Fine- 

 foliaged and flowering plants of various sizes, with some choice 

 •reepers overhanging the roof, gave proof that at the fitting 

 time the contents would be in order. A Camellia-honse 



with plants in it, such as a writer in this Journal described 

 as being likely to conceal a bullock, showed also that at the 

 fitting time au almost inexhaustible supply of bloom might 

 be expected, while on the shelves the flowering plants of the 

 present season were fairly represented. One I noticed as 

 being particularly well grown, which it seldom is elsewhere, 

 was Tritonia aurea, and on inquiry of ]\Ir. Don, he attributed 

 its success to the jilant not being too often disturbed. This 

 seems a very probable cause, for, like the Iris, and some other 

 plants, its bulbs would seem to do better when let alone than 

 when annually shifted — much the same, I suppose, as the Lily 

 of the Valley, which also dislikes change. In another apan- 

 roofed house, or rather pit. were Cucumber plants turned out 

 for winter bearing, while ranges of lean-to pits gave token that 

 in early spring there was much to look after. Mr. Don, how- 

 ever, had adopted a very wise precaution. All these ranges of 

 pits had a hot-water pipe run through them, so that the trouble 

 of daily covering in severe weather, as well as the uncertainty 

 of it, was obviated, and one of the compartments of some 60 or 

 80 feet long, with ample breadth, I observed, was filled with 

 bedding Pelargonium cuttings of the most popular kinds, not 

 in pots or boxes, but stuck into the ground, where I was told 

 they would remain all winter, and be taken up and potted in 

 March. A double row of four-inch pipes along the front afforded 

 an ample amount of heat, and told the secret of their doing so 

 well. The same plan, I believe, is adopted at other places 

 where the same means exist, and I have seen it myself at 

 Dalkeith, and once heard of its being tried without the aid of 

 fire heat at all ; but the result was disastrous to bedding Pelar- 

 goniums, although Verbenas and many other plants did not 

 do amiss. Other pits at Bedgebury were occupied with cuttings 

 of various plants ; and potted plants for winter and spring de- 

 coration, such as Chinese Primulas, Cinerarias, and a good 

 batch of Poinsettia pulcherrima, in another place, indicated that 

 winter as well as spring was thought of. 



I have describeil the kitchen garden as being some little dis- 

 tance to the west of the mansion, screened from it by high trees 

 and shrubs. Its southern side, however, is connected with 

 the dressed ground by an intervening plot of ground, which 

 Mr. Don uses as a sort of nursery. In this were several speci- 

 mens of I'inus not sufficiently large to plant out yet, as well as 

 some of the more scarce and recently imported ones, together 

 with plants of other kinds ; for I may observe that Mr. Don, true 

 to the science with which his name is so intimately associated, 

 prefers a botanical to a floral collection, and it is only ne- 

 cessary to point to one of the most popular of our catalogues of 

 plants, of which he was the author, to prove his being a botanist 

 of high standing. Nevertheless, his knowledge of flowers in the 

 view taken of them by professed florists, is not the less sound, 

 and both are cultivated with success. Amongst other subjects 

 in this nursery I observed several species of the Grasses, 

 some very ornamental, and the more so by being grouped to- 

 gether; several alpiuo plants, a quantity of early- flowering 

 annuals, and other hardy plants for the spring orntimentation 

 of the flower-beds; and several singular-looking plants, well 

 known to Mr. Don years before they had become so popular in 

 fashionable gardens. One plant I was particularly struck with, 

 though not growing here, but in one of the compartments in 

 the parterre along with Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, and the 

 like; it was Al)n>nia nmbellata, an annual very much like a 

 Verbena in habit and flower, which Mr. Don said had in years 

 gone by dune so well with him ; its lovely pink flower might 

 easily be taken for a Verbena at the distance. Beds of Phlox 

 Drummondii also proved how well the heathy soil suited them, 

 for nothing could exceed their beauty and health ; while Asters 

 and other things represented the most showy of our autumnal 

 flowers in suitable corners. This nursery, or preparing ground, 

 however, was more devoted to botanical than to floral objects. 

 In another place, or rather in a secluded corner of it, a myriad 

 of hand-lights with sand lying about told that propagating was 

 going on. This I had not time to examine, but from the num- 

 ber of Cypresses, Retinosporas, Thujas, Wellingtonias, and 

 other plants met with everywhere, a considerable amount of 

 work has been done here in years gone by, and is being still 

 carried on. 



Bedgebury, however, has its drawbacks as well as advantages, 

 and in the garden department there is, I believe, no lack of 

 water such as Mr. Fish has occasion to lament about in dry 

 seasons, for I am told the supply is good ; hut gravel of good 

 quality fur walks is not to be had. A fine-looking gravel of a 

 shingly character is brought from a long distance for some of 

 the walks on the parterre, terrace, and other important parts, 



