240 



Prolca lonyifolia, Andr. (t. 8792), from South Africa; Govenia 

 lagenophora, Lindl. (t. 8794), a native of Mexico; Deutzia cont- 

 pacta, Craib (t. 8795), from China, and Primula tibelica, Watt 

 (t. 8796), a native of the Eastern Himalaya and Tibet. 



A Garden Flora: Nymans*. — The collection of trees and 



shrubs, formed by the late Mr. L. Messel at Nymans, has for 

 many years been well known as one of the richest in rare species 

 existing in the south of England. Mr. Messel, who died in 1915. 

 was an ardent experimenter and made a speciality of introducing 

 to his garden and acclimatising there reputedly tender and diffi- 

 cult things. Recognising the fact that many species are more 

 particularly liable to succumb to the adversities of our climate 

 whilst they are young and small, he built glasshouses where 

 tender and doubtful species could be grown on with some pro- 

 tection until they were of a size and strength to fit them for 

 planting in the open ground. He thereby gave them 



quite small plants. Mr. Messel' s successes were quite remark- 

 able, for Nymans is situated on the Forest Ridge of Sussex and 

 part of the garden is 500 ft. above sea-level. He was, for 

 instance, the first to flower Ewholhrium coccineum out of door- 

 in a garden so near to London. The present volume, a copy of 

 which lias been presented to the Kew Library, is a list of the 



etter chance of surviving than if they had been put out as 



plants grown at XyiTians. Of this list the trees and shrubs 



It Was compiled by the 



m 



owner's daughter, Miss Muriel Messel, who also contributed verj 

 interesting short notes on the more remarkable species, more 

 especially in regard to their history and belmviour at Xvmans. 

 Her work forms a valuable record and will be extremely useful 

 as a guide to planters generally, but especially to people whose 

 gardens are situated in localities where the climatic conditions 

 ipproxiuiate those of Xvmans. It is illustrated with ten draw- 

 ings of rare trees and shrubs by Mr. Alfred Parsons, R.A., and 

 is most admirably printed on beautiful paper. Had Mis- Messel 

 lived to see the publication of her work, she could have been 

 congratulated on producing a verv pleasant and attractive, as 

 well as useful, volume: unhappily she succumbed to an attack 

 of influenza last December. The book is inscribed to her father's 

 memory, but it is pleasant to feel also that it will keep in long 

 remembrance a young and charming personality cut off in the 

 flower of her age. w. j. b. 



* A Garden Flora. Trees and Flowers grown in the gardens at Nymans 

 by L. Messel. 1*1*0-1915. With illustrations by Alfred Parsons. Foreword 

 by W. Robinson. Notes by Muriel Messel. Published at the offices of 

 44 Country Life." 



