Lady Grey and the Gardens at Rideau Hall 



W. T. 



WITH the departure of Lady Grey 

 from Canada lovers of flowers 

 and gardens have lost a warm 

 friend, and one who will long be missed. 

 Wherever Lady Grey went in this coun- 

 try she impressed her love of flowers upon 



Lady Grey 



those whom she met and encouraged 

 many to improve and beautify their 

 homes. During her sojourn in Canada 

 there has been a more marked develop- 

 ment in gardening than in any previous 

 period of Canada's history, and while 



Macoun, Dominion Horticulturist, Ottawa, 



there has been a number of influences at 

 work, she has played no small part in 

 bringing about the widespread interest 

 which there is to-day. 



A concrete example of the way Lady 

 Grey lent her influence was the "Lady 

 Grey Garden Awards," a garden compe- 

 tition which under her patronage has 

 been held in Ottawa for the past six con- 

 secutive years, and for three years befoi-e 

 by Lady Minto, who inaugurated it. Dur- 

 ing these nine years no less than one 

 hundred and twenty-four different gar- 

 dens have been entered in competition, 

 most of them during the past six years. 

 It is believed that this garden competi- 

 tion has done much to improve the gar- 

 dens in Ottawa. 



THE TRUE GARDENER 



The true horticulturist, however, must 

 have a garden of his own if he or she is 

 1o be of the greatest assistance to fellow 

 gardeners. In this respect Lady Grey is 

 a true gardener. Belonging to a family 

 noted for their love of flowers, she has 

 not been content to see others plan and 

 plant, but while residing at Rideau Hall 

 has done both herself. 



It has been the writer's good fortune 

 to have had many conversations on gar- 

 dening with Lady Grey and to have been 

 shown her treasures at Government 

 House by herself. What has impressed 

 me more than anything else has been her 

 knowledge of varieties and her ability 

 to remember the names of new plants. 

 How few Canadians, even among our 

 most enthusiastic horticulturists, are like 



Ont. 



her in this respect? How much more in- 

 teresting it is to know the names of the 

 species and varieties of plants we grow 

 than to merely know that they are 

 phloxes or pseonies or irises. 



The effects in a garden depend so 

 much on color, contrasts in color, and 

 the blending of colors that there is a 

 boundless field for resource in the plan- 

 ning and planting of a garden. Good 

 taste in this respect is all important in 

 gardening. It is unnecessary to say that 

 Lady Grey had this in the highest de- 

 gree and it is unfortunate that she was not 

 able to remain long enough in Canada to 

 bring about all the changes in the gar- 

 dens and grounds at Government House 

 which I know were in her mind. She had 

 in a large degree the desire which all en- 

 thusiastic horticulturists have of getting 

 new things of merit for her garden and of 

 giving to others interesting plants which 

 she had. She paid many visits to the 

 Experimental Farm to take notes on 

 plants which pleased her, and wherever 

 she went she endeavored to obtain new 

 and choice things. 



LOVED WILD FLOWERS 



Lady Grey showed an especial interest 

 in Canadian wild flowers and before she 

 left had brought together quite a large 

 number of the more ornamental species 

 at Government House. So keen was her 

 desire to see Canadian flowers growing 

 in their native wilds that she visited out 

 of the way places to do so. One instance 

 of which the writer had personal know- 

 ledge was a trip to see the showy lady's 



One of tke Flower Borders and a Portion of the Greenhouie* at Rideau Hall. 



— PboU) takuii especially for The Oanadiaii ilorticulturist . 



