CORNISH GARDENS 



CORNISH gardens have a character of their own, and are Character- 

 absolutely dissimilar to such as are generally to be met istics of 

 with over the greater part of England. In the latter the Cornish 

 main effect is usually gained by the bedding-out of tender plants, Q ar( J ens 

 such as zonal Pelargoniums, Calceolarias and Lobelias, which 

 have to be kept under glass during the winter months, though 

 good herbaceous borders and rock gardens are also often present. 

 In the best Cornish gardens bedding-out is practically unknown, 

 and carpet-bedding is, fortunately, conspicuous by its absence. 

 With the marvellously mild temperature enjoyed by the southern 

 shore of Cornwall, along which the warm tide of the Gulf- 

 Stream slowly glides, numbers of rare and tender plants from all 

 portions of the globe can be grown in the open, unprotected, and 

 this possibility is largely taken advantage of in the district, where 

 natives of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific 

 Islands, Burmah, the Himalayas, Chili and other South American 

 countries may be seen growing in the open in the best of health. 

 Curiously enough, extremely little is known of Cornish 

 gardens in this country, even by flower-lovers. Here and 

 there one may be found who is familiar with them and 

 their treasures, but to the majority they are a sealed book, 

 whose contents are unknown. Many interested in gardening 

 read with delight accounts of sub-tropical plants growing in 

 their native lands, and experience a wish to make a voyage 

 to their homes in order to view them, quite ignorant of the 

 fact that by taking a six hours' journey from Paddington they 



