532 Gardens of the Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert. 



surround it, and are rich in rhodendrons, azaleas, kalmias, &c, 

 together with the most choice irises, African gladioli, and hy- 

 brids of the greatest variety and beauty, which may be sought 

 for in vain elsewhere. In front of the stove and green-house, 

 the borders are filled with the most choice bulbs, as crinums, 

 amaryllis, pancratiums, cyrtanthus, cannas, &c, which bloom 

 in such perfection as few green-houses, or even hot-houses, 

 ean boast. Here are also beautiful rock plants and many 

 choice aquatics, with gold fishes, in a small pond. The noble 

 curvilinear conservatory (which opens into a drawing-room) 

 seems to be admirably managed, if we may judge from the 

 luxuriance and size of the Australian and Cape acacias, lipa- 

 rias, beaufortias, melaleucas, leucadendrons, and other choice 

 shrubs, with which it is planted : along the front glasses is 

 a raised border, 2 to 3 ft. broad, in which are planted many 

 splendid creepers and climbers, as platylobiums, glycines, ken- 

 nedias, and choice calceolarias, salpiglossis, heaths, elichry- 

 sums, crotolarias, &c. &c. The stove is entirely a botanical 

 one, and is literally crammed with rare and curious plants, in- 

 cluding the beautiful ixoras, bignonias, hibiscus, passifloras ; 

 and at each end are a number of Orchideae, parasites, epi- 

 phytes, &c, such as Dendrobium, Epidendron, &c, some 

 growing in baskets, some in pots, and others in the stumps of 

 old trees ; many of these are not to be found in any other place 

 in England. The green-house joins the stove : in it are 

 numerous camellias of extraordinary size and beauty, and 

 many hybrids raised from seed by Mr. Herbert ; and the tribe 

 of ixias, gladioli, &c, on the raised border is endless. The 

 bulb-house communicates with the green-house, and is so full 

 of every variety of exotic bulbs that it is not easy to pass 

 them. In this house are also very fine plants of Strelitzm, and 

 Gloriosa superba ; several plants of that singular genus Man- 

 tisia saltatoria, or opera girls ; and on the rafters some beauti- 

 ful and rare climbing plants. Beyond the bulb-house is the 

 heathery, in which many of the better varieties of those hand- 

 some plants, and some hybrids, &c, are found, as well as a 

 numerous assemblage of mesembryanthema, cacti, pelargo- 

 niums, &c. 



The borders and beds in the garden have every thing rare 

 and curious, from the superb magnolia to the Neapolitan 

 violet. 



The site of the kitchen-garden is not good ; nevertheless it 

 appears to be highly productive. There is a small flued pit, 

 in which a few grapes, pines, and melons are grown. On the 

 whole, Mr. Herbert's collection cannot fail to please any one 

 fond of plants ; but I regret one thing that truth obliges me 



