Gardens in the Lake District. 521 



Art. III. Remarks on certain Gardens in the Lake District, and 

 on cultivating a Taste for Gardening among Cottagers generally. 

 By Joshua Major, Esq., Landscape-Gardener. 



Sir, 



I was glad to observe, in the Gardener's Magazine (Vol. VII. 

 p. 525.), your particular notice of the gardens of Mrs. Starkey, 

 and of the village of Bowness, while on your tour in the Lake 

 district. It may appear superfluous to touch on this sub- 

 ject, after your remarks upon it, but too much cannot be said 

 in favour of examples like that of Mrs. Starkey ; and I am 

 tempted to persuade myself that the ladies generally will 

 pardon me, when I appeal to them to suffer a portion of their 

 benevolence to be similarly devoted. Might not many im- 

 portant objects be accomplished, by ladies, in conjunction with 

 their pastors, frequently visiting poor villagers, to ascertain 

 their general wants ; to assist them in times of need ; to see 

 that the rising families have moral and religious instruction ; 

 to provide small libraries of useful books; and, at proper 

 periods, to establish horticultural meetings, either confined to 

 one village, or belonging to two or three collected together, 

 for the exhibition of horticultural produce, and for rewarding 

 the best productions ? These meetings to be conducted by 

 the upper gardeners, together with any other suitable persons, 

 who might provide the villagers with plants, seeds, &c, for 

 their gardens. Attention paid to the poor in this way could 

 not fail to produce in their minds a proper respect towards 

 their benefactors ; and its success would constitute a triumph 

 of knowledge over ignorance, of virtue over vice, and of 

 happiness over misery. Instead of the cottager indulging 

 himself in sloth and drunkenness, we should see his leisure 

 hours spent in his garden ; his pleasure would be in the com- 

 pany of his wife and children ; and his anxiety, that they 

 should share with him in all the domestic comforts that could 

 be afforded. 



Having been called to the Lake district on professional 

 business, a few weeks after your call at Bowness, I had the 

 pleasure of waiting upon Mrs. Starkey, whom I found in the 

 village streets, with her pruning-knife in her hand, divesting 

 the laurels of their useless leaves and branches, while her 

 gardener was training them against the village walls. Mrs. 

 Starkey kindly left her employment, and showed me over her 

 grounds, which are not extensive, but which reflect much 

 credit both upon their liberal proprietress and on her gar- 

 dener, for their superior keeping. They exhibited a splendid 

 show of border flowers, green-house plants, and valuable 



