Calls at Suburban Gardens. 167 



Art. III. Calls at Suburban Gardens. 



We introduce this article occasionally, chiefly for the sake of showing that 

 we are unceasing in our endeavours to procure information respecting all that 

 is going on in the gardening world. 



Nov. 14. and 15. — Called upon professionally to visit the neighbourhood 

 of Greenhithe. We were much gratified by the appearance of the cottage 

 gardens by the roadside ; in which the chrysanthemums were in fine bloom, 

 together with georginas, China roses, French and common marigolds, and, 

 owing to the mildness of the weather, many other flowers not usually blossom- 

 ing at this season. Near Shooter's Hill, we had the pleasure ofseeing the neat 

 and economical double cottages, with 2\ acres of land laid to each, built by 

 our correspondent, William BardwelI,Esq.,architect,andfiguredanddescribe"d 

 in our Kncyclopcedia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture, § 477. We were 

 much gratified with their substantial and architectural appearance ; which was 

 the more striking when contrasted with the rude hovels erected around them 

 by the occupants ; as pigsties, sheds for fuel, &c. Passing our friend Park's 

 nursery, we observed many good things in it, and an appearance of order and 

 neatness throughout. At a short distance beyond Dartford, a piece of ground 

 is now being laid out under the direction of our gifted architectural corre- 

 spondent, E. B. Lambe, Esq.; a plan of which we hope, one day, to lay before 

 our readers, as a specimen of the economical distribution of a number of 

 cottage villas over a very limited space. This space, being full of inequalities, 

 affords a fine exercise for the ingenuity of the artist. The boundary of no one 

 villa will be seen from its windows, while all of them will have a distant 

 prospect of the Thames, and of the Essex coast beyond. Respecting the 

 grounds which we were called on to look over, we shall say nothing at present, 

 farther than that they display one of the most striking instances of the effect 

 of contrast that can well be imagined. From one part of the house, which is 

 placed in an elevated situation, is seen an extensive prospect up the Thames ; 

 and from the other we look down a precipice into a wooded glen, of four or 

 five acres, the sides of which are of chalk rock, upwards of 100 feet high, and 

 crowned with lofty woods. We hope, by and by, to do justice to this place, 

 and to the ingenious young architect, Charles Morring, Esq. , who is erecting 

 a beautiful Tudor villa, in Portland stone, for the proprietor. It is seldom 

 that we find so much taste in those who profess at once to be architects and 

 builders ; but the progress of architecture and building will, we believe, lead 

 to the blending of both professions ; at least, with regard to all buildings of 

 moderate extent ; in the same manner that, in a few years, most head gar- 

 deners will be landscape-gardeners. 



Passing Messrs. Cormack and Sinclah-'s Nursery, on our return, we were 

 gratified by observing the deep reds, purples, and yellows of the still remaining 

 leaves of the oaks, acers, birches, sorbs, thorns, liquidambars, and other 

 American trees, which we are so anxious should be introduced in every park 

 and pleasure-ground. 



Nov. 27. — Colville's Nursery. The principal articles in flower were, chry- 

 santhemums, AmatyWidecB ; some forced polyanthus narcissuses, and heaths ; 

 Oncidium flexudsum, which has been in flower for several months, has now 

 a stem 11 ft. in length. Several other orchideous epiphytes are swelling 

 their seed-pods ; and the seeds of others, ripened and sown in the same house, 

 are now germinating. The milk tree (Galactodendron utile Hum.) is in a 

 thriving state, about 2 ft. high; and the stem, when very slightly pricked, gives 

 out abundance of milk. 



Knight's Exotic Nursery. Mr. Knight has just returned from a tour in 

 France and the Netherlands (p. 7.) ; where he purchased various new and 

 valuable articles. The Chinese azaleas (IX. 474.) are in a thriving state, and 

 many of them have formed blossom buds, as have the tree rhododendrons, all 

 of which will make a splendid show in the spring. In the stove, Mr. Scott 



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