168 Calls at Suburban Gardens. 



pointed out to us that the dependent fibres from the epiphytes all pointed to 

 the nearest wall, except when they were fixed to a pot or a piece of wood ; 

 in which case they adhered to the solid material. The cause of their pointing 

 to the wall, Mr. Scott supposed to be the principle of attraction of gravitation. 



In the Fulham Nursery, the fine large specimen of the Fulham oak (which 

 is the original tree) still retains all its leaves, and these continue to be of a 

 deep green colour, while the American oaks have lost their leaves. The 

 _4rundo Z)6nax, or Italian reed, has here withstood the last three winters, in- 

 stead of dying down to the ground, as is generally the case when the weather 

 is very severe. The plant now presents a series of bamboo-looking rods, 

 from 5 ft. to 15 ft. in height, having altogether a very Oriental appearance. 

 We would strongly recommend this reed as a lawn plant, for appropriate 

 situations, in extensive grounds, or for adding to the interest of those multum 

 in parvo gardens which are generally found in suburban streets. In these 

 latter gardens, appropriate situations are out of the question ; they are more 

 to be considered as museums of living plants ; since within a plot of a few 

 square yards may frequently be seen the cedar of Mount Libanus, the 

 swamp cedar, the rhododendron of North America, the yucca from the same 

 country, and the aucuba, and cydonia of Japan, the lilac of Persia, with the 

 arbutus of Ireland and Italy, &c. This is all very proper, and consistent 

 with the idea of every ornamental garden being a museum of greater or less 

 extent, according to the space it affords and the means of the proprietor. 



The Villa of Horsley Palmer, Esq., at Parsons Green, Fulham. Mr. Perkins's 

 mode of heating by hot water, adopted here in 1831 (see IX. 202.), con- 

 tinues to give perfect satisfaction. The houses were in beautiful order, and, 

 with the conservatory at the mansion, exhibited a splendid display of chrysan- 

 themums. Several camellias were in flower, including Press's eclipse. Cana- 

 rina Campanula, trained in the form of a cone to the height of five feet, dis- 

 played a great many of its bell-shaped flowers, terminating the lateral shoots 

 like the bells of a Chinese pagoda. This most elegant plant is too much 

 neglected. When well cultivated, it is capable of being rendered an object of 

 very great beauty and also one of curiosity. We intend to revisit this place in 

 the spring. 



Clarence Lodge, Hodgson, Esq. The conservatory is, as usual, in 



beautiful order, and very splendid. Some of the acacias form large and hand- 

 some trees, and will soon be covered with bloom, which they will retain 

 all the winter. The view from the garden front of the house, over a valley, 

 is agreeable ; but the system of walks on that side is not good, and every 

 thing on the entrance front is, in our opinion, decidedly bad. 



The Hammersmith Nursery. Upwards of forty varieties of chrysanthemums 

 are in bloom, but none of them luxuriantly so. Various reasons prevented 

 Mr. Cornelius from attending to them sufficiently, but he has promised to 

 produce a very superior display next season. Chimonanthus fragrans, on a 

 western exposure, is thickly covered with blossom buds, many of which are 

 already expanded, and perfume the air for some distance round. It is per- 

 fectly astonishing to us, that, after all which we have said in favour of this 

 plant, it should be so little known and cultivated. It is as hardy as the 

 common privet, and therefore ought to be in every street garden ; whereas it is 

 not in one in five thousand. One plant, trained against a house in the way 

 that vines, jasmines, and the Virginian creepers commonly are, would remain 

 in bloom from December till March, supplying blossoms for perfuming the 

 rooms within, every day during that period. When the chimonanthus ceased 

 flowering, perfume might be supplied by pots of hyacinths, violets, or migno- 

 nette ; while Caprifolium italicum and chinense (Lonicera flexuosa), the flowers 

 of the latter of which are among the sweetest of the English gardens, come into 

 bloom in May, and continue till September. 



