August IS, It 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



183 



from Asia Minor, and to whom we are already in- 

 debted for I. lupina I. reticulata var. sophenensis, 

 a very distinct variety of I. persica, and indirectly 

 for other Irises which I believe will prove to be new. 

 M. F. 



Scotland. 



HORTICULTURE AT WEMYSS BAY. 



The beauties of the scenery at Wemyss Bay are 

 well known to the ordinary tourist who visits this 

 famous part of the Clyde during his summer holi- 

 days. The several Guidebooks which he may con- 

 sult give every particular that may be of interest to 

 visitors who come to the district for the purpose of 

 admiring the features of as charmingly varied a 

 landscape as may be found in the United Kingdom. 

 The horticultural tourist, however, has been alto- 

 gether ignored in these Guidebooks. Any indica- 

 tion of what is professionally interesting to the 

 gardener on holiday finds no place in them — a short- 

 coming which I commend to the consideration of 

 their compilers, with the view to its amendment in 

 future issues. 



Readers of the Gardeners' Chronicle who may find 

 themselves in Glasgow for the first time will, if 

 leisure permit, be sure to find their way to Wemyss 

 Bay, the distance to which, from Bridge Street 

 Station, Glasgow, is about 28 miles. The route is 

 chiefly parallel to, and for the greater part of the 

 way is in view of the River Clyde, affording the 

 traveller a fine panorama of the beautiful scenery of 

 Scotland's most celebrated river. The first place of 

 horticultural interest on arriving at Wemyss Bay 

 Station is 



Wemyss House, 

 the marine residence of George Burns, Esq., one 

 of the founders of the world-famed Cunard line of 

 steamers. It is one of the most picturesque and in- 

 teresting of the many remarkable residences to be 

 found on either side of the Firth of Clyde. The en- 

 trance to the grounds lies to the left from the rail- 

 way station about half a mile and only some 30 or 

 40 yards from the shore. The house stands a few 

 feet above high-water mark at one end of a narrow 

 almost level lawn of considerable length, the latter 

 being fringed and interspersed with fine clumps of 

 evergreen and flowering trees and shrubs, among 

 which were such things as Escallonia macrantha, 

 choice Rhododendrons, Olearia, Ceanothus, Clematis, 

 &c, luxuriating and blooming profusely. 



Almost perpendicular from the landward edge of 

 this lawn rises a background of rock to the height of 

 about 112 feet. Viewed from below there is nothing 

 to suggest anything but crags tastefully clothed with 

 shrubs and trees : Austrian Pines, Pernettias, Escal- 

 lonia macrantha, the latter at the time of my visit 

 being literally ablaze with the masses of its shining 

 red flowers — Cupressus, Retinosporas, and manv 

 other choice shrubs and deciduous trees inter- 

 mingling with each other in easy natural fashion. 

 No one looking on the towering height from below 

 could possibly imagine that all this wealth of ar- 

 boreal growth is a skilfully contrived screen to con- 

 ceal the existence of a score or more of surprises in 

 the shape of irregular terraces cut out of the solid 

 rock, bowered walks, grottos, flower gardens in which 

 only such choice herbaceous perrenials or alpine 

 plants as harmonise with the features around, 

 Roses, and dwarf alpine shrubs, are permitted 

 a place. From every change of elevation and 

 position is obtained a fresh and interesting view of 

 the lovely landscape, which spreads out in such 

 breadth and variety to the south, the east, and the 

 west. The access to these terraces is by a series of 

 flights of steps from the western end of the lawn, 

 and from the eastern end by zigzag walks of easy 

 gradient, all perfectly concealed, so that no artificial 

 line is visible. The scheme and the execution of 

 the whole is the work of Mr. Henderson, the 

 talented gardener, who commenced operations about 

 twenty-eight years ago, and still lives to enjoy the 



work of his head and hands, and the confidence of 

 his venerable employer. 



On the uppermost terrace is a fine range of plant 

 and fruit houses, the productions in each exhibit 

 all the marks of skilful culture. The most remark- 

 able of these houses is one devoted to a superb 

 specimen of Cyathea dealbata, which, as regards its 

 perfect condition, the enormous length of its fronds, 

 and the size of its head, is perhaps unmatched by 

 any other in Europe. The house is a handsome 

 dome-roofed one, about 30 x 30 feet, and the top 

 of the plant fills the upper space with its noble 

 crown of fronds. The stem is comparatively short, 

 being only about 5 feet in length, but is very stout, 

 as may be imagined from the great size of the crown. 

 This last terrace is, as has already been said, 112 feet 

 above the level of the lawn beneath, and its outer 

 edge only about 100 yards in direct line from the 

 shore of the Firth. 



The working out of so much picturesque beauty 

 from bare, barren crags in so limited an area has 

 been no mean feat of landscape gardening skill, and 

 the result seems like a realisation of the fabled 

 Babylonian gardens of Nebuchadnezzar. 



The water supply of this and another property 

 adjoining, but lying higher and more landward, is a 

 point that will interest visitors who may have similar 

 difficulties to contend with in their own experience, 

 The only available supply of good water for domestic 

 purposes is a fine spring.situate only a few feet above the 

 shore level, and distant about 1700 feet lineal from 

 the point of distribution, which is 150 feet above the 

 level of the spring. A hydraulic ram is placed by 

 the spring. To prevent waste of the spring-water, 

 an enormous reservoir has been constructed at a 

 higher elevation, into which all the surface-water of 

 the surrounding heights is collected. The reservoir 

 holds about 100,000 gallons, and furnishes the 

 motive-power for working the ram. A fall of about 

 27 feet gives the necessary power to lift an ample 

 stream from the spring to the point of distribution 

 at the height above named, and there is no waste of 

 the valuable spring-water. The system has been 

 laid down this season, and Mr. Henderson says 

 it works admirably. 



Castle Wejitss. 

 Closely adjoining Wemyss House — separated in 

 fact only by a public road — lies Castle Wemyss, the 

 seat of John Burns, Esq., son of Mr. George Burns, 

 and Chairman of the Cunard Company. Here the 

 gardening features are of a broader character. The 

 Castle, a very handsome building, occupies a com- 

 manding position on an elevated promontory, from 

 which a most comprehensive view of the extensive 

 and beautiful landscape of the Firth is obtained. 

 Sweeping lawns surround the Castle on the landward 

 side, which have been formed by means of blasting 

 thousands of tons of rock, and are now studded with 

 magnificent clumps of choice Rhododendrons and 

 other select evergreens and deciduous flowering 

 shrubs, with here and there fine specimens of Arau- 

 caria imbricata and other Conifers of the better 

 classes, along with ornamental trees, which, planted 

 only some twenty-five years, have attained striking 

 and effective dimensions. From the lawns beautiful 

 glimpses of Dunoon and the Ben-More Hills of 

 Arran and Rothesay are obtained through skil- 

 fully contrived vistas of trees, which impart to the 

 broad expanse of the waters of the Firth the ap- 

 pearance of a grand inland sea or lake. Rolling 

 terraces in grass sweep from the level of the Castle 

 and the lawns down almost to the shore, and termi- 

 nate at one point in the not very usual feature in 

 garden scenery of a fine pier standing out in the 

 Firth to form a harbour and landing place for the 

 yacht of the proprietor, who in summer lives almost 

 as much afloat as on shore. At the south-western 

 end of one of the lower lawns, almost on the level 

 of the shore, a spacious tennis-lawn lias recently 

 been formed, having — as in the case of forming 

 nearly every bit of level surface on the place — entailed 

 the blasting of enormous quantities of rock. And 

 on one side of the tennis-lawn, embowered amongst 

 trees, stands a fine pavillion in which tennis may be 



played, but which may, and often is, fitted up as a 

 ball-room or theatre. 



A fruit garden of abont an acre in extent, sur- 

 rounded by buttressed walls clothed in choice Ivies, 

 Ceanothus, Clematis, Roses, and many other orna- 

 mental shrubs, stands on the level of the Castle, about 

 100 yards eastward. The garden is well stocked 

 with standard and dwarf Apple and Pear and Plum 

 trees, and the walls with thriving well-trained samples 

 of the same kinds, along also with Cherries. Crops 

 are usually good, but this year they are only scanty, 

 owing to adverse weather in spring. Among the 

 fruit tree quarters a very useful selection of her- 

 baceous and florists' flowers is grown for cutting. 

 A range of fruit-houses extend along the entire 

 length of the northern side of this garden, in which 

 capital Grapes and Peaches were to be seen in fine 

 crops at various stages. Immediately behind these 

 houses are several blocks of span-roofed pits and 

 houses devoted to plant growing, forcing fruit and 

 vegetables. An excellent crop of Strawberries, the 

 last under glass of the season, was ripening in one of 

 the houses, so as to keep up the supply till the first 

 from the open air came in, which was expected to 

 be realised in a few days from the date of my visit. 

 Melons are successfully grown in pots, Mr. Hender- 

 son preferring to do them in that way rather than 

 planted out. Large stocks of decorative plants for 

 room and table purposes, and Adiantum cuneatum 

 and other useful Ferns for cutting, are very success- 

 fully grown. There is also a choice and thriving 

 selection of Orchids, and a good collection of stove 

 and greenhouse plants. About three acres of land 

 are devoted to vegetable culture at a distance of 

 about three-quarters of a mile from the Castle. 



It only remains to be stated that the two places 

 which I have briefly and imperfectly attempted to 

 sketch in the foregoing are both under the manage- 

 ment of Mr. Henderson, and that the credit 

 of their charming permanent features, and their 

 perfect keeping and culture, belong to him. 



Kelly House. 



This fine place is quite close to the Wemyss Bay 

 railway station, and is the residence of Alexander 

 Stephen, Esq., of famous ship-building enterprise. 

 Although an old place, which has for many years 

 been known favourably in connection with garden- 

 ing, it is at the present time in a transition state, 

 which will in the near future place it in a higher 

 position horticulturally than it ever has occupied. 

 A new residence is in course of erection. It 

 is of princely proportions and style, from 

 the plans of Mr. William Leiper, architect, 

 Glasgow. Situate on an elevated site, it commands 

 a magnificent view of the surrounding scenery. The 

 park is of considerable extent, well wooded. A fine 

 glen traverses a considerable portion of the southern 

 side of the park, in the bottom of which the Kelly 

 Burn, which divides at this point the counties of Ayr 

 and Renfrew, runs its shady course to the Clyde. 

 The kitchen and flower gardens at one point of its 

 course lie on a gentle slope on the northern bank of 

 the stream. A fine range of curvilinear plant-honses 

 in iron extends along the upper side of the flower 

 garden. The latter is of considerable extent, in 

 g rass — so extensive and varied, in fact, as to admit 

 of the inclusion of the usual styles of bedding out 

 along with Roses and hardy herbaceous plants and 

 ornamental shrubs separately, yet so blended as 

 a whole as to produce a very fine and pleasing 

 effect. 



The commodious house occupied by Mr. George 

 Machray, the gardener, who is also factor on the 

 estate, is situated at the north-east corner of the 

 flower garden, and is flanked by a long range of 

 Peach-houses, in which excellent crops were in fine 

 promise. A number of plant-houses and pits are 

 accommodated in an enclosure in rear of the latter 

 range, in which were fine stocks of the usual classes 

 of plants for conservatory and room decoration, and 

 for cutting. Very notable among these were a 

 splendid lot of Calanthes showing remarkable vigour. 

 The large iron range before mentioned is stocked 



