July 26, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



75 



else can do. That this influence is now very generally recog- 

 nised and understood there can be no doubt, for the number of 

 public gardens and parks is constantly increasing, and it is 

 an acknowledged fact that one of the greatest boons a rich 

 philanthropist can confer upon a town is to give it a publio 

 garden. How highly such a gift is valued and appreciated the 

 givers, perhaps, hardly understand ; nor need I dwell upon it, 

 much as it tempts me, for the fact is patent to all that tone 

 to the mind and health to the body are imparted by such gar- 

 dens, which have not inaptly been termed the lungs of a 

 crowded community, tending to prolong life as well as adding 

 to its enjoyment. No longer can the advooate of communism 

 point to the " grim exclusiveness " of the enclosures of landed 

 proprietors, for those whom he strives to render dissatisfied 

 with their lot often now are in the enjoyment of a garden that 

 is not unfrequently infinitely superior to " the squire's." 



The seats of our landed proprietors are, however, un- 

 doubtedly the crown and glory of the land ; moreover, they 

 are fast growing in number, especially in the more picturesque 

 parts of Sussex, Surrey, and Kent. Nor is this work of pro- 

 gress and improvement confined solely to the formation o£ 

 new places. Old mansions and gardens are being rebuilt andl 

 remodelled — not always perchance with the approval of the 

 antiquarians, but certainly with that of those caring for real 

 improvement, while they would gladly cherish all that is really 

 beautiful and interesting. Fig. 21 represents what is a strik- 

 ing example of an old place rebuilt, enlarged, beautified. It 

 is one of the many fine places which lie within a radius of a 

 dozen miles of Tunbridge Wells, and is quite worthy to take 

 rank with Eridge Castle, Dunorlan, Possingworth, and Bram- 

 bletye, all of which places have been fully described in these 

 pages ; but of Hall Place (the residence of S. Morley, Esq.) 



Fig. 21.— Eu.Ii PLACE. 



I have no report to offer now — indeed, a detailed statement 

 would be inappropriate for interweaving with these general 

 notes ; it must suffice, therefore, to state that the general 

 features of the kitchen gardens and glass houses are striking 

 only from the disconnected straggling manner in which they 

 are disposed, but that the lawns and pleasure grounds are 

 really excellent, being very extensive, agreeably interspersed 

 with shrub groups and fine examples of Conifers and decidu- 

 ous trees. There is also a quaint Italian garden near the 

 house, a carriage court of ample proportions and dignified 

 aspect, with a very bold sweep of well-kept turf stretching 

 gently downwards to a lake of considerable size, beyond 

 which the pleased eye wanders over more turf to stately 

 timber trees dispersed in the foreground, but thickening into 

 deep shade in the distance, with vast beds of Bracken visible 

 among the backward trees, and advancing so as to form an 

 irregular fringe around the baBes of the foremost, just in the 

 way that artists love to depict. Groups of fallow deer, too, im- 

 part animation to a scene abounding in beauty and brightness. 

 I know nothing more pleasant after beholding such a scene, 

 and enjoying it too, even if but for a few brief moments, than to 

 pass outwards from the boundaries of the park, as I did here, 

 into a village abounding with cottages neat, cosey, and com- 

 pact, surrounded by well-tended gardens, every wall, building, 

 and tncloEme in excellent repair, betokening the fostering 



care and bountiful hand of a wealthy large-hearted landlord ; 

 and moreover proving, if proof were wanted, by the abundant 

 floral embellishments in the windows as well as gardens, how 

 much our common nature is influenced and affected by flowers ; 

 and I doubt not that intercourse with the good folks whose 

 surroundings impressed one so favourably would have tended 

 to strengthen my faith in the refining influence of gardens. 

 — Edwaed Luckhuest. 



AQUILEGIAS. 

 I see one of your correspondents (Mr. Douglas) has been 

 fortunate in raising two new varieties of this very interesting 

 family, and I for one agree with him to the very letter as to 

 the merits of these hardy, beautiful, and free-flowering plants. 

 I grow all the sorts I can obtain, but some I have discarded. 

 A. aurea and A. alpina are scarcely worth growing, but they 

 bloom freely. A. glandulosa is very fine, but rather a Bhy 

 bloomer, but in some cases it bloomB pretty freely. A. cserulea 

 is a bold-looking fine sort, and blooms more freely than 

 A. glandulosa. There is a spurious sort of it to be met with, 

 and is much paler in colour than the original, and is worth 

 growing as a variety. A. Witmani is a very free bloomer, 

 and resembles A. glandulosa very much.' I saw a plant of it 

 this year with 130 blooms on it, and I seoured the plant and 



