September 20, 1877. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



they are in the trade or not, but certainly they are sufficient 

 to immortalise Mr. Holah'B name. About thirty thousand 

 plants were used to fill up the beds in this garden alone. Be- 

 yond the flower beds there was a Rose bed, perhaps 8 feet wide, 

 and then a broad pure stream of water crossed by a wooden 

 bridge, and on the other side the stream a bank of Rhododen- 

 drons the whole length of the garden. Down the centre there 

 was a cross walk leading from the kitchen garden, on either 

 side of whioh there were some splendid speoimens of PampaB 

 Grass (Gynerium argenteum), throwing up scores of spikes of 

 bloom. 



We must now leave this floral retreat and enter the more 

 useful department of this demesne, the kitchen gardens; for 

 as the late Dr. Johnson once said, there was no flower in the 

 garden equal to the Cauliflower, and there these were growing 

 with the greatest luxuriance and freedom in sufficient quantity 



to gratify the most extravagant epicure of this wholesome 

 vegetable. The kitchen gardens occupy about three acres 

 surrounded by well-built brick walls, and divided into three 

 compartments. Having passed through the gates we will lead 

 the reader along the centre path. This is skirted with broad 

 ribbon borders, and these are again interspersed with standard 

 Roses. The ribbon borders are backed with espalier Apple 

 trees whioh separate the flowers from the vegetables beyond. 

 Near' the margin of the walks that run right and left were rows 

 of Gooseberries and Currants mostly in the bush form, except- 

 ing a few Gooseberries trained to wires. The walls were clothed 

 with Cherries, Pears, Plums, and Apricots, and one wall with 

 a Bouth-east aspect was entirely devoted to Peaches, but they 

 were nearly destroyed by the froBts of last May. In regard to 

 the fruit crops there was of Pears about half a crop, of Apri- 

 cots only moderate, Cherries good, Peaohes on the open wall 





mill 

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Fig. 48.— Bdffokd abbey. 



two, how these would be divided between a large party I do 

 not know unless they agreed to quarter them ; Apples ex- 

 cellent, Gooseberries and Currants good, Raspberries an 

 average crop, and the Strawberries most abundant. 



The vegetable eropa were also of a very high quality, and in 

 this department Mr. Doe's skill as a caterer for either Mr. or 

 Mrs. Cook were especially predominant. The Potato crops 

 were heavy, but the disease had set in with a terrible vengeance. 



We now enter a range of vineries in three compartments, 

 intended for late work. They had been planted some time 

 before Mr. Doe took charge of the gardens, but as they are 

 not quite satisfactory some alteration is intended to be made. 

 Pigs in pots were plentiful. In a large house in proximity to 

 those last named the Vines were in good condition, the foliage 

 healthy and clean, and the Grapes an excellent colour. Near 

 this vinery there was a small enclosure bounded by an Elm 

 and Holly hedge, which enclosed a very handsome geometric 

 flower garden. All the beds were surrounded with Box edging, 

 and the walks were of gravel. The planting was tastefully 

 done ; but as the rain came on heavily we were unable to take 

 notes of the arrangements. 



In another range of houses in three divisions, the first 

 45 feet long, was filled with stove plants entirely for the de- 



coration of the Abbey on festive occasions. Many of the plants 

 were in 5 and 6-inch pots, and included such things a? Dra- 

 cajnas of sorts, Palms, Caladiums, Crotons, Marantas, and a 

 few Orchids. The second house, 30 feet long, waB chiefly 

 Ferns and contained a nice selection of Lomarias, Davalliae, 

 and Adiantums, all grown for a specific purpose. The third 

 house in this range was also for stove plants, and con- 

 tained a similar stock of plants to No. 1 in the same range. 

 On the roof was a fine Stephanotis planted out in a small 

 border. In the front of these houses I noticed ranges of pits 

 for Cucumbers, &c. In an adjoining vinery there were some 

 capital pot Vines, but the permanent ones were to be uprooted 

 and the house replanted immediately. From this vinery we 

 enter a greenhouse, where the plants are all grown for house 

 decoration. The most useful class of plants was a fine Btram 

 of Celosia pyramidalis plumoaa. The plumes were of the 

 richest tints, and formed a fine contrast with foliage and 

 flowering plants. . 



Retracing our steps we reach another vinery, from which 

 the fruit had all been gathered and the Vines going to rest. 

 In the same range we paBS into an early Peach house, the 

 wood in good condition and giving promise of fruit another 

 season. The next house was also for Peaches and Nectarines, 



