Book 1 



GARDENING IN RUSSIA. 



59 



SiJBSECT- 2. Eussia7i Gardening, in respect to the Culture of Flowers and Plants 



of Oryiament. 



265. Dutch Jloiver-roots, %vould doubtless be introduced in the imperial gardens with 

 tlie Dutch taste in design ; and soon after copied by such of the nobility as could afford 

 to copy in matters of this kind. It was reserved, however, for Catherine the Second to 

 give the first impulse to this taste, by establishing at Petersburg, the first public botanic 

 garden in 1785, for the use of the academy of sciences. Another was soon after formed 

 for the medical college. 



266. The botanic garden of the lauversity of Moscotu was founded by the present 

 emperor, in 1801, but was unfortunately destroyed by the French in 1812; at which 

 time the university was burned down. Botli, however, are now restored to their original 

 splendor. 



267. The first private botanic garden formed in Russia was that of Count Dimidow, 

 begun during Peter tlie Great's reign. It was chiefly devoted to native plants ; but 

 still the hot-houses for exotics occupied more than one acre of ground. Two botanists 

 were sent to travel over the whole of Asiatic Russia. In 1 786 a catalogue was pub- 

 lished, when the collection amounted to 4363 species or varieties, exclusive of 572 

 varieties of fruit-trees, 600 varieties of florists' flowers, and 2000 species which had not 

 flowered. " Une seule anecdote,^' says Deleuze, " will prove how eager Dimidow was to 

 enrich his garden. Being at Rome, in 1773, he found in the gai-den of the Petits Au- 

 guslins del corso, the handsomest orange-tree he had ever seen. Tlie monks did not wish 

 to part with it, and he was obliged to employ a good deal of money and influence to over- 

 come their scruples. Having succeeded, he caused the tree, which was planted in the 

 open air, to be taken up with an immense ball, put in a large box, set on a carriage made 

 on purpose, and transported to Moscow." (Annales, Sec. torn. ix. 174.) 



268. The botanic garden of Gorinka, already mentioned, presents tlie most extensive 

 private establishment not only in Russia but perhaps in the world. The great extent of 

 glass has been already mentioned. When we saw these hot-houses, in 1814, tliey were 

 much injured by the French ; but the whole gai'den is now, Ave understand, completely 

 reinstated. Dr. Fischer, its director, is a well known botanist, and corresponds witli 

 most botanical cultivators in Europe. A catalogue of this garden was published by Dr. 

 Redowsky, in 1804. {Bib. Banks.) Its proprietor having lately died, this gai'den will 

 probably share the fate of many others. 



There are other private botanic gardens near Petersburg and Moscow ; and good collections of orna- 

 mental plants at Pawlowskvand Gatschina, both imperial residences. The Baron Rahl has an extensive 

 range of hot-houses, devoted chiefly to orange-trees and tender plants; and many of the Dutch and 

 German merchants cultivate flowers in the gardens of their summer-residences, on the Strelna road, at 

 Petersburg. Excepting however among the first of the nobility, and the wealthy foreign merchants, 

 ornamental culture of every description is quite unknown in Russia. The taste of the ordinary nobleman 

 is too gross ; the peasant is out of the question, and there is no middle class in the empire of the Tzars. 



269. The climate of Bussia is adverse to fioyiculture. Dr. Howison remarks {Caled. 

 Mem. iii.), " tliat tliere is scarcely any plant, or flowering shrub, which can resist the 

 intense frost and cold of the winter in Britain, to be found out of doors in Russia ; and, 

 at times, even the hardy whin-bush is destroyed." He says, the gai'dener, in the 

 Tauridon palace, Call, showed him " lilac-trees, laburnums, diiTerent varieties of thorn, 

 whin-bushes, &c. growing in large wooden tubs, filled with earth, and which were 

 preserved there all winter, witli the intention of being sunk in the borders of the garden, as 

 soon as the weather should grow warm enough to admit of it. In the gardens of tlie 

 villas and country-houses of the higher classes of Russians and foreigners settled in the 

 country, in the short period of a week from the disappearance of the winter, a beautiful 

 and rich display of shrubs and flowers in full blow, consisting of liydi'angea, various 

 species of geranium and myrtle, wall-flower, carnation, &c. become visible. All these 

 are, in like manner, reared in hot-houses. As their bloom fades, fresh plants are brought 

 from the conservatory to replace them, thus keeping up an artificial garden, as it may be 

 called, during the ■\\'hole warm season ; and when the cold weatlier begins again, the 

 whole are removed and replaced in the green-house." 



SuBSECT. 3. Russian Gardening, in respect to its horticultural Productions. 



270. Dutch and German fruits were introduced to Russia with the Dutch and French 

 taste in gardening, by Peter the Great. With the English style, Catherine introduced 

 English gardeners and English fruits. Before this period, the wild pear, the wild cherry, 

 the black currant, the cranbeny, and the strawberry must have been almost the only 

 fruits seen in aboriginal Russia ; all these may be gathered in the woods. The apple is 

 abundant in the Ukraine, and a century ago, as at present, may have been sent to 

 Moscow for the use of the higher classes. At present, the imperial family, and a few, 

 perhaps six or eight of the first nobility, enjoy almost all the European fruits in tolerable 

 perfection, chiefly by the influence of glass and fire heat. The quantity of pines and 

 grapes grown in the neighbourhood of Pctersbu)-g, is indeed an astonishing feature in its 



