1094 



SIATISTICS OF GARDENING. 



Part IT. 



and favorable for all the other branches of gardening. The political situation of tlie 

 country, and the general absence of proprietors, have prevented much from being done ; 

 but, from the cheapness of land and labor, and the natural advantages every where pre- 

 sented, the most extensive parks, pleasure-grounds, and kitchen-gardens, might be created 

 at a comparatively moderate expense. 



7652. The names of residences here given are selected from the Traveller s Guide, 

 published in Dublin in 1819 : the characteristic epithets added are from that work, and 

 the English reader will of course make due allowance for Irish phraseology. We have 

 made the general tour of Ireland, and been engaged professionally in three or four coun- 

 ties, and we know that many places, styled delightful and enchanting in the " Guide," 

 would cut but a poor figure if placed beside hundreds of seats in England whose 

 names we have omitted. There is very little old timber in Ireland, and very few of the 

 ** demesnes" that have any other park than a grass field, without trees, in which the 

 house stands. Deer parks are rare, and also kitchen-gardens with hot-houses. Mackay 

 of the Trinity College botanic garden, and M'Leish of Harold's Cross, are well calcu- 

 lated for furnishing designs for both these improvements, and happily there is at present 

 a spirit for employing these gentlemen. If to this the proprietors would join a more 

 constant residence on their estates, much would be elTected. 



PROVINCE OF LEINSTER. 



7653. DUBLIN. A fertile surface of 147,840 Irish acres, little varied, but well adapted for horticulture 

 and floriculture. At Dublin is a royal park ; two excellent botanic gardens ; two good nurseries by Simp- 

 son, Toole, and Mackay, and GrimwoodvS and Keefe, with some culinary commercial gardens. In Dublin is 

 St. Stephen's Green, a very large naked square, a design for ornamenting which by A. M'Leish is about 

 to be published. 



The Phoenix Park, — near Dublin ; a public promenade and 

 a royal park, seven miles in circumference, beautifully diversi- 

 fied -witli woodland, champaign and rising grounds, tastefully 

 adorned with extensive sheets of water, and plentifully stocked 

 ■with deer. The civic regal residence here is respectable and com- 

 modious. The kitchen-garden of the (llhief Secretary's lodge 

 U reckoned one of the best managed in the county of Dublin. 



The Biitank Garden, — at Glassnevin {Jig. 757.) ; Dublin So- 



ciety. Established with the commencement of the 19th cen- 

 tury, chiefly through the exertions of Dr. Wade, author of 

 several works on Irish botanv. It is situated at Glassnevin, 

 within two miles of Dublin Castle, and contains 50 statute 

 acres. " Nothing," the authors of the History of Dublin ob- 

 serve, " can exceet^ the command of aspect which the irre- 

 gular beauty of the snrface presents, and of which the planners 

 (chiefly Dr. Wade) of the garden have been careful to avail 

 themselves. Having ample room for every botanical purpose, 

 thev have not sacrificed taste to convenience, or disturbed such 

 objects as contributed to the beauty of the old demesne, origin- 

 ally that of Tickel the poet. The summit, having considerable 

 elevation, gradually or abruptly slopes to the river Folka, 

 ■which forms a sweeping boundary to one side of the garden. 

 Here large clumps of venerable elms, or other forest trees, 

 shade the sloping steeps, or, running along the ridges, separate 

 the ground into .irregular divisions. Through these the ivy- 

 crowned ruin of some venerable arch presents a passage, so 

 that many of the compartments are approached by some 

 picturesque or striking entrance. Nor is the systematic ar- 

 rangement less judiciously managed. Nothing can be con- 

 ceived more ungraceful than the formal regularity necessary in 

 such an arrangement ; every plant following in its order, and 

 labelled with its name, presents to the eye an irksome sameness. 



To avoid this appe.wance, each class is subdivided intc smaller 

 compartments, insulated in green sward, and commencing by 

 pathways, and the intervals hlled up with scattered shrubs; so 

 that, while the most exact regularity is observed in the classi- 

 fication, and the series of plants follow each other in such 

 succession that the most minute can be immediately found, the 

 whole presents the aspect of unstudied confusion. ' 



This garden contams the following arrangements, or sub- 

 divisions : — 



A Hortus Linitceeitsis {a), subdivided into a herbaceous 

 division, and one for shrubby, fruit-bearing, and forest tre». 

 Six acres are assigned to this division. To each plant is pre- 

 fixed a metal label, inscribed with its number in the Glassnevin 

 catalogue. 



A Hortus Jussieuensis {b), rather limited, yet sufficiently ex- 

 tensive to comprise all the orders of which there are hardy 

 specimens introduced in Britain. 



A Hortus Hibernicus (c), or garden of native Irish plants, 

 containing upwards of 134.5 species, including Cryptogameae. 



A Hortus esculentus (d), containing not only the usual cu- 

 linary vegetables, but all others in which wholesome and nu- 

 tritious qualities reside, in such a degree that they can be con- 

 verted into human aliment. 



A Hortus medicus (<■), orgeirden of plants used in medicine, 

 arranged on the plan of Woodville's Medical Botany ; and 

 containing every hardy plant in which any medical virtue i» 

 known to reside. 



A Hortus pecudarius (f ), or cattle garden, m which are 

 arranged all plants which the animal to whom the plant is 

 appropriated is fond of eating, and which are wholesome food 

 for it; also such as he is not fond of eating, though not un- 

 wholesome. On the opposite side are arranged such plants 

 as the same animal will eat, but which are injurious to it, 

 and likewise such as it refuses to eat whether injurious or not. 

 Each of these particulars is noted on the label, pointing out the 

 plant, and likewise whether the plant be indigenous or foreign. 



A Hortus rusticus {g), or garden of plants used in rural eco- 

 nomy, including the grasses, clover, &c. 



A Hortus tinciorius (/i), containing all the plants used m 

 dyeing, paiticularly those which are indigenous to Ireland. 



A Hortus plantarum volubilium, rcpentium, et scandeniium, 

 (i, k), or garden of twining, creeping, and climbing 

 plants, shrubby and herbaceous. „ , , 



A Hortus plantarum saxatilium, or garden of rock plants on 

 rock-work. This is formed on an artificial mound, construct- 

 ed on the most elevated part of the garden. " The fragrnents 

 of rock for this purpose were transported from the Hill of 

 Howth, and such was selected as were already clothed \vith 

 various species of mosses and lichens. These were piled 

 together without any apparent order, so as to give the appear- 

 ance of a natural rocky mound. But it so constructed that 

 spiral walks winding round the sides, but not visible at a dis- 

 tance, conducts the visitor to the summit. Here, as he as- 

 cends, he sees every grey stone clothed with its appropriate 

 vegetation, and in every fissure of the rocks some alpine plants. 

 When arrived at the summit of this mount, the eye is gratified 

 with a view of the whole garden, lying beneath displayed as in 

 a map." (History of Dublin, p. 1298.) ^ ^ . ^ 



A Hortus lacustris et palustris (m), or garden of aquatic and 

 marsh plants. On the banks of the Folka lies an extensive 

 flat, lower than the bed of the river, in which an irregular 

 lake is formed, two hundred yards in length, for the aquatics; 

 and on the shores, and in an island formed on purpose at one 

 extremity, the marsh plants are grown. At convenient m- 

 tervals green promontories project into the water; which, 

 while they give a picturesque variety to the banks, afford an 

 opportunity of approaching such plants as the botanist may 

 wish to examine. The grounds surrounding the lake are 

 varied with American pines and other transatlantic woods that 

 love a swampy soil, and beyond these the rising grounds are 

 entirely devoted to ornament. 



A Hortus crijptogameus (h), or garden of cryptogamous 

 plants. This is a steep bank, shaded by lofty trees. 



A Hortus Flora (<0, or flower-garden, m which the flonst* 

 flowers are cultivated in parterres. 



