July 15, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
43 
blows, and exposing all parts of the grounds to the ga^e of every 
passer-by, let him follow out the advice I have given in any or 
either of the methods described, and I will warrant that in a very 
few years he will have as complete a screen as he need desire.— 
A. T. 
LONDON’S LESSER OPEN SPACES—THEIR TREES AND 
PLANTS.—No. 9. 
Westminster, some localities in which I have already described, has 
but poor fragments left of its fine open spaces, which even down to the 
reign of George III made it, though a city, certainly an example of a 
semi-rural one. If not very venerable myself, I can yet remember the 
fine avenue of trees that extended from old Brewer’s Green across the 
Park, which was early in this century the residence of Elliot the brewer, 
and near the expanse used as a place for military exercise called the 
Artillery Ground there was, I believe, a Willow Walk. Tothill Fields 
furnished employment to the botanists and herbalists of last century, 
and the vendors of Watercresses along London streets were able to supply 
themselves with a stock gratis from the many ditches of the neighbour¬ 
hood. Broad, too, was the space between Millbank and Chelsea, where 
some of London’s earlier market gardeners reared choice fruits and vege¬ 
tables on the manor of Heyts, or Heat, but that was before land became 
so valuable in the suburbs, when there was no railway transit from 
distant places, and it might be added, when little of such produce came 
into England from the Continent. 
However, if Westminster lost gardens it once possessed, it has 
acquired others. Witness the Victoria Embankment, which extends 
from Northumberland Avenue to Blackfriars, and though small in size 
compared to the west end parks, this has about ten acres of land rescued 
from the river, where trees and shrubs offer a more pleasing prospect 
than the banks of mud which dwellers in the streets beside the Thames 
used to survey. It is curious to stand here and survey the water-gates 
of the old mansion of the Buckinghams and of Somerset House, showing 
where the tide once washed inland, and was convenient, doubtless, to the 
gardeners along the Strand—named apparently from the sandy nature of 
the soil—for the nobles’ residences there had their lawns, their flower 
beds, and tree clumps, with a variety of statuary, Inigo Jones’ gate alone 
remaining as a specimen of his work hereabout; the many figures in 
Arundel House gardens, after resting awhile in Cuper’s gardens, Surrey, 
seem mostly to have been broken up. What a curious exhibition might 
be made of the garden statuary of our ancestors. There are more ex¬ 
amples surviving than might be supposed. But from the demesnes of 
Arundel, which were extensive, old cuts show that there were fine pro¬ 
spects of Middlesex and Surrey. So also from the grounds of Somerset 
Bouse, which stood rather higher, and had shady recesses as well as a 
bowling green and lawns. Not a solitary tree can be discovered now 
which would take us back to the Tudor days in or about Westminster. 
The fact is, folks planted here few Oaks, Yews, or Chestnuts, and the 
venerable Elms, Poplars, and Willows either died naturally or yielded to 
insect attacks. On the Victoria Embankment is one corner westward 
which does possess trees which must have flourished before it was formed, 
ard near enough together to make that part rather grove-like. These are 
Elms, Limes, and Poplars, but I question whether the largest is a hundred 
years old. A few straggling Elder bushes also, that skirt the edge of the 
ground, remind us of the time when this shrub was greatly favoured by 
the planters of London gardens. It could hardly have been for its beauty, 
nor for the sake of its flowers and fruit, rather for a relic of the old 
Tegard that belonged to it through popular tradition. There has not been 
time yet for the trees placed in the gardens at the time of their laying out 
to make much wood, and the Planes in particular, of which, as usual, 
there is a predominance, do not appear to have made the average growth, 
though they look healthy. Limes and Poplars are part of the minority. 
There are a few Hornbeams, this being a species seldom planted about 
London. It is not attractive, but grows fairly well. I advocate, what 
to some persons may seem ridiculous, the introduction of some fruit trees, 
suitably protected from the London gamin, on such open places as the 
Embankment. That several kinds of Apple, Pear, and Plum could be 
chosen which might thrive and bear I am sure, and the sight of them 
would certainly be pleasant to many. 
Some Rhododendrons were in bloom here when I paid my visit, but it 
could not be said there was a display of this May flower ; and, although 
distributed about were numerous Hollies of varied size, these had no 
flowers. The species seldom put9 forth any in the London atmosphere, nor 
does the Laurustinus. No doubt many of the readers of this Journal have 
noticed how this plant has suffered in most places from the prolonged 
winter. It is usual for it to flower partially during the autumn, but most 
of the buds remain closed through the winter, and the Laurustinus makes 
a show as one of the pioneers of spring. This year the blossoms suffered 
from the continued frosts, and when the weather broke their expansion was 
checked by the rough winds. Of miscellaneous evergreens there is a good 
assortment in these gardens, and they are well distributed, with a 
sprinkling of Lilacs, Laburnums, and familiar deciduous shrubs. As for¬ 
merly, the Camellia was found to flourish at Vauxhall, near the banks of 
the Thames. I should like to see it tried on the spot, where I believe it 
would succeed. Some banks of Ferns would be an improvement, and at 
present there are very few Chrysanthemums, though several varieties 
stand the London air without protection, as is evidenced by the Temple 
Gardens adjacent. On the Embankms it are sundry spaces enclosed by 
walls connected with the District Rail' /ay, and these have been covered 
with Ivy, or partially, but they afford opportunity for the cultivation of 
other hardy creepers. Here, as elsewhere, are also some of those Ivy 
edgings which are the fashion in public gardens. They are rather object¬ 
ionable, as already remarked ; specially so when narrow, yet edgings of 
plants less tough are apt to suffer from the occasional trampling they get. 
An edging of Periwinkle (Vinca minor) would probably please many 
visitors, and grow as well in town as el.-ewbere—that is to say, put along 
the borders of those beds planted with shrubs, not flower beds. I noticed 
attempts to grow annuals amongst the bushes where spaces occurred, but 
the circles in which these had been sown showed great irregularity, and 
seeds are almost wasted when thus used. After the spring bulbs have 
flowered the smaller beds are planted out in the customary manner with 
cheap half-hardy species, the arrangement being geometrical for the most 
part. 
Not far from Lambeth Bridge, and in the direction of what is com¬ 
monly called Millbank (where in the seventeenth century was the mansion 
and gardens of the rather notorious Lord Peterborough) there is an open 
space where now we should not expect to find one. It is probably seldom 
visited by any explorer of London’s greeneries. Its extent is about an 
acre, and for 120 years it was the cemetery of St. John’s, Horseferry 
Road. The Duke of Westminster opened this as a public recreation 
ground last year, and commented on the fact that more thaD 40,000 
persons were living in its neighbourhood, expressing the hope that it 
would prove a place of health and strength to generation after genera¬ 
tion. I trust it will be all the Duke hoped ; at present the space does not 
look particularly lively, nor does full credit to the sum of money spent 
upon it. On the four edges of the ground there are lines of old trees ; the 
Poplars on the north and south are of goodly proportions, and surpass the 
Planes on the east and west. Sundry tombstones, which have been 
suffered to remain along two sides, do not communicate an air of cheer¬ 
fulness to the place. The plan of laying out is this. An outer path all 
round, from which eight paths diverge to meet in a central space laid with 
asphalt. Each of the irregular-shaped figures into which the ground is 
thus divided contains a fl iwer bed which is surrounded by a grass plot. 
Visitors, therefore, cannot approach the flowers and shrubs, nor are they 
permitted to walk on the grass. A few additional trees scattered over 
this space would improve it, and might not the children for part of the 
year be allowed the privilege of a roll upon the grass ? 
Apropos of grass, the fortress-like prison at Millbank is surrounded by 
a gra3*y circle, which must have been surveyed by many a prisoner with 
sad remembrances of early days. Near Vauxhall Bridge there yet re¬ 
main sundry old-fashioned gardens laid out on the plans of a bygone era, 
but they are not open to the public. One of these has a hedge of Larch, 
and flourishing too, which we do not often notice about London, and 
another contains some remarkably fine Laburnums and Beeches. Passing 
still westward we come upon Thames Bank, so called, where at the river 
end of the now shortened Grosvenor Canal we have also some shady 
gardens yet surviving, and an avenue of Limes of middle age, and even a 
space devoted to the culture of vegetables.—J. R. S. C. 
VIOLETS IN FRAMES. 
( Continued, from paqe 512.) 
Manures. —Leaf Soil .—Matter of a slow, gradual decomposing 
nitrogenous nature is the most suitable for Violets. Decaying leaves 
from the moisture, the gases evolved, and the humus formed afford the 
essential stimulus of root-action and food supplies in an acceptable form. 
Violets thrive admirably in leaf soil alone, at'aining a surprising luxu¬ 
riance and perfection of bloom. Leaf soil, or leaves about half reduced, 
may be used as manure to the extent of one-third that of the soil; a 
dressing 3 inches thick being mixed with the tOD 6 inches of the soil in 
which Violets are to be planted for making and completing their growth, 
is suitable for ground neediDg liberal enrichment, less for soils that are 
in good heart. For plants in pots it may be used to the extent of half in 
mixture with lumpy loam, and the addition of a sixth part of rather 
lumpy charcoal, but abundant supplies of water are then necessary. 
Farmyard Manure .—This must be used with care and judgment. 
Too rich soil favours an excessive luxuriance and prevents the free forma¬ 
tion of roots so necessary to a well-sustained growth. A fifth of well- 
decayed manure is a sufficient dressing to mix with soil, whether for 
plants outdoors or in pots, and should be thoroughly incorporated with 
the top spit, or 9 or 10 inches of the surface for strong-growing varieties 
and 6 to 9 inches for the small or medium growers respectively. Avoid 
manure in a fresh state, especially if saturated with urine, as that from 
loose boxes on which horses have stood, and from covered sheds 
used for cattle. Such must only be used in moderate quantity in the 
decayed state, as it is rich in potash ; and though Violets like a small 
quantity it is so abundant in fresh and somewhat reduced manure of the 
nature indicated as to be positively injurious through destroying and 
preventing the formation of roots. 
Soot — A capital manure and at the command of everyone. Half a 
peck per rod is sufficient at a time as a surface dressing, and is best given 
during growth. Soils that need enrichment may have a peck per rod 
scattered evenly on the surface and pointed-in before planting. In a liquid 
form it may be applied at the rate of a tablespoonful to a quart of water, 
the soot being brought to a cream with a little water am stirring, then 
adding the water. A peck of soot to a hogshead of water may be used 
for general watering purposes. 
Dissolved Bones or Superphosphate of Lime .—A powerful manure. 
It should be mixed with half its weight of charcoal dust, and applied at 
the rate of 8 lb3. per rod. Violets are equally fond of the charcoal or of 
