May 28, 189L ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
421 
D uring the past few weeks much interest has been excited 
amongst metropolitan and provincial horticulturists by the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Exhibition in Temple Gardens, which 
opens to-day (Thursday). Judging by the experience of the 
preceding three years, something of special importance was expected, 
and those who visit the present Show will find their anticipations 
fully realised. The establishment of this Exhibition as an annual 
•event met with general approval, and the liberality of the Inner 
Temple Benchers in placing their garden at the disposal of the 
Uouncil has not only been widely appreciated, but has resulted in 
the development of one of the finest floral displays in the kingdom. 
The position is central, convenient of access alike for visitors and 
exhibitors ; the time of year is also a good one to obtain an 
efltective show ; so that a combination of favourable circumstances 
has aided in extending the popularity of what is rapidly becoming 
the principal horticultural gathering of the year. 
Probably no other Society could have successfully organised 
an Exhibition on the same basis as that at the Temple, and the 
result has been a surprise to many. Large money prizes have long 
been considered essential to the production of large shows, but in 
the case of the R.H.S. the fallacy of this assumption has been 
abundantly proved, and if £500 had been offered in prizes it 
would not have brought together a more brilliant display than 
which will greet visitors to-day. Still, as already observed, the 
circumstances are exceptional, and no other Society could have 
safely ventured to arrange for a show of such magnitude without 
providing a substantial schedule. There is no danger that others 
will attempt to imitate the action taken by the R.H.S., as it would 
result in certain failure at any of the provincial exhibitions, such 
as Shrewsbury, York, and Manchester, but it redounds to the 
credit of the old Society that its vitality and prestige still enable it 
to accomplish so much. It proves also that there are many wealthy 
amateurs who prefer contributing from their garden treasui’es to 
a non-competitive show to entering the lists in the ordinary way, 
and we know some who would never exhibit in classes of the 
■stereotyped character. The silver cups and medals offered by the 
Society provide, however, honours for meritorious exhibits, and 
these are bestowed with judicious liberality. 
The Temple Show is essentially a plant exhibition, and it must 
■of necessity remain so, as the end of May is not a date when many 
fruits could be expected even of the earliest, and least of all in a 
season like the present. Specimen plants of the usual stove and 
greenhouse types also are not likely to be seen, as the expense of 
conveyance is so great that only large money prizes can afford pro¬ 
fessional exhibitors a chance of recovering their outlay. To take 
their place, however, there are scores and perhaps hundreds of 
equally well-grown though smaller examples, indicating fully as 
much cultural skill and admitting of far more artistic treatment in 
grouping. Apart, therefore, from the individual beauty or interest 
of the plants themselves, there is ample room at the Temple 
for taste in arrangement and groups whether of plants or cut 
flowers predominate. To the general public and to horticulturists 
exhibitions formed of groups often possess far more attraction 
than those where specimens are placed in competition and where 
too frequently one or more of the exhibits are positively unworthy 
of any recognition. 
No. 570.—Yol. XXII., Third Series. 
To provide for groups of considerable size the tents sdeited 
for the Show under notice are wonderfully spacious, and unsur¬ 
passed for horticultural gatherings. Entering the garden from the 
Thames Embankment the first tent is 170 feet long by 30 feet 
wide, which is devoted to miscellaneous flowers and plants. Next 
to this is the Orchid tent, 140 feet long by 40 feet wide, and pro¬ 
portionately lofty. Then follows the Rise tent, IGO feet long by 
60 feet wide ; and a fourth one 150 feet long by 30 feet wide is 
appropriated to various exhibits, including garden sundries. 
Together these afford a covered space equal to nearly 25,000 square 
feet, thus providing abundant staging room and promenade space 
for visitors. About 100 distinct exhibits are entered to occupy 
from a few feet to several hundred feet each, and though the tents 
have been greatly extended this year the whole of the space pro¬ 
vided is engaged. 
Orchids constitute the great feature of the Exhibition, and 
such a remarkable display of these plants has never been seen 
in the City of London before. The greater part of the second 
tent, 140 feet long, with stages nearly the whole length, is 
devoted to the aristocrats of the vegetable kingdom, and their 
admirers will find innumerable beautiful, rare, and peculiar forms 
to please them. Something like 500 feet run, or 3000 square feet of 
staging, covered with Orchids, in this and the adjoining teat, is not 
to be seen every day, and though there may not be an equal number 
of species represented, the display, as a floral effect, will pi’obably 
be regarded by many as superior to that at the South Kensington 
Orchid Conference in 1885. Orchids lend themselves admirably 
to artistic grouping, and some of the larger exhibitors have an 
opportunity on this occasion to display their plants and skill to 
the best advantage. The largest and most beautiful exhibit of 
Orchids contributed by one firm is that from Messrs. Sander & Co , 
St. Albans, which occupies 150 feet run of stage by 5 feet in 
width, and is of so unique a character that it deserves prominent 
notice. Other extensive trade exhibitors of Orchids are Messrs. 
B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway; Low & Co., Clapton ; and 
J. Cypher, Cheltenham. The amateurs are admirably represented 
by Baron Schroder, The Dell, Egham (gardener, Mr. Ballantine) ; 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., Burford Lodge, Dorking ; the 
Duke of Marlborough, Blenheim (gardener, Mr. Whillans) ; T. B. 
Haywood, Esq., Woodhatch Lodge, Reigate (gardener, Mr. C. J. 
Salter) ; A. H. Smee, Esq , The Grange, Carshalton (gardener, 
Mr. Cummins) ; Malcom S. Cooke, Esq., Kingston Hill ; Mrs. 
Arbuthnot, Bridgen Place (gardener, Mr. Mitchell) ; W. F. 
Darnell, Esq., Stamford Hill (gardener, Mr. G. Elliott); T. 
Statter, Esq., Whitfield, Manchester; and Mr. G. Reynolds, 
Gunnersbury House Gardens. 
Roses in the adjoining tent—the giant of the series—will 
attract crowds of admirers, and it can be imagined they will be 
worth seeing when it is said that the space devoted to them is 
125 feet by 9 feet, and such firms as Messrs. W. Paul & Son, 
Waltham Cross, G. Paul & Son, Cheshunt, Turner of Slough, and 
Rumsey of Waltham Cross, are the chief exhibitors. Fine masses 
of colour are also afforded by groups of Tuberous Begonias, 
Calceolarias, hardy flowers. Tulips, Antliuriums, Pelargoniums, and 
many other plants that cannot be referred to now, graceful 
Palms and refreshing Ferns also furnishing the re:juisite foils to so 
much colour. Grand banks of Orchids again constitute a feature 
in this tent. 
Besides those already named, the following have entered the 
undermentioned exhibits; — Messrs. Cannell & Son", Swanley, 
Begonias, Gloxinias, and cut flowers. Messrs. Liing & Sons, 
Forest Hill, Caladiums and Begonias. Messrs. Kelway & Sons, 
Langport, hardy herbaceous plants and cut flowers. Mr. W. Iceton, 
Roehampton, Palms, and other foliage plants. Messrs. W. & J. 
Birkenhead, Sale, Manchester, Ferns. Mr. H. B. May, Upper 
Edmonton, Ferns. Mr. J. Ford, gardener to Sir C. Pigott, Bart., 
Wexham Park, Slough, Calceolarias ; and Mr. H. Hazell, gardener 
No. 2220.—VoL. LXXXIY., OLD Series. 
