October 5, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
811 
A brief reference to the Begonias in the housea must be made. I can 
but repeat what has been said so many times before, and that is that they 
are “ perfection.” What more can be said 1 What more can indeed be 
necessary? and I must let it suiBce ; let those who are sceptical take the 
advice given above, and go to see and judge for themselves.—H. J. 
INWOOD HOUSE GARDENS, BLANDFORD. 
Through Mr. Wilkins’ untiring energy, Inwood House Gardens, 
Blandford, have obtained very high reputation. It is not a place of 
one thing, a garden of one variety. Everything is well done here, and 
whilst vegetables have created the greatest interest, plants and fruit are 
finely grown also. I do not know whether it is just to class Mr. Wilkins 
as the champion vegetable grower of the kingdom. Some may take 
exception to that high estimate. But all the same, as an average 
grower and exhibitor of vegetables, I do not know of his superior, and 
certainly very few are his equals. However, his record of successes tells 
its own tale. It is proof that is incontroveriible. Even the best of 
growers, the most successful of exhibitors, has to take a back seat some¬ 
times ; but that is not due to want of ability, but rather to the accident 
that just then products are not at their best. When, however, a grower 
exhibits, and takes the highest aggregate of prizes for vegetables all over 
the kingdom from June to November, it is evident that such a grower is 
entitled to the designation of champion. But Mr. Wilkins is not at all 
a proud man. He is very human so far, that nothing makes him 
egotistic or elate. He bears honours and reverses with simple ease, and 
still remains what we rejoice to find is so largely the characteristic of 
the British gardener, even when on the competitive war path—a plain, 
homely, intelligent, and most amiable man. 
Inwood House gardens are not old, indeed have all been made during 
the past ten years, and entirely under the present gardener, who came 
expressly from Motcombe to undertake charge. The situation is an 
elevated mound or hill, on a base of limestone or sandrock, with a very 
shallow surface soil. Of course it would have been useless to expect to 
construct a good garden out of such material, and therefore the upper 
crust or layer of this rock had to be excavated ; a heavy work that was 
well done, and the bottom made up with soil brought in from anywhere, 
hence the present depth, the luxuriant growth seen in all directions, and 
the magnificent produce which has made Inwood so famous. The 
gardener’s house is reached by a ride of some two miles from Temple- 
combe Junction, but that hospitable place is still fully one-third of 
a mile from the gardens, a distance that has some disadvantages 
and some advantages. Trees are not on such a shallow soil of the 
most robust order, and that is largely the chief weakness of the place. 
Get in the kitchen garden, however, and then everything is almost 
luxuriant. 
The plant houses are numerous, and include in their contents a very 
large number of grand show specimens, foliage and flowering. The 
collection is remarkably extensive, and the bulk of these is found in a 
long span-house of horseshoe shape, some 200 feet round, literally 
crammed with plants, above and below, for beautiful climbers here grow 
as if in their native habitats. Of specimens there is a gigantic Latania 
borbonica, with huge leafage spreading to an area of 30 feet. This 
stands on a pedestal in the centre of a large basin of water. There are 
many other Palms, Ferns in great variety, and fine plants—Allamandas, 
Clerodendrons, Bougainvilleas, Stephanotis, Lapagerias, Ixoras, Crotons, 
Chorozemas, Statices, Eucharis, Alocasias, Cycads, and Kalosanthes, 
showing that it would be easy to make up a collection of 100 fine 
samples, or of 200 if needed. Distributed through various houses is a 
most interesting collection of tropical fruiting or economic plants, such 
as Musas, carrying grand bunches of fruit ; Mangosteen, Monstera 
deliciosa, the Custard Apple, Anona reticulata, the Papaw tree, showing 
six fine fruits like large Pears ; the Guava tiee, which has freely fruited ; 
Vanilla, the Nutmeg, Rose Apple or Eugenia Jambos, Stapelia Litchni, 
the Coffee tree, which has fruited ; the Camphor tree, Camphora 
oflficinalis, and others. These show, apart from myriads of plants of all 
descriptions, that Inwood Gardens is something more than a manufac¬ 
tory for prize vegetables. 
I will not refer to the fruit houses because there is not time and 
space to do so. It is enough to say that vineries and Peach houses are ail 
excellent. Outdoors Pears on bush and pyramid trees chiefly on the 
Pear stock are truly grand. What a pity some of these specimens could 
not have been photographed, they would have made almost sensational 
pictures, especially could the size of the fruit on them have been fully 
pourtrayed. These trees are situated on each side of the kitchen garden 
walks, and have been planted from seven to eight years. Hitherto, the 
soil having been too good, and the growth so robust, it has been difficult 
to induce them to fruit freely, but this year they have been at their best. 
It was mentioned that whilst Pears on the walls suffered very much 
from the spring frosts, the open trees, being later in bloom, escaped, and 
set fruit freely. I noted but a few out of the many, though some 
had had their crops already gathered — Calebasse, Duchesse 
d’AngoulSme, Louise Bonne, Thompson’s, Zephirin Gr^goire, Mar^chal 
de Cour, Vicar of Winkfield, Soldat Esperen, Beurr6 Clairgeau, 
Pitmaston Duchess, Durondeau, Bereamotte Eiperen, and Seckle, these 
sufficing to show that the collection is a large one. Mr. Wilkins is an 
enthusiastic mulcher, indeed he says that this dry season he owes so 
much of the size of his Pears, as of all other crops, to heavy mulchings of 
stable manure. However, as some fifty horses are kept, and the stables 
are close by, manure in plenty may be had for the fetching. A some¬ 
what unique arrangement is that of the walled-in bush fruit garden, 
over the whole of which in the fruit season strong netting may be 
stretched, to the confusion of the birds, great and small, whilst from below 
everything is readily accessible. Here, too, as elsewhere. Chrysanthe¬ 
mums are in very strong evidence, some 600, all in splendid condition, 
being grown, so that there will be plenty of show flowers if needed, and 
plenty to furnish houses and indoor decoration. 
Vegetables here are so fine that it is difficult indeed to do them full 
justice. Onions alone merit a page, so grand are the samples and so 
plentiful are they. Mr. Wilkins has finished his bulbs perfectly, and 
giant Ailsa Craig, a dozen of which average 36 lbs., the heaviest weight 
ever reached, are as mature and as handsome as bulbs only 3 ozs. instead 
of 3 lbs. Although not so fine, yet most wonderful are the selected 
samples of Rousham Park Hero, Lord Keeper, Anglo-Spanish, and 
Inwood Favourite, a redder variety, product of a cross between Red 
Globe and Anglo-Spanish, of the flatter bulbs ; and of Cocoanut, very 
deep globe shaped; Wroxton, a grand keeper; Excelsior, hard and 
handsome ; Advancer, yellowish globe ; Sutton’s Al, very fine ; Jarman’s 
International, Pinesfield, and Somerset Hero, all globe shaped, in almost 
bewildering profusion. These bulbs are all of the new order, of product 
transplanted from boxes, the seed being sown under glass in January, 
Now they are fully ripe and stored on broad trellis shelves in an ancient 
round tower standing in the gardens, and the Onions are probably the finest 
in the kingdom. Leeks are yet all agrowing;. These comprise the Lyon, 
Prizetaker, and Champion ; but Mr. Wilkins holds that he can have 
FIG. 41.—MUSHROOMS AT INWOOD HOUSE. 
stems long and white, short and stout from any variety, just as they are 
blanched or otherwise. Some superb Tomatoes of the Perfection type 
are shown grown on pot plants in a lean-to house that balance other 
vegetables. Carrots are chiefly now of the Intermediate forms, although 
Early Gem and Champion or Nantes are grown and largely used for 
exhibition earlier in the season, when also Asparagus, Sea Kale, and 
Dwarf French Beans, such as Canadian Wonder and Ne Plus Ultra, are 
largely grown. Runner Beans are marvellous, several rows of the 
Inwood selection of Ne Plus Ultra, a beautiful strain, have grown 
from 16 to 18 feet in height. Cauliflowers are very fine. This most 
useful vegetable begins with Early Forcing or Snowball, follows with a 
perfect variety, Sutton’s Magnum Bonum, then Autumn Giant 
and Mammoth, and so the supply extends over a long season. 
Parsnips are represented by the Student and Hollow Crown, a large bed 
being in fine growth ; Potatoes by Satisfaction, Sutton’s Seedling, London 
Hero, Snowdrop, Windsor Castle, and International out of many ; Peas 
by Prodigy, Autocrat—this being excellent for dry soils or seasons ; and 
Duke of Albany. Celery for early work and exhibition is chiefly blanched 
by paper bands and round drain pipes. Veitch’s Early Rose, Standard 
Bearer, and Aylesbury Red of coloured, and Wright’s Giant White and 
Solid White for pale vaiieties. Stems weighing 15 lbs. each of Standard 
Bearer have been produced here after being cleaned and trimmed. Beet 
is represented by Middleton Park, Pragnell’s Exhibition, Cheltenham, 
Greentop, Sutton’s Blood Red ; and Brussels Sprouts by Ne Plus Ultra 
and Exhibition ; Cucumbers by Model ; Turnips by Dobbie’s Selected 
Model and Snowball. Thus it is seen that the variety is con¬ 
siderable, the cultivation of the best, and the product superb. The keep 
of the place also is good. Anyone visiting In wood will go away 
satisfied that Mr. Wilkins must grow all his produce, for the simple reason 
that no one else can equal him in production. I might write much more 
about this place, but the foregoing must satisfy curiosity now ; whilst 
it is a delightful place, the practical gardening in every branch is of the 
best, and much of it as shown cannot be excelled.—A. D. 
[It will be seen by the photographic illustration (fig. 44), which 
represents a portion of a bed of Mushrooms at Inwood House, that 
Mr, Wilkins is also an adept in this phase of gardening.] 
