446 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 24, 1E37. 
much wirework ought not to be used so as to indicate its presence by 
the weight of the bouquet. 
It is a long time since the above simple but sensible rules were 
penned by Mr. Robson, but I think they, or some others, want bringing 
to the front again, for bouquets, like all other exhibits, should have few, 
if any, flaws in them to take leading positions.— G. Garner, Amberrvood 
Ga dens, Hants. 
LONDON’S LESSER OPEN SPACES—THEIR TREES 
AND PLANTS. 
NEW SERIES.—No. 5. 
Travellers upon those lines of railway which converge towards 
London Bridge from suburban Surrey are familiar with the uninviting 
district over which they pass to reach the metropolis after they have left 
New Cross. Rotberhithe, Bermondsey, Horselydown, it is impossible to 
think these attractive on a hasty survey from above, but coming nearer, 
if there be some things that repel there is also much that is of interest. 
It is hereabout, for instance, that some of the early experiments in 
market gardening were made by the Flemings, who having land d in 
Kent worked their way towards London. Explorations made below 
the surface in some places have brought to view masses of } eat, con¬ 
firming the tradition that anciently there was a lar*.e forest at Ber- 
mondsev, but as it laid low there were marshy tracts amongst the tre s. 
Some of the Oaks and Hazels, indeed, were dug out with the nuts 
attached to the boughs, these species now are scarcely to be found in 
the neighbourhood. A few years ago there was a newspaper contro¬ 
versy about a spot called Jacob’s Island, which some persons argued 
could not possibly have been surrounded by water in human history, 
but evidence was adduced to show that there were streams near the old 
abbey down to the sixteenth century. Much of the ground is still very- 
moist, hence the prevalence of fogs, yet it is admirably suited for the 
culture of some vegetables, which are in steady demand, as foreign 
competition has not touched thes°. Like many other districts this 
would be much improved if some kindly disposed individuals were to 
have planted on its open places and roads such trees as would be likely 
to flourish, and so replace those which have been either cut down or 
died off, for Bermondsey once rejoiced in a shady park attached to its 
abbey, incredible as this may appear. 
Horselydown, however, is higher ground ; formerly a grazing place for 
horses, it has now ceased to be “ downy,” vegetation is scant, yet it is 
not all bricks and mortar, and old names linger telling of the past, such 
as “ Snow’s Fields” and “ Potter’s Fields.” Then there is Maze Place, 
reminding us of the green maze that was attached to the old manor 
house ; it is overlooked by Planes which extend along one side of Guy's 
Hospital, and which, struggling upwards for light and air, have made 
themselves tall and scraggy. Close by, encircled by high walls, is the 
now disused burial ground of the hospital, which the Metropolitan 
Public Gardens Association has been endeavouring to get opened to the 
public as a recreation ground. It is not, I fear, a promising spot for 
flow’er culture, but it might be planted with some shrubs. The princi¬ 
pal open space available at present in Horselydown is the churchyard of 
St. John’s of about two acres, -which has been laid out as a garden for 
some years. Such places are apt to be a little dreary in autumn while 
the leaves are falling, especially if the bedding plants have be n suffered 
to remain until the early frosts seize upon them. I regret to notice that 
this is rather a common practice, especially when the plants after they 
are taken up are distributed amongst the poor, who thus receive them, 
or a part at least, in a half-dead condition ; and it is deemed, I suppose, 
a wise precaution to place the beds in grass plots, which are railed off 
from approach, allowing them only to be looked at from a distance, but 
it appears to me that this is not the way to popularise these open spaces. 
At least, as there is always a caretaker about there cannot be much 
danger in letting both adults and children vralk amongst beds chiefly 
planted with shrubs. I still hope for the day when in some of these open 
spaces there will be given simple lectures on botany, with illustrations, 
for the public benefit. 
In the garden of St. John’s, Horselydown, there are not many trees ; 
those recently planted are chiefly Planes, the older ones being Poplars, 
which have attained a goodly size, as the soil issuitable. One Plane, pro¬ 
bably about thirty years old, is conspicuous on account of the curiously 
contorted growth of trunk and branches. There are a few Scotch Elms of 
moderate dimensions ; this species is not one frequent about London 
suburbs, and the Weeping Ash appears a tree not to be encouraged in such 
gardens, for it does not favour the growth of its neighbours of smaller size. 
Here is a variety of evergreens, but only a part s em to flourish, the 
smaller leaved, such as the Privet, Box, and Thuias doing best. Yuccas 
have been placed here and there amongst the tall shrubs, and grow fairly 
well. Dahlias and Chrysanthemums are amongst the autumn flowers, 
and Stocks, with patches of Mignonette, linger on in bloom till 
November. Annuals, however, are not usually of much good in these 
gardens unless sown very freely indeed. 
The parish church of St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, has a church- 
yarl converted into a garden of about 1| acre ; contiguous is the private 
garden of the parsonage, which can be viewed, but not walked in, by 
the public, as it is in a rather lower level. We are on historic ground 
here, for all about are memories of the great abbey at Bermondsey, with 
its base ground, its long walk, its farm, its park—and, what is oddest of 
all, its island 1 Yet there is every reason for believing that “Jacob’s 
Island ” was actually at one time what its name implies. A branch of 
the Thames flowed almost to the walls of the old abbey, and forking, 
made this island in its course. It was the abode of the Cluniac monks. 
At the Reformation Sir Thomas Pope built a mansion on the spot, and 
cut down most of the ancient trees, but some survived, as indicated by 
the name “ Three Oak Lane,” yet remaining in Bermondsey ; and pos¬ 
sibly “Vine Street” may be a memorial of an old vineyard, though 
Vines are scarce now in this region. Grange Walk, however, was tree- 
shaded in the recollection of some old inhabitants. A tavern sign of 
the “ Hand and Marigold,” and “ Marigold Lane ” beside it, arc- 
suggestive. Was this flower largely cultivated in the gardens once attached 
to the Elizabethan mansion? Or it may have been that on some of the 
land that was neglected a crop of the Ox-eye Daisy sprung up, this 
humble relative of the Chrysanthemum being often called Marigold by 
our ancestors, and distinguished by them from the Marsh Marigold, or 
“ Winking Mary-bud ” (Caltha palustris). Garden Marigolds of several 
varieties are growing now in the churchyard of St. Mary, appropriate to- 
the name. 
But as to trees, the finest to be found hereabout are the four Eastern 
Planes of this churchyard, indeed there are few handsomer trees in 
south London, though it is difficult to surmise what is their age. It 
also contains some rugged Elms which mav have braved the elements- 
and the Scelytus be- tie for a century, and Poplars old and young, with- 
one Birch at least, as the gardener remarked, to hint to the juveniles' 
that they often desire castigation with its twigs. There are old Elders- 
that must have been planted when this spot was a burial ground, and 
the species was thought fitting for such places, accompanied by the 
Laurel as symbolic of victory amongst our forefathers. Many ever¬ 
greens have been set since without regard to folk lore and tradition, 
and the method has been adopted of forming groups of one kind, or 
circlets, which makes the different species more conspicuous than whe-n 
they arc mingled at random. Amongst the plants of the flower beds 
my attention was called by the gardener to specimens of Weigela rosea- 
which had proved a success, and he had been growing, as an experiment 
that old “ herb of health,” the Tansy; of the herbaceous plants- 
Antirrhinums linger on to join the Asters and the Chrysanthemums. 
In the churchyard of St. James’s, Bermondsey, which is no great dis¬ 
tance from the preceding, trees and plants grow more vigorously, for the 
atmosphere around is purer, and the expanse of Southwark Park is not 
far off. This is a space of nearly two acres recently transformed from 
churchyard into a garden, with lines of Elms, Limes, and Poplars ; 
there are also a few Sycamores, that is not a species so familiar in. 
London gardens as the somewhat similar Plane. Here I found! 
growing the Guelder Rose, formerly a great favourite about London 
its relative, the Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum Lantana) might be in¬ 
troduced with advantage, as the berries and leaves make a show iis 
autumn.—J. R. S. C. 
Royal Horticultural Society. — At the meeting of the; 
Council of this Society on the 8th instant, an informal offer from the- 
Royal Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibition, to let the gardens andl 
conservatory at South Kensington to the Society at a “ guaranteed ”■ 
rent of £1000 a year was discussed. The Council felt that on financir»L 
grounds it was impossible for them to accept the offer, as the cost ct 
maintenance, with rates and taxes, would amount to at least another 
£1000, making an expenditure of £2000 a year for South Kensington 
alone, without counting office charges or the cost of Chiswick Gardens.. 
It was also decided that no advantage could accrue to the Society 
from the continuance of negotiations of which the end could only be 
delay and disappointment. The Council decided to issue forthwith an 
appeal on behalf of the Society to the horticultural public of the king¬ 
dom. The terms and conditions of this appeal were discussed anti 
settled generally. Subsequent to the meeting Colonel R. Trevor Clarke: 
and Major F. Mason resigned their places on the Council, and Mr. 
William Haughton gave notice that he should resign at the end of the 
year ; these gentlemen having been in favour of continuing the con¬ 
nection of the Society with South Kensington and the Royal Commis¬ 
sioners of the 1851 Exhibition. The Council will not take any steps h» 
fill these vacancies without consulting the Fellows. [We applaud this- 
dt-cision, and have no doubt that good will arise to the Society now that 
the Council have adopted a definite policy.] 
-The Weather has been changeable during the past week, 
but severe frosts have been experienced in some districts, the records 
ranging from 12° to 18° of frost on the eastern side of England. 
Shet, snow, and rain have fallen on several dajs, and in the neighbour¬ 
hood of London fogs have been almost continuous. The frost was 
