210 
THE FLORIST. 
NOTES ON THE MONTH. 
The glorious weather of the early part of June has been broken up by an 
unsettled atmosphere and copious rains, the effect of which on the parched 
crops and thirsty soil has been almost magical. Nothing that we 
remember has ever surpassed the wide-spread luxuriance which now 
clothes the face of the country ; meadows and pastures, grain, pulse, 
and roots have all the appearance of immense vigour and healthiness, 
indicating full stocks for the barn and store-yard in the autumn. The 
hay crop in some districts will probably prove the lightest, the tropical 
climate of the earl}?- part of the month (when the thermometer in the 
shade indicated 86^ for several days) having cEecked the growth of the 
Grass and brought on a premature maturity. Again (the 24th) a 
tropical sky has revisited us, and, with the mercury rising, bespeaks more 
heat and summer weather. 
Early on the 5th of June we took a quiet stroll through Mr. Nesfield’s 
chef-d'oemre at the Horticultural Society’s new Garden at Kensington. 
We noticed some considerable deviations from the published plan in the 
lower part, opposite the Council chamber (a noble room), and we think, 
considering the Gardens are surrounded by bricks and mortar, in the 
form of terraces, squares, arcades, &c., with the great Exhibition 
building in front, and the “ annex” on one side, that the effect would 
have been more pleasing had there been less of the “ mason” seen in 
Ihe Gardens themselves. To the eye accustomed all day, in bright 
sunshine, to the glare of streets and houses ad infinitum^ nothing so 
completely induces the sensation of repose and enjoyment as a verdant 
lawn. To our own sensorium the relief is something wonderful, and 
our enjoyment of the beauties of a garden is greatly increased after 
spending a day or two in town. For these reasons we should have 
preferred more lawn, trees, and shrubs, and less of the artificial pre¬ 
valent in the shape of retaining walls, balustrades, terra-cotta, and, we 
will add, embroidery work and gravel; we think the water will be 
good when completed. But, as the Prince President, in his admirable 
address to the Council, told them he hoped to see Gardening again 
take its place with the sister arts—Architecture and Sculpture—we 
bow with submission to so high an authority, merely premising that 
more use might have been made of architectural trees than appears 
to be the case. But then the work is unfinished, and our comments 
must be taken more as suggestions than a critique on what, on the 
whole, will be a magnificent spot for London. 
We could not help admiring the wonderful collections of plants brought 
together from the four quarters of the globe, to grace the opening day of 
the Royal Horticultural Society’s new garden. We noticed representa¬ 
tions of the Flora of Australia and Behring’s Straits, Vancouver’s 
Island, and Japan; majestic Ferns from New Zealand and Orchids 
from the tropics; “ flowers of all hue,” and fruit from every clime, 
were brought together such as no other country, and no cultivators 
besides, could produce; and her most gracious Majesty, w'ho paid 
privately an early visit to the exhibition, must have felt a just pride at 
