234 
THE FLOBIST. 
at Ham, and found refuge in England, he resided here for several 
months, and may probably in the shady groves of Sydney Gardens, 
which formerly belonged to the hotel, have meditated on what particular 
course would soonest lead him to Imperial power, which from a youth 
we are told he believed it to be his destiny to possess. Turning to the 
right and next to the left, we soon found ourselves at the gate of Mr. 
Tiley’s nursery—our destination, as we were bent on a look over 
Tiley’s Roses, for which report told me his nursery was famous. Some 
of the great guns will exclaim, Roses in Bath? Yes, there they are, 
something like a stock of 100,000 now being budded, and an equal 
number lor sale. To be sure, Mr. Tiley’s Rose grounds do not extend 
to scores of acres, as at Maresfield, Berkhampstead, Sawbridgeworth, or 
Cheshunt, in one piece; but then land round or in Bath is not to be had 
in twenty-acre fields; you must be content with a bit here and a 
larger slice there, just as old gardens and land not available for building 
upon falls to hand, and hence Mr. Tiley told me his nursery consists of 
nine separate grounds. Such an arrangement has its inconveniences in 
some respects, but it is handy in others, and whether for the best or 
not, has to be put up with. 
The principal Rose ground is on the north slope of one of the romantic 
hills which nearly surround Bath, and which, rising from the valley 
of the Avon to a great height, form a natural amphitheatre, and con¬ 
stitute the great charm of the city and neighbourhood. From Mr. 
Tiley’s nursery the eye takes in a panoramic view of the “ City of the 
Sun,” as it was called by the Romans, with its terraces and crescents 
rising from the banks of the Avon, which flows through the valley, to 
the heights of Landsdown to the west, crowned by Beckford’s tower. To 
the north, the view embraces Batheaston, a kind of offshoot from the old 
city, situate in a valley famous for market gardens and Strawberry 
grounds (who has not heard of Lydiard and his Strawberries, which, 
before Smith took to growing them, were unequalled at London shows ?) 
and further up the valley is Swanswick, nestling in Beech woods, peering 
from which is plainly discernible the “ home of a florist,” Charles 
Sainsbury, Esq., the raiser of numerous first-class Dahlias, and an 
enthusiastic lover of flowers. Further up the Avon, a short distance to 
the right of Batheaston, is Bathford, the residence of a celebrated florist, 
the late G. M. Yeeles, Esq, and which we heard is again to come out 
under the auspices of the present Mr. Yeeles and Mr. Salter, the well- 
known gardener to his late father. At our back, but towards the 
summit of the hill behind where we stood, is the residence of — Sims, 
Esq., once noted for Orchids and Heaths : and a little further on is Crowe 
Hall, the seat of H. Tugwell, Esq., an enthusiastic florist, who still main¬ 
tains a great fondness for Picotees and Carnations. 
This little digression respecting the locality surrounding where I stood 
reulted from questions to the worthy proprietor, and may perhaps 
prove useful to those who, situated like myself, may have a few hours 
on hand, and may wish to know what there is in our line in the 
neighbourhood ; not that we have mentioned all the places worth seeing, 
but only those brought out by my queries. 
This Rose nursery appears to be a deep rather strong loam, and judging 
