24 
THE GARDENING WORLD. September 11, 1886. 
HECKFIELD PLACE. 
In one of his “ Lessons for the Day," Mr. Moncure 
D. Conway, says, “ There is a beautiful angel called Art, 
able to surround life with idealizing forms and colours, 
and introduce man into an enchanting islet which antici¬ 
pates the perfection of the world. Before the mind has 
trained itself into a knowledge of the principles of pic¬ 
turesque beauty, and cultivated a susceptibility to 
poetic and artistic creations, it is apt to suppose that 
Art can only build round man a palace of illusions. 
But it is a realm of realities Art creates for us. It 
works on the emotions, and if any feelings be awakened 
and excited, it matters not whether it be material or a 
spiritual object, the effect is the same, the joy is the 
same.” I was reminded of this passage when looking 
through the grounds of Heckfield Place, "Winchfield, a 
few days ago. Here is a garden that instantly strikes 
the visitors as representing something out of the common 
way, something rarely seen, and when seen is re¬ 
membered as representing a series of striking pictures, 
not one of which is common-place, and yet, at the same 
time, thoroughly in harmony. Perfect order reigns 
everywhere. The visitor walks about Heckfield and 
wonders where the rubbish-yard can possibly be. It 
would doubtless be found if anyone looked for it; it is 
very easy to find it in some pretentious places, because 
it is almost impossible to 'visit the frame ground or 
kitchen garden without seeing it, but at Heckfield it is 
kept quite out of sight, as if there was no necessity for it. 
Then, again, everything appears to be seen at its 
best, whatever the stage of development or season of 
the year. The reign of order is perennial, the best 
possible is the one controlling aim that inspires the 
worker all the year round. Nature has done much 
for the grounds, the sweep of rounded hill and pleasant 
valley would remain if the hand of man were stayed, 
and the place fell into neglect, but the smooth sward, 
the well kept walks, the openings in the trees, 
through which can be caught glimpses of distant 
loveliness, the kept ground, which appears to fall away 
almost imperceptibly into the park land beyond ; the 
ingenious devices by which “distance lends enchant¬ 
ment to the view”; the marked individuality of every 
specimen tree, so that its charms shall be revealed in 
all their fullness, and the thriving condition of subjects 
not often found in pleasure grounds of this character, 
all attest to those touches of art, “which anticipates 
the perfection of the world.” If you want to enjoy 
a garden, go to Heckfield, and having seen it, be 
satisfied with what is witnessed, and go nowhere else 
for a week after at least, if you would escape the 
disturbing influence of violent contrasts. 
I think if there is one pleasing feature at Heckfield 
more than another it is the planting at the north¬ 
western end of the lake. It is all the handwork of 
man, and yet the material is so naturally disposed that 
one can imagine it was once a thicket, from which 
much of the worthless undergrowth had been cleared 
away, leaving only that which would beautify the slope 
of turf. Eucalyptus, Bamboo, Cedar, and others stand 
out prominently, thriving with native luxuriance as if 
indigenous to the district. Congenial situation, suit¬ 
able soil, and constant care bring about these results. 
Here are Phormium tenax variegatum finely developed 
that has stood out for years, and clumps of Bambusa 
Metake that have occupied this position for four or five 
years at least. Of the Eucalypti, E. rubra is the 
hardiest; but the winter of 1886 that killed so many 
fine specimens round London, left those at Heckfield 
almost unscathed. Here, too, is a remarkable speci¬ 
men of what Mr. "Wildsmith states is Juniperus Burkeii 
14 ft. to 15 ft. in height, and stated by Mr. Anthony 
Waterer to be one of the finest in the country. 
The Terrace Garden. 
Take that wonderful terrace garden. I can imagine 
visitors going to Heckfield expecting to see a flower 
garden much upon the lines of the old stjde that 
prevailed twenty years ago, with well defined lines, 
segments, zones, circles, &c., as if the most perfect 
geometrical precision was consonant with the most 
charming effect. But what one really sees is a subdued 
blending of subjects in such exquisite adaptation, that 
the first exclamation is, “ How beautiful! ” Succeeded 
by, “How simple !” "Whether they be embroidered 
beds, looking in the full flush of the summer sunlight 
like cushions of jewels reposing upon the green sward, 
or beds filled almost entirely with flowering plants ; 
simplicity is the prevailing feature. The planning 
and planting of these beds must be work of immense 
labour; but every detail, however small, appears to be 
harmonious. There is no glare ; a subdued harmony 
of soft beauty and fitness is on every hand. I greatly 
liked some beds having centres of Fuchsias ; they were 
charming. Here in raised stone beds, and also in 
those on the turf, were vigorous specimens of Phormium 
tenax variegata that have stood out unharmed for 
several winters. Dotted about on the grass lawn are 
specimens of Retinosporas planted four years ago, when 
quite little, and now 4 ft. in height and finely coloured. 
In the way of suitable bedding plants, Amaranth, a 
pink-flowered Zonal Pelargonium, deserves a note of 
approval; here is a brilliantly coloured Iresine almost 
scarlet, looking more like an Altemanthera, which 
originated -with Mr. Coleman at Eastnor Castle ; it is 
very bright indeed, and looks to be a sport from 
I. Lindeni. Princess Beatrice Begonia, a mule hybrid, 
bearing a profusion of pink flowers, should be mentioned 
as being employed here as a charming “dot” plant ; it 
is one of Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ novelties. And what 
a delightful plant for carpet work is Sedum acre elegans, 
it is seen here to the very best advantage. Mrs. Gray 
is one of the best white Violas ; it was very effective 
mixed with dwarf Ageratum. Lobelia, Heckfield 
Favourite, is very dwarf and compact, and of an 
extremely pleasing shade of blue. Herniaria glabra is 
a very useful carpet plant, because so hardy and 
persistent; and is employed for both summer and 
winter work as an edging to beds. The visitor leaves 
the garden reluctantly, for at every turn some charming 
detail awaits the eye. 
Running athwart the walled-in kitchen garden is a 
gravelled walk, having on either side a closely trimmed 
hedge of Cupressus Lawsoniana, and between it and 
the walk a border 3 ft. or so in diameter. Growing 
close against the hedge on either side, and tied closely 
into it, are single and Cactus Dahlias, and at their foot 
another piece of ornamental gardening formed of dwarf 
subjects, among them Sutton’s Princess Beatrice Begonia 
in the midst of little panels of Sedum acre elegans. 
Plant Houses, Vineries, &c. 
These and the kitchen gardens are in the same 
perfect order. There is a vinery j ust within the pleasure 
grounds in which the vines are said to be seventy years 
old, and they bear most useful bunches, and colour 
well. There is one vinery planted with Lady Downe’s, 
and a few years ago Mr. Wildsmith brought the shoots 
of the vines down to the bed on the other side, and so 
rooted them at both ends. Then he set to work later 
on and cut them away on the side on which they were 
planted, and they are now heels upwards. What a 
kind of topsy-turvey business ! But the Vines like it, 
and go on producing bunches in the regular way as if 
one might take the greatest liberties with nature, and 
she show no signs of annoyance or outraged feelings. 
Grapes, and good Grapes too, are always a feature at 
Heckfield. Tokay, Gros Maroc, Buckland Sweetwater, 
Golden Queen, Mrs. Pince, Muscat of Alexandria, Gros 
Colmar, Madresfield Court, &c., are all to be found here, 
and very fine too. 
There are good crops of fruit on the open walls— 
Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, Plums and Pears ; the 
Early Beatrice Peach on the open wall deserves special 
mention. Pears are a great feature at Heckfield ; they 
abound on every hand—on walls, on arched wire trellises, 
as cordons, and as pyramids. The best crops are found 
on General Todleben, Beurre Diel, Winter Nelis, 
Jargonelle, Beurre Clairgeau, Glou Morceau, Josephine 
de Malines, Pitmaston Duchess, &c. 
There are lines of Sweet Peas perennially blossoming; 
the secret being that all the seed-pods are kept picked 
off, and the plants devote their energies to the pro¬ 
duction of flowers instead of seeds. The leading shoot 
also is pinched back, and the plants become more 
branching in consequence. 
Chrysanthemums in pots are a really wonderful 
feature. Of late years Mr. Wildsmith has become an 
exhibitor of Chrysanthemums, and this season he is 
growing from 600 to 700 plants in pots, the large ma¬ 
jority of them plants on single stems to produce 
exhibition flowers ; in addition there are numbers of 
bush specimens. The plants are full of promise, and 
the tall stemmed ones are tied to wires stretched from 
tall supports, in addition a tall stake is placed firmly 
in the ground behind each pot, and the plants secured 
to it. Mr. Wildsmith should make his mark at Chry¬ 
santhemum exhibitions this autumn. The kitchen 
garden crops are on a level of equality with everything 
else, and it is rarely a piece of ground is seen vacant. 
I may conclude by stating that Mr. Wildsmith’s 
noble employer, Lord Eversley, a grand old man in every 
sense of the word—hale and hearty, though over ninety 
years of age, takes a deep interest in the gardens of 
Heckfield, and is as proud of their beauty, fitness, and 
perfection, as is his lordship’s able and energetic 
gardener, Mr. Wildsmith.— II. D. 
--> 2 <--- 
RHODODENDRON BALSAMINiE- 
FLORUM RAJAH. 
Of all the very fine hybrid varieties of greenhouse 
Rhododendrons which have been raised by Messrs. 
James Veitch & Sons, we know of none more distinct 
and in every way beautiful than the subject of the 
accompanying illustration, R. balsamimeflorum Rajah, 
which has flowered in the Chelsea nursery this season 
for the first time, and, needless to say, has received the 
stamp of undoubted worth from the Floral Committee— 
namely, a First Class Certificate. Besides being a 
valuable acquisition from a decorative point of view, it 
is a plant to which more than an average amount of 
interest attaches, inasmuch, as with the double white, 
double pink, and double yellow flowered varieties which 
preceded it, it came out of the same pod of seeds as 
produced those novelties. To obtain four such good 
and distinct plants from one cross, affords an illustra¬ 
tion of one of the happiest “hits” on record, and to 
Mr. John Heal is due the honour of making the cross 
which led to such grand results. The form of the 
flowers, so distinct from the others, is well shown in 
our illustration, and when we say that the colour is a 
rich orange-scarlet, little else need be said in its praise. 
-->X<-- 
KINGSWOOD WARREN. 
Most of our readers know something of Epsom, its 
breezy downs and celebrated race-course. About four 
miles from the grand stand, through a pleasant 
country rich in wild flowers, among which the fine 
patches of crimson heath, blue Campanulas, and yellow 
Hypericums are conspicuous, lies the estate of H. C. 
Bonsor, Esq., M.P. for the Wimbledon division of 
Surrey. The estate itself is a fine one, consisting of 
some 1,200 acres, but it is only the gardens with 
which we are concerned, therefore, entering the lodge, 
we proceed up the long straight avenue beneath aged 
Scotch Firs, Larch, Oaks, Beeches, and Spanish 
Chestnut, to the noble mansion seen in the distance. 
The avenue, which has a beautiful undergrowth of 
Birch, Bracken, and other woodland plants, forms a 
much better approach than it would if planted with 
formal shrubs, and, besides, gives pleasant walks 
beneath the trees and among the Heather and Bracken. 
From the front of the mansion, on the side of which 
stands a very 
Curious Old Oak, 
"With nine stems, a beautiful view up the glade to the 
church on the estate is to be obtained, the view bein<r 
through fine old Larches and Firs with their natural 
undergrowth, and in the foreground a very fine speci¬ 
men of Araucaria imbricata. This, like a peep from a 
garden through a wood to the church beyond, is a very 
charming feature, and one not easily matched in a 
private establishment. From the south-east front, 
which is laid out in terraces, a fine view is obtained 
over a pretty country studded with high Beech trees, 
which seem to do so well in Surrey, and sweeping 
round to the left, we come upon the extensive new 
pleasure grounds now in the course of formation, and 
which, when finished, will add much to the beauty of 
the scene in this direction, although the fine clumps of 
aged Firs and Oaks in the park on this side seem to 
say that for stately effect it will be long ere the newly 
planted can offer attraction sufficient even to command 
a small share of attention in the presence of those fine 
old fellows. 
The Flower Garden. 
On the other side of the house is the bedding plant 
arrangement, which is wisely restricted to some long 
beds planted in ribbon border fashion, and running 
beside the gravel walk. The beds are planted with 
Pelargoniums principally, and looked very effective 
with their backing of tall shrubs and fine coniferous 
plants, the specimens of Wellingtonia gigantea, about 
40 ft. in height, midway, being a marvellously fine and 
perfect one. The flower beds are moreover planted 
with standard Roses, which are now, and have been for 
