December 11, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
233 
EDGEND HALL. 
The residence of Edward Ecroyd, Esq., is situated 
about two miles north-east from the thriving town of 
Burnley, and stands upon a sunny slope of the hills, 
of which plenty abound in this district—one notably, 
Pendle Hill, of which an excellent view is obtained 
from the Edgend. The gardens are laid out in modern 
style ; but the district not being a very salubrious one, 
nothing special has been attempted in the way of orna¬ 
mental planting ; the glass structures seem to absorb 
the general energies of the place. The first house we 
entered was what we may call a shady conservatory, 
adjoining the house, and on the glass partition, 22 ft. 
wide, dividing it from the conservatory proper, was a 
fine plant of Lapageria alba, covering the entire par¬ 
tition, and always more or less in flower ; this plant 
was struck from a cutting eight years ago, and has 
made satisfactory progress. On the stages were fine 
plants of Camellia alba plena, in bloom ; good specimens 
of Corypha australis and Latania borboniea ; a mag¬ 
nificent plant of Adiantum Williamsii, 5 ft. across ; 
pans of Pteris scaberula, 4 ft. G ins. across ; and good 
up too much of your space, but all the classes are well 
represented, including leading varieties. An early 
Vinery which contains some good and well-ripened 
canes, has yielded a good supply of Grapes this 
summer. A lot of trained Azaleas, including some 
good plants of the old Indica alba, well set and grown 
in tubs, are the only occupants of this house. A 
large stove next claimed attention, and in this house 
were some good examples of cultural skill ; on entering, 
the eye drops on masses of Adiantum Farleyense, some 
grown in large wire baskets and suspended from the 
roof, and one very fine specimen grown in a tub. 
Some of these specimens are 5 ft. through and almost 
as tall. The house contains the usual occupants of 
stoves, such as Bougainvilleas, Stephanotis and Eucharis 
in splendid condition ; Croton Johannis, grandly 
coloured, a noble specimen, 6 ft. by 6 ft.; a pair of C. 
Wiesmann, 5 ft. by 5 ft., models of plants, and colour 
magnificent ; noble Tree Ferns, and masses of Davallia 
Mooreana, Selaginella erythropus, Africana, and other 
good sorts ; highly coloured Dracaenas, and a small 
collection of Orchids, useful kinds for cutting from. 
a vinery, two years planted, and really intended for a 
late house ; it contains good rods of Gros Colmar, 
Alicante, Alnwick Seedling, Muscat of Alexandria, 
Mrs. Pearson and Golden Queen, the latter of which 
was carrying bunches of fruit, dead ripe, and this 
appears to be the only way in which this variety can 
be had in perfection, and bring out the fine flavour it 
is known to possess. The flavour of these berries was 
decidedly of the muscat. A Peach-house adjoins the 
vinery, and the trees are looking the perfection of 
health, having had good fruit on them this season ; 
large specimen Fuchsias, Tetrathecas and Diplacus 
were also in this house ; and everything all through 
the place, both inside and out, were in perfect good 
health. Mushroom-growing is also well carried out 
here, both in pits and in sheds, and some really fine 
examples were shown to us at the time of our visit. 
Mr. James Durno, the able gardener here, goes in for 
plenty of liquid manure for all his crops and pot plants, 
and has had recently erected a large tank for the 
purpose of mixing and keeping this very useful adjunct 
to good plant growing, always ready for use. — W. G. 
“Empress” Single Poppy Anemones, 
plants of Phormium Colensoi, Gleichenia Mendelii and 
rupestris glaucescens. From this house we entered the 
conservatory, a plain but useful structure, on the glass 
partition and back wall of which is a large plant of 
Lapageria rosea, in splendid health. On the back of the 
roof, covering a space of 15 ft. by 12 ft., was a Marechal 
Hid Bose—a picture of health—worked on the briar. 
This briar is allowed to send up suckers, and as they 
get firm they are grafted with a piece of the Marechal ; 
this allows the old parts to be cut away if they show 
any signs of canker—a capital idea—for by this means 
young blood is continually being got into the roots. 
This plant and the Lapagerias are planted in what might 
be termed expanding boxes : they are made to fit the 
stages, and are so arranged that the centre part can be 
filled up with soil at first, and when this becomes full 
of roots the ends can be drawn up and placed in grooves 
farther apart, thus giving the plant a shift without 
removing it—an ingenious plan and one well worthy of 
imitation ; an iron clip fastened with a screw holds the 
lot together, so that no nailing is required. 
On the stages of this house are a good and well- 
grown lot of Chrysanthemums, all grown for size of 
flower ; many of the blossoms were 9 ins. and 10 ins. 
across, the flower being measured from tip to tip at the 
back of the flower. To name the sorts grown would take 
The back wall of this stove calls for a passing notice. 
At the bottom for about a yard high a rockery has been 
erected, and planted with Fittonias, Begonias, Alocasias 
and Ferns, all blending well together ; from the top of 
this rock-work the wall is covered with Cissus discolor 
and Ficus repens, but the greatest novelty is to see 
plants of Phakenopsis Luddemanniana and Dendrobes 
clinging to it, and all seeming to enjoy their places by 
the manner in which they are sending their roots 
amongst the Ficus, &c. 
Passing through a roomy shed we noticed a very good 
quality of loam, which has to be carted twelve miles, 
showing the disadvantage the district is under in not 
being able to get good soil. We then came to another 
range of glass facing south, and divided into seven com¬ 
partments, each one having their special occupants. 
One contained a lot of good specimen Pelargoniums, 
another specimen Heaths and other greenhouse plants, 
and in a corner was a stove Fernery in course of having 
rockeries put up in it. We noticed here good plants 
of Adiantum Farleyense and Goniophlebium sub- 
auriculatum, evidently liking their quarters. A forcing 
house was well fitted up with every appliance, also a 
good house intended for a rose-growing house, but at 
present occupied with Allamandas, &c., specimen 
Davallias and other plants at rest. The next house is 
“ EMPRESS " POPPY ANEMONES. 
Having seen my bed of Messrs. Carter’s new 
“Empress” single Poppy Anemones last May, would 
you allow me to direct the attention of other amateurs 
to their great beauty ; as now is the time to obtain 
the roots, which are very cheap. I am a warm lover 
of Anemones, Ranunculuses, and such-like old-fashioned 
things, and am a special admirer of this strain, which 
gives me blooms of well-nigh Brobdignagian dimen¬ 
sions, some of them measuring quite 4 ins. in diameter ; 
and being borne on long stiff stalks, are extremely 
useful for cutting, especially if taken when the flowers 
are young. Their colours are as varied as they are 
brilliant, and I am sure they will give pleasure to 
anyone who will try them.— IF. B. B. [Our friend’s 
bed was certainly a most beautiful one, and gave such 
a wealth of colour that we are not surprised at his 
enthusiasm respecting them. We also, in the spring, 
received a box of blooms from the Messrs. Carter, and 
which we cannot but admit were the finest varieties of 
A. coronaria that we have yet seen. The fine, bold 
character of the blooms is well shown in the accom¬ 
panying illustration, for the use of which we are 
indebted to Messrs. Carter, but their bright and hand¬ 
some appearance can only be fully appreciated when 
seen. —Ed.] 
