8 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 3, 1887. 
SUNFLOWERS AT HURSTSIDE. 
Sunflowers are gaining in popularity, and not¬ 
withstanding their immense size and quaint familiar 
appearance, they are capable of producing a bold and 
characteristic effect in a few months’ time, with the 
least possible attention. At Hurstside, Hampton 
Court, the seat of Sir Henry Thomson, the gardener, 
Mr. Hookings, has used them to great advantage in 
screening the vegetable and other crops from the view 
obtained of them from the lawn. These giant annuals 
of the far west also act as a background to the lawn, 
and are fitting companions to the herbaceous plants of 
various kinds in front of them. 
[j JThe terminal flower-head of the primary stem is the 
largest, and ranges from 10 ins. to 14 ins., or even 
more ; but a host of others, though smaller, still hear 
evidence of good cultivation, a high state of develop¬ 
ment, and, proceeding from the side-shoots, point in 
all directions of the compass. The whole forms a 
massive hedge, requiring no artificial support; and 
upon closer inspection is found to consist of numerous 
varieties, presenting great diversity of form as well 
as colour. Helianthus annuus globosus fistulosus, 
generally reputed the best double variety, is repre¬ 
sented in grand form, and is notable as much for 
the depth as the breadth of its flower-heads. This 
semi-globular appearance is the result of the greatly- 
elongated central florets, and other very characteristic 
doubles also owe their shapes to Jhe relative length of 
the disc-florets. Thus the first-named variety is semi- 
globular when full blown ; but the florets develop very 
gradually from the circumference to the centre, so that 
the semi-expanded heads are hollow iu the centre, or 
present a deep central cavity. In other forms, where 
the disc-florets are comparatively short, the expanded 
heads are like wooden bread-plates—flat as a table, and 
somewhat curved at the margin. Another kind, fur¬ 
nished with guards like a well-known Hollyhock type, 
owes its form and appearance to the elongation of the 
ray-florets, so that the latter form, as it were, is 
furnished with an outer palisade of closely-set segments, 
fencing round and protecting the inner ones. Then we 
have the single form, so familiar in almost every 
cottage garden at present, with its broad golden yellow 
ray and black disk. 
The variation in colour is equally as conspicuous and 
noticeable as that of form, but is confined to various 
shades of the original colour, and ranges from a pale 
lemon or canary colour to a deep orange-yellow. The 
lemon-yellow is one of the most distinct and character¬ 
istic of these ; if not a new shade of colour, at least one 
that ought to be perpetuated and disseminated 
throughout the country, owing to its distinctness and 
the relief its clear pale tint gives to the prevailing 
colour as generally seen in gardens. At Hurstside this 
beautiful tint runs through a great many of the double 
forms as well as the singles. The whole of these 
seedlings are the progeny of one or two selected forms 
from a limited number of plants, that last year scarcely 
attracted the attention of anyone. 
Besides the varieties of H. annuus, there is a form 
of H. decapetalus, which does not seem at all common 
among the double forms of that species, which are 
known as H. multiflorus plenus. The distinction here 
lies in the absence of guards to the flower-heads, 
whereas the commoner double form, so prevalent in 
gardens, possesses guards. H. multiflorus is not known 
in a wild state, and is to be considered as a form of H. 
decapetalus ; so that the plants would be more 
botanically correct under the name of H. d. multiflorus 
plenus. __ 
A REMARKABLE SHOW. 
I think that everyone interested in horticultural 
exhibitions should, at least once, see the very remark¬ 
able show, held at Sandy, in Bedfordshire. I am in 
the habit of attending a goodly number of flower shows 
in a season, but I know of nothing that can compare 
with Sandy for general interest, for the schedule of 
prizes is a very comprehensive one. There are 173 
classes for plants, cut flowers, fruit, vegetables and 
table decorations, shown by nurserymen, gardeners, 
amateurs, cottagers and ladies. There are fourteen 
classes for farmers; twenty-one for market gardeners, 
eight for honey and bees-wax ; six for needlework, 
ornamental work, stuffed animals, insects, birds eggs, 
&e. ; nine for butter, eggs, fowls and ducks ready 
trussed, and home-made bread ; twelve for cage birds ; 
fourteen for poultry; seventeen for pigeons ; and six 
for rabbits. Nothing appears to be left out of the 
schedule that is fairly representative of country life, 
and what would be likely to interest the dwellers in a 
purely agricultural and market-gardening district. All 
these exhibits are arranged in a dozen or so tents placed 
in a circle round the park of Sandy Place, the residence 
of J. N. Fowler, Esq., where the show is held : and 
when the weather is fine vast numbers of people come 
in from the towns and villages round. One good 
feature about the Sandy show is that in some forty 
towns and villages more or less adjacent, there are 
either local committees or local secretaries, who assist in 
disseminating information, collecting subscriptions, &e. 
Why, the subscription list comprises over 900 names, 
and a large majority of them give a sum of half-a- 
crown annually. 
The work connected with such an exhibition is very 
heavy ; the secretarial duties are admirably discharged 
by Mr. William Green, who has to be everywhere on 
the show day, and some good working members of the 
committee back him up well. 
The time at my disposal for note-taking was so 
limited, that I am able to give you only a few par¬ 
ticulars, and they relate to the division open to all 
comers. For ten stove and greenhouse plants in bloom 
good prizes were offered, the best came from Mr. W. 
Finch, gardener to J. Marriott, Esq., Queen’s Eoad, 
Coventry, who had good plants of Lapageria rosea, 
Eondeletia speciosa major, Statiee profusa, Stephanotis 
floribunda, Allamanda nobilis, Ixora Williamsi, 
Dipladenia profusa, and Ericas Irbyana, Marnockiana 
and Aitoniana turgida ; second, Mr. W. Babbitt, gar¬ 
dener to General Pearson, The Hassells, Sandy ; third, 
Mr. J. Parker, nurseryman, Rugby. Mr. Rabbitt had 
the best twelve zonal Pelargoniums, distinct; Mr. 
Redman, gardener to G. J. Goodyames, Esq., Eynes- 
bury, St. Neot’s, being second. In the class for 
forty-eight cut Roses, Messrs. George Paul & Son, 
nurserymen, Cheshunt, were first; Messrs. J. Burrell & 
Co., nurserymen, Cambridge, second ; and Messrs. 
G. & W. H. Birch, nurserymen, Peterborough, third ; 
Mr. John House, Eastgate Nurseries, Peterborough, 
being awarded an extra prize. The best twenty-four 
spikes of Gladioli, a very fine lot, came from Messrs. J. 
Burrell & Co. ; Mr. J. House being second ; and T. 
Meyer, Esq., Orwell-Royston, third. The best twenty- 
four Dahlias were shown by Mr. R. Petfield, gardener to 
A. J. Thornhill, Esq., Diddingstone, Buckden, who 
had good blooms of Willie Garrett, Harrison Weir, 
Mrs. Foreman, Defiance, Goldfinder, John Hinshaw, 
J. Stephen Bruce, Bismarck, James Crocker, Joseph 
Ashby, John Standish, Constancy, Prince of Denmark, 
J. B. Service, Shirley Hibberd, Mr. Gladstone, J. W. 
Lord, Mr. Dodds, &c. ; second, Mr. Henry Glasscock, 
Bishop Stortford, with some good blooms and a few 
faulty ones. 
The principal exhibitors of plants in the division from 
which nurserymen are excluded were Mr. Redman, Mr. 
Rabbitt, Mr. W. Hapthorpe, Cambridge ; Mr. G. W. 
Underwood, The Gardens, High Firs, Harpenden ; and 
Mr. J. N. Foster. Of cut flowers, E. B. Lindsell, Esq., 
Hitchin ; Rev. E. G. King, Madingley Vicarage, Cam¬ 
bridge ; Mr. George Arnold, Leighton Buzzard ; Mr. R. 
Petfield, Mr. J. Henson, Girtford ; Mr. W. Bourne, 
gardener to Mrs. Darwin, Cambridge ; and Mr. G. R. 
Allis, Old "Warden Park, Biggleswade, &c. The finest 
collection of eight dishes of fruit came from Mr. G. R. 
Allis, who had Alicante and Buckland Sweet Water 
Grapes, Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries, Melon, 
and Figs ; second, Mr. T. Tillbrook, Houghton, with 
a good collection. Mr. G. Warboys, St. Neot’s, had the 
best six dishes ; Mr. W. H. Murfire, Stanghton, being 
second. He had the two best bunches of Black 
Hamburgh Grapes ; Mr. T. Tillbrook, being second. 
The latter had the best two bunches of any other 
black, showing finely finished Gros Maroc; Mr. G. 
D. White, Longstone Hall, Cambs, being second with 
Alicante. Mr. F. Nutting, gardener to J. B. Maple, 
Esq., Childwickbury, St. Alban’s, had the two best 
bunches of White Muscats ; Mr. Henry Edwards, Cam¬ 
bridge, being second. Mr. G. R. Allis had the best two 
bunches of any other white, showing good Buckland 
Sweetwater ; Mr. Underwood being second with Foster’s 
Seedling. All other fruits were well shown, culinary 
Apples especially being a great feature. 
Here I am compelled to stop. "What I saw of the 
vegetables convinced me they were not only numerous, 
but very fine indeed throughout ; but then Bedfordshire 
is a great vegetable county. In what is known as the 
ladies’ tent, Miss H. S. Barnett, Beeston Grange, had 
the best hand bouquet ; Mr. J. House being second ; 
and Mrs. G. Henderson, Baker Street, London, third. 
The Rev. J. Richardson, Sandy, had the best bouquet 
of wild flowers ; Mr. Underwood being second ; Miss 
M. A. Mould, The Old House, Iekwell, had the best 
table decoration, a very chaste arrangement in pink 
and white ; Miss E. C. L. Pearson being second ; Mrs. 
Richardson, Sandy Rectory, third. 
Success to the Sandy show, say I. A large number 
of judges are required, and one is certain to meet some 
old friend or two from distant parts of the country.— 
GARDENING IN THE LAKE 
DISTRICT. 
Those who have had the pleasure of visiting the 
lakes in the neighbourhood of Windermere, have, no 
doubt, been struck with the admirable manner in which 
cottage and villa gardening is carried out. Almost 
every cottage garden seems to be well cared for; 
herbaceous and alpine plants and hardy florists’ flowers 
are found growing in great profusion, and the Clematis, 
Climbing Roses, Wisterias, &c., are planted extensively 
and flourish well in the district. Many beautifully- 
kept gardens may be seen from the tops of the coaches 
as one drives along, and these, combined with the 
grand scenery, make a sight most pleasant to behold. 
Many Ferns are also grown in the shady nooks and 
corners, where they are quite at home and flourish 
remarkably well. The hills, mountains and valleys 
of this district abound in good things in this way, 
which are eagerly sought after by those interested in 
botany when visiting the neighbourhood ; indeed, from 
what one sees of the quantity being constantly taken 
away by visitors, many hundreds of the native plants 
must find new homes eveiy season. The autumn tints 
are just beginning to make their appearance ; the trees 
will shortly be dazzlingly beautiful ; and then the 
lake district will be most charming, and a ride 
upon the well-appointed steamers the whole length 
of the lakes will well repay anyone who may visit the 
district. 
I paid a visit to a villa residence in Bowness during 
my recent stay there, and found two happy bachelors at 
work in their pretty garden, which is situated on the 
slope of a hill. Although not a large garden, it was 
full of interest. The residence is very old-fashioned 
and substantially built, with a neat verandah, and 
planted with Wisteria sinensis, Climbing Roses and 
Clematis ; the latter being just now in perfection. A 
small lawn, with nice flower-beds and neatly arranged, 
includes two or three beds of Standard and Dwarf 
Roses, of all the leading sorts, doing well, and which 
have flowered most profusely. Another bed was gay 
with a fine selection of Verbenas, and, as seen here, I 
thought to myself, they were difficult to beat, for a 
prettier bed of mixed colours one could not wish to 
see. Other beds were planted with choice Pelargoniums, 
Phlox Drummondi, and all were well-kept and very 
neat. In some parts the natural rocks appear, and 
around these, in shady nooks, a place for hardy Ferns is 
found, and well they do. The whole of the grounds are 
hounded by a circular slope, about 3 ft. to 4 ft. wide, 
and here, planted with great discretion, is a fine 
collection of Phloxes, Pentstemons, Delphiniums and 
hardy herbaceous plants, with annuals introduced, and 
a few bedding plants complete this bed in a manner 
that is most striking to look at and interesting to 
inspect, for it is full of flower and contains many good 
things. 
At the back of the villa is a small kitchen garden, 
with a few Apple and Plum trees, which are just now 
producing nice crops, and here also are grown in beds, 
one devoted to each kind, such things as Pentstemons 
in all the best varieties, and grand just now ; Stocks, 
Asters, and Mignonette, &c. The latter filled the air 
with its sweet perfume. Other florists’ flowers in the 
way of Carnations and Dahlias also find a place and 
receive attention from these two amateur lovers of 
gardening. There is attached to the villa a small 
vinery in which nice useful bunches of well-coloured 
Black Hamburghs are hanging. A span-roofed house 
and a few frames are the only other glass erections, and 
in these the stock of bedding plants are wintered, and 
which are enlivened with a few winter-flowering plants, 
in the shape of Ericas, Epacris, Azaleas, and Camellias 
to keep up a supply of flowers through the dull winter 
months. 
This district has suffered very much this season 
through the intense drought, and it has been laborious 
work in gardens, situated as this is, to keep things 
properly watered ; and, worse than all, the supply of 
water in the neighbourhood has been cut off part of 
the day; but fortunately on the 27th and 28th rain 
came down, which relieved the anxiety of the people. 
These two gentlemen also have a grand collection of 
pigeons. A fine avian - , most suitable for the purpose, 
contains many dozen of these lively creatines of the 
very best breeds, and which figure at the fountain-head 
