September 7, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
17 
THE YEOVIL NURSERIES. 
For many years past Mr. B. R. Davis, The Yeovil 
Nurseries, Yeovil, Somerset, has made a speciality 
of tuberous Begonias, which it has been his aim to 
improve and bring up to the best standard of the 
day. Of course, a few years ago the paragons of the 
florist for this particular class of plants were not 
fixed, and we hope never will be so long as there is a 
possibility of improving the race and developing 
more perfect and handsome types. In the way of 
first-class varieties, but particularly double ones, the 
public occasionally have an opportinity of seeing 
the samples that are brought up to the London 
shows for certificates. Mr. Davis selects and names 
the very best of his productions, but, needless to say, 
more of the double varieties are so honoured than 
in the case of singles, for the reason that the verj 
choicest are kept in stock and perpetuated from 
cuttings. Where the double sorts are good, the 
single ones must necessarily be up to the same 
standard. 
Double Varieties. 
Mont Blanc is an introduction, and one of the best 
white sorts that have been imported. The flowers 
are large, pure white, and of good substance with 
flower. The above constitute half a dozen of the 
very best double varieties in Mr. Davis’ collection. 
HYDE PARK. 
Dispersed about amongst the numerous flower beds 
in Hyde Park and bordering upon Park Lane are 
several of them very worthily occupied with tuberous 
Begonias in various designs and methods of arrange¬ 
ment. Several of them are very pretty and might be 
imitated to advantage in private establishments. 
Amongst the beds east of Grosvenor Gate is one of 
scarlet tuberous Begonias planted rather widely 
apart on a groundwork of the golden Creeping 
Jenny ; the soft yellow foliage of the latter shows off 
the dark green leaves of the Begonias very effectively, 
and the broad edging of the blue Lobelias enhances 
the effect decidedly. The watering given the 
Begonias has suited the Creeping Jenny admirably, 
for it may here be stated that in their early stages 
the Begonias in Hyde Park suffered from the drought 
as elsewhere. The leaves became hard and the 
plants refused to grow in spite of all watering, plainly 
showing that tuberous Begonias prefer a relatively 
cool and moist atmosphere rather than a dry one. 
same conditions would be. Near the Cumberland 
Gate is a bed of scarlet seedlings on a setting of 
Alternanthera aurea and edged with blue Lobelias, 
producing a contrasting yet harmonising combination 
of colours. Begonia semperflorens Vernon's var. on 
a carpet of Herniaria is also a noteworthy and 
attractive bed. 
-**-- 
TOWN CLOSE NURSERIES. 
At the Town Close Nurseries of Messrs. Daniels 
Bros., contiguous to the City of Norwich, " ye 
Citye of Gardens,” the growing public demand for 
decorative Begonias is being wisely kept in view 
and duly provided for. The first impression that 
strikes the visitor to the Nurseries of the great 
Norfolk firm, is that it is one of the sources of supply 
from which this popular flower is being distributed 
far and wide, wherever it can be grown. Despite 
the exceptionally heavy downpours of rain and the 
protracted wet and coldish weather recently ex¬ 
perienced in the eastern counties, we find a cheer¬ 
fulness on the part of the Begonias which contrasts 
very pleasingly with the somewhat unhappy 
appearance presented by other bedding plants ; and it 
Single Type (Daniels). 
Double Type (Daniels). 
neatly arranged petals; and the plants are dwarf 
and short jointed. The colour of Lucerne is a 
pleasing combination of salmon, apricot, and rosy- 
bronze, quite distinct from any other in the 
collection. The flowers are carried well above the 
foliage on stout erect flower stalks. Mrs. Pittard, 
on the contrary, is a rich, deep rose flower of great 
size and perfectly full. The flower stems are fairly 
upright. The above have been the recipients of 
several Certificates at the London shows. William 
Tell has Camellia-shaped flowers of a beautiful rosy- 
salmon, giving place to white at the base of the 
petals, and forming a harmonious whole. The 
blooms are erect in their earlier stages, and consti¬ 
tute an improvement on Salmon King. Helvetia 
bears medium-sized flowers of a deep salmon with 
a coppery tint at the base of the petals. The defect 
in size, if it may be considered as such, is more than 
redeemed by the greater number of flowers produced, 
and by the erect habit of their flower stems. 
Another choice white variety is that named Mrs. 
Reynolds, notable alike for the purity and size of 
the blooms, which sometimes exceed i2in. in circum¬ 
ference. The petals are neatly arranged and 
reflexed, making a perfectly regular and round 
The anatomy of the leaves bears ample testimony to 
this, fact independently of all practical experiments 
that merely confirm the scientific determination and 
conclusion. 
A bed of a crimson variety named Charles Baltet 
was more floriferous than the last named on the 
occasion of our visit, though less bright and cheerful, 
owing to the duller nature of the colour. The bed 
is interspersed with graceful specimens of Grevillea, 
and the groundwork consists of the golden Creeping 
Jenny. Opposite to this is another large oblong bed 
of Begonia Emperor with relatively small, but bright 
scarlet drooping flowers, and really very charming, 
taller and more effective than Charles Baltet. This 
is mixed with the beautiful leaved Acacia lophantha. 
On each of the four corners of cross walks is a bed 
of scarlet-flowered seedlings planted widely apart on 
a groundwork of the golden Creeping Jenny. These 
beds used to be planted solid, but ample space 
between the plants shows them off to much greater 
advantage, inasmuch as it allows all the flowers to 
be seen, whether drooping or otherwise. On the 
west side of the Grosvenor Gate a bed of scarlet 
seedlings, under the shade of a tall Plane, is more 
conspicuous than a bed of Pelargoniums under the 
is clearly illustrated that under circumstances 
usually found most unfavourable to the older summer 
bedders, the Begonia shows a bright “ Mark 
Tapley-like " aptitude for coming out strong under 
difficulties. On all hands Begonias meet the eye, 
Begonias double and Begonias siDgle, and all 
resplendent and beautiful. 
There is a span-roof house,some 150 ft. long by 25ft. 
wide, a perfect blaze of Begonia beauty; and 
borders forming sheets of multi-coloured flowers, 
double and single, now being labelled to colour. 
One batch engaged our particular attention and 
admiration ; the plants, in this case, were growing 
in a large circular bed and consisted of nine hundred 
plants, all double and beautiful in the extreme. 
Certainly the Messrs. Daniels are up to date and 
are quite alive as to meeting the great popular de¬ 
mand for this fin-de-siecle summer and autumn 
bedder.— A. S. 
[We are indebted to Messrs. Daniels Bros, for the 
use of these blocks, which are simply meant to 
represent types of Begonias grown by them.— Ed ] 
--- 
Early Potatos will now keep better in a cool shed 
or cellar than in the moist, warm ground. 
