686 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 27, 1896. 
parents moved, when he was quite young, to the 
neighbouring village of Cranleigh. Here he lived 
not far from a most intelligent gardener, and plant- 
grower, and had frequent opportunities of seeing 
some of the marvellous specimens of New Holland 
plants, Heaths, and stove and greenhouse plants 
grown by Mr. Baxendine, then gardener at Ryding- 
hurst, and a noted exhibitor. It ended in Mr. Stanton 
being placed, when fifteen years of age, under him 
for three years. On two or three occasions he 
accompanied him to the grand old Chiswick shows 
when Dr. Lindley was at the helm ; and it is not to 
be wondered at, that a country lad, seeing such an 
exhibition for the first time, should be deeply and 
permanently impressed with what he saw there. At 
the end of these three years he left Rydingburst and 
went to Knowle, an adjoining estate, for two years, 
under Mr. Stemp, a good practical gardener, respect¬ 
ing whom, it is worthy of note, that he entered this 
garden when a boy of thirteen years of age, and 
worked up through all the grades to the position of 
head gardener, which position he has held for nearly 
forty years, never having had but the one place. 
In i860, Mr. Stanton went to the Royal Gardens, 
Windsor, then under the management of Mr. Ingram. 
He spent the greater part of his two years here with 
Mr. Powell, one of the best pomologists of the time, 
and the raiser of many new varieties of fruit, 
especially Strawberries. Few men had a better 
knowledge of hardy fruits and their cultivation than 
he, and he was always ready and pleased to impart 
information to those under him. The next two years 
of Mr. Stanton’s life were spent in the Royal Gardens, 
Kew. At the end of the first year he was promoted 
to be first man in the propagating houses under Mr. 
Gower. Here he spent two of the most enjoyable 
and profitable years of his life. At the Botanical 
examination held at the end of the first year, he was 
put first (equal) with Ferguson, afterwards curator 
of the Belfast garden. At the end of the second year 
he came out a clear first. 
When asked his opinion as to the advisability of a 
young gardener spending a period at Kew, Mr. 
Stanton said, that for a young man anxious and 
determined to lay a good groundwork for his future 
career, a year or two at Kew is of the greatest 
utility. He must go with the firm resolve to make 
the best use of his time, and of the many oppor¬ 
tunities to be found there. If he is not inclined to 
do this he had better stay away. One can obtain at 
Kew much broader and more general views of plant 
knowledge, many errors are corrected, and much 
valuable information in the nomenclature and 
distribution of plants is obtained. 
The recent re-union of old Kewites with the grand 
old National Garden is much appreciated by Mr. 
Stanton, and he always follows with much interest 
everything connected with an establishment he feels 
himself much indebted to. 
He left Kew in the spring of 1864 and went to 
Berry Hill Gardens, Taplow, then the seat of John 
Noble Esq., one of the greatest lovers and patrons of 
gardening, who had the honour, we believe, of pre¬ 
siding at the first anniversary festival of the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution in 1844. 
Mr. Stanton was under Mr. A. Roger, for the first 
two years as foreman in the flower garden depart¬ 
ment, and the last two as foreman of the glass houses. 
During these four years he had the best experience 
it is possible for a young gardener to have. The 
place had just been laid out by Mr. Marnock, every¬ 
thing worth growing was grown, and in the best 
possible way, and Mr. Stanton profited by his 
opportunity, not only in his working hours, but in his 
leisure, as the following list of successes will show :— 
In 1865 he was awarded a first-class certificate in 
botany, and the first prize by the Society of Arts, 
also the Royal Horticultural Society's first prize ; 
the next year a first-class certificate in Floriculture, 
and first prize by the Society of Arts, and the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s first prize; the following 
year a first-class certificate in fruit and vegetable 
culture, and second prize by the Society of Arts, and 
the Royal Horticultural Society's second prize. 
Owing to these successes the Society of Arts selected 
him to go to Paris and report on horticulture at the 
French Exhibition in 1867, which report, of con¬ 
siderable length, was published by the society. 
In 1866 Mr. Stanton attended the advanced 
examinations at the Science and Art Department at 
South Kensington, and was fortunate in gaining 
first grade certificates in vegetable physiology and 
systematic botany. These certificates qualified him 
to teach these subjects and earn Government grants, 
which, later on, he made use of. 
In 1867 he went up to the Royal Horticultural 
Society's examinations, held in the society’s gardens, 
and came out at the top, being awarded a Diploma 
and Medal, for gaining the highest number of marks 
Mr. George Stanton. 
in practical gardening. He was also elected an 
associate of the society for life. During his stay at 
Berry Hill, Mr. Stanton made a very complete flora 
of the parish of Taplow. 
In 1868 he left Berry Hill with many regrets, not 
only at leaving the beautiful gardens, but the family 
also, from whom he had received so much kindness 
and consideration. He went on that occasion to fill 
the post of head gardener to Lord Southampton, at 
Whittlebury, in Northamptonshire. The mansion 
had been burnt down and a new one erected, and 
much remained to be done in connection with the 
newly laid-out pleasure grounds. The place was 
noted for its fine Arboretum and extensive glass 
houses, devoted chiefly to fruit culture. Fleming, 
afterwards of Cliveden, Tillyard, of Brocklesby, and 
several other noted gardeners had lived here, and 
left their mark. Here Mr. Stanton married, and 
expected to settle down for some time, but after three 
years at Whittlebury, Mr. Roger was apoointed 
superintendent of Battersea Park, and Mr. Noble, 
having just purchased Park Place, Henley-on- 
Thames, invited Mr. Stanton to come back to him, 
and take charge of it, which offer he readily accepted. 
He had charge also of Berry Hill, until it was sold 
about ten years later. 
Park Place had, previous to the purchase, been 
much neglected, so Mr. Marnoch was called in, for 
whom Mr. Noble had the greatest confidence and 
esteem. Very extensive alterations and improve¬ 
ments were at once put in hand ; new terraces, flower 
gardens, and pleasure grounds were made, extensive 
ranges of glass erected, and trees and shrubs of all 
kinds were planted in great numbers throughout the 
place. These Mr. Noble was very fond of, and 
knew well, and there are probably few places where 
a better collection is to be found. Mr. Stanton 
carried out all Mr. Marnock’s plans, and a friendship 
was formed which only ended at the death of this 
good and kind man, and probably the best landscape 
gardener of the century. Mr. Stanton had the much 
appreciated honour of walking round with him at the 
last great show at Regent’s Park he ever attended, 
and noticing the principal objects of interest, not 
least among them being a collection of wild flowers 
from Sussex. These charmed him very much, and 
he went through them individually. He had a great 
love for wild flowers, and was often in communication 
with Mr. Stanton respecting them. 
Exhibiting for competition has never been 
encouraged at Park Place, so that Mr. Stanton has 
never been able to distinguish himself in this direction. 
He was selected a second time, this time in conjunc¬ 
tion with Mr. Simpson, of Wortley Hall Gardens, to 
goto Paris and report on Horticulture at the French 
Exhibition of 1878. He has also been elected an 
Hon. Member of the French National School of 
Horticulture at Versailles. 
For several years Mr. Stanton held a botanical 
class in the gardens in connection with the Science 
and Art Department, making use of his teacher’s 
certificates, with considerable success. Pressure of 
work, however, obliged him to discontinue them. 
Many young gardeners of that time will not easily 
forget the evening botanical excursions, that helped 
so much to make up a list of about 600 species of 
wild flowers, in a district having a radius of about 
four miles round Henley. For the last twenty-five 
years Mr. Stanton has been engaged in perfecting 
this list, and it is seldom now he is able to find any¬ 
thing to add to the number. 
Many young gardeners have, of course, come and 
gone from Park Place, and Mr. Stanton has always 
been pleased to help them by every means in his 
power, not only in their profession, but in the build¬ 
ing up of their moral character. In few gardens can 
a more respectable and conscientious body of young 
men be met with. Very few indeed have, at any 
time, disappointed him. 
For years it has been the custom to have annually 
a youDg French gardener at Park Place. These 
have been a source of much pleasure to Mr. Stanton, 
all having turned out so well. Many of them are now 
filling high and distinguished positions in their own 
country. Mr. Stanton is in occasional correspon¬ 
dence with them, and watches their progress and 
success with much interest and pleasure. In 1890, a 
double and terrible blow fell upon Park Place and 
Mr. Stanton. On October 28th he lost his kind and 
generous employer, deeply and most sincerely 
regretted by every one ; ten days later his own wife 
died at the age of 48. These were shocks indeed, 
and much sympathy was felt and shown for Mr. 
Stanton and his family. Many young gardeners will 
have a kindly remembrance of her. She had 
obtained a certificate from the “ National Health 
Society,” and certificates and a medal from the 
“ St. John's Ambulance Association,” and was always 
ready and willing to attend to any little accidents 
and ailments that will occasionally occur. Also in 
connection with the entertainments given by the 
young gardeners at home and in the neighbourhood, 
her readings, etc., will not be readily forgotten. 
Mr. Noble lived long enough to put every part of 
the establishment in good order. He planted as he 
often said, not so much for himself, as for those that 
come alter. Mrs. Noble takes great interest in the 
place and studies in every way to keep everything in 
good condition. The comforts and enjoyments of the 
men are not forgotten by her. One of her kindly 
acts has been to bring about an annual reunion of 
past and present employees at Park Place. 
Gardeners come from far and near to enjoy the 
cricket, and to spend the day among the scenes of 
their former labours. It need hardly be said with 
what intense pleasure Mr. Stanton meets his many 
old pupils. It is a day much looked forward to, and 
most thoroughly enjoyed. It should be stated that 
Mr. Stanton, in addition to the gardens, manages the 
farms and estate. With regard to the gardening at 
Park Place, as may be expected with so competent a 
man at the helm of affairs, nothing is neglected or 
badly done. In the words of the late Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd, the gardening “ is remarkable for its grand 
all-roundness.” The flower gardens and pleasure 
grounds are eloquent witnesses that the eye of the 
artist and the skill of the practical gardener are both 
employed in their keep-up. Hardy fruit is a most 
conspicuous feature, for despite the fact that the 
storehouses, like those of Dives, are large, they are 
none too roomy to accommodate the glowing fruit of 
russet autumn's days. Under glass the same system, 
order, and method, characterising the out door 
gardens, prevail, and as full a measure of success is 
obtained. Grapes, Peaches, Cherries, Figs, and 
Melons, are all done well, whilst in the plant houses 
very fine collections, all in robust health, are to be 
seen. 
The demand for cut flowers is abnormally large. 
Quantities of everything suitable for cutting are 
grown, and yet nothing is allowed to remain to waste. 
It is Mrs. Noble's wish that all surplus flowers 
should be cut and forwarded to the London 
hospitals, and sutely many a weary sufferer, tossing 
upon a bed of pain, has good cause to bless the 
kindly thought and womanly sympathy that prompts 
so blest an action. It is almost needless to say that 
in Mr. Stanton Mrs. Noble finds a zealous executor 
of her wishes. 
