74 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 1, 1898. 
GARDENS OF THE RIVIERA. 
(Continued jrom page 43 .) 
Agaves (A. americana particularly) are often met 
with growing and flowering on bare and rocky banks. 
The Acacias in flower in January and February 
are indeed a wonderful sight. They are simply 
masses of yellow, and when lit up, as it were, by the 
bright southern sun, the effect they produce, outlined 
against the deep blue sky, is very fine. 
Palms, except in the open spaces, or along the sea 
shore of towns, are not usually seen outside the gar¬ 
dens. 
Although I think I have now particularised enough 
to give some idea of the beauty and richness of the 
ordinary vegetation of this district, I must not forget 
to make mention of the Roses, which seem to con¬ 
front one whichever way one turns. In fact, to quote 
our Poet Laureate, 
" Everywhere are Roses, Roses, 
Here a-blow, and there a-bud, 
Here in pairs, and there in posies." 
The luxuriant growth the Rose trees make under 
the favourable conditions enjoyed here is surprising. 
Although these various plants that I have 
mentioned are so much at home and thrive so 
admirably, it must not be forgotten that most of them 
have been introduced from foreign lands, and the 
fact of their now being so numerous and widely 
spread is due to the genial climatic surroundings, 
aided, no doubt, by the hand of the gardener. 
Let us turn now for a moment to the Riviera gar¬ 
dens proper. Notwithstanding their comparatively 
recent formation, these gardens, at present, have a 
most varied and luxuriant vegetation, almost tropical 
in character. 
Palms, which form the principal feature, must first 
be mentioned. Phoenix canariensis is one of the 
most commonly planted and succeeds well. This 
and Washingtonia filifera are frequently planted 
alternately in avenues, and have a fine, bold appear¬ 
ance. Phoenix dactylifera (the Date Palm) [is also 
abundant. In some gardens it produces and ripens 
its fruit. This species is largely planted along the 
sea shore at Cannes, Nice, and other towns. 
Cocos plumosa develops into a large tree. It is 
not uncommon to meet with it 50 ft. high. Some of 
the older specimens flower and fruit annually. Cocos 
australis is a fine decorative plant. It is here known 
under the names of C. campestris and C. Bonneti. 
Two other species of Cocos, C. Yatai, and C. 
Blumenavii also resemble it to a great extent. Cocos 
flexuosa is a handsome Palm and thrives well. 
Trachycarpus excelsus, and Chamaerops humilis 
are the hardiest, the latter being indigenous to this 
part of Europe. 
Phoenix sylvestris, Sabal umbraculifera, Brahea 
Roezlii, and B. nitida, Jubea spectabilis and Cycas 
revoluta, are others generally grown. 
The magnificent clumps of Bamboos are a feature 
of the Riviera gardens. They reach a height of 30 ft. 
or more. Where an effective screen is wanted by the 
boundary wall of the garden Bamboos are often 
planted and rapidly form an ornamental hedge. 
Kentias and Arecas will only succeed in the warmer 
and more sheltered parts of the Riviera. Conifers 
are not largely represented. Araucarias, notably 
Bidwillii, excelsa, and brasiliensis do well, while A. 
imbricata does not succeed ; the soil does not seem 
to suit it at all. 
Aralia Sieboldii and its variegated form, Beaucar- 
neas, Dracaenas, Yuccas, Aloes, and Agaves are 
common subjects for garden decoration. Agave 
americana, A. salmeana, A. ferox, and A. applanata 
are those most generally met with. Acacia dealbata, 
A. cyanophylla, A. cultriformis, A. longifolia, and 
others add greatly to the sub-tropical beauty of these 
gardens. 
Magnolia grandiflora attains a height of 50 ft., and 
is a magnificent sight in the month of September, 
when covered with its large white flowers. Camellias 
and Gardenia radicans grow and flower well. The 
latter has to be protected in winter. 
Not a little of the charm of Riviera gardens is due 
to the rich and varied collection of climbing plants. 
Bougainvillea spectabilis clothes many of the villas ; 
it is in full flower in January, and presents a very 
bright picture. Tecoma radicans, and T. Smithii 
produce their highly coloured flowers in profusion, 
while the Banksian Roses, Bignonias, Kennedyas 
Lantanas, Plumbagos, Solanum jasminoides, 
Streptosolen Jamesoni, and many more provide 
towards a floral display almost beyond the imagina¬ 
tion of one who has not seen these plants other than 
as grown in our greenhouses. The cultivated Roses 
almost deserve a chapter to themselves. Many of 
our most familiar varieties are found here, but they 
grow out of all recognition, forming enormous 
bushes. 
The flower beds of these gardens present a great 
variety of form and colour. Such gorgeous displays, 
as one sees there, during winter, at once strike the 
visitor to the Mediterranean shores. To keep these 
beds bright from November to April, two almost dis¬ 
tinct plantings are necessary. The plants put out 
in November furnish the first display, and are sup¬ 
planted about February by their floral successors. 
As the season is so short, the majority of the 
plants are necessarily near the flowering stage when 
transferred to the beds The primary occupants of 
these are usually Salvias, Daisies, Primulas, Pansies, 
Solanums, Carnations, &c. Of Salvias, S. patens 
and S. splendens are perhaps the most largely used. 
The Daisies are remarkable for their size and colour 
and in these respects they surpass our English ones. 
Of Primulas, though the white and various shades of 
red are pleasing, by far the most effective are the 
blue ones. These are generally placed in well 
shaded positions where their colour is shown off to 
perfection. The Pansies retain their positions till 
the end of the season; by that time they have 
developed into splendid clumps, covered with fine 
large blooms. Solanum capsicastrum and S. cilia- 
tum in small beds are very attractive when in fruit. 
The above mentioned plants are followed by Ciner¬ 
arias, Freesias, Ranunculuses, Hyacinthses, Tulips, 
&c. The Cinerarias form the most gorgeous beds of 
all. Sometimes as many as 600 plants—comprising 
an endless variety of colours—are put into one bed, 
the effect of which may be better imagined than 
described. At Frogmore last spring, as an experi¬ 
ment, several beds were filled with Cinerarias and 
were quite a success. With a little protection given 
at night, they were almost as fresh at the end of a 
month as when put out. 
Anemones do very well on the Riviera. Mixed 
beds of them are often seen. A. fulgens is usually 
planted in beds by itself and the multitude of bright 
red star-like flowers it produces fully justifies this 
little indulgence. Freesias and Ranunculuses blend to¬ 
gether admirably and seem to thrive best in a moist 
situation, often being seen in beds by a lake or rivu¬ 
let. Hyacinths and Tulips are made use of in large 
quantities for bedding. Their beauty is intensified 
and their rich colours are relieved by white moss 
placed over the surface of the beds after planting the 
bulbs. 
Clivias, Spiraeas, Azaleas, Genistas, and Lilacs are 
also in lesser quantities made use of in this branch 
of gardening. Occasionally one meets with beds 
filled with forced Roses, of such varieties as La 
France, Baroness Rothschild and Ulrich Brunner. 
Pteris tremula and some of the hardy Adiantums are 
planted in beds with various other plants. I think 
the choicest little bed I remember seeing was one 
composed of Amaryllis in flower, with a groundwork 
of Adiantum Capillus-Veneris. 
The routine work of these gardens is very different 
to that of our English ones. In April, when all visi¬ 
tors have returned northward, the lawns are roughly 
dug over. They remain in this state throughout the 
summer, and during that time bear a great 
resemblance to ploughed fields. It is, however, quite 
necessary to treat them in this way, otherwise the 
grass would be completely burnt up by the hot sun. 
In October the lawns are again dug over, levelled, 
raked and resown. The grass begins to appear in a 
week or two from the time of sowing and to see the 
green blades gradually appearing above ground, to¬ 
gether with the fresh green of the surrounding 
vegetation after the recent rains, reminds one forcibly 
of spring in England, though winter is really about 
to commence. The newly sown lawns, especially 
those on a slope, are often damaged and somstimes 
partly washed away by the heavy autumn rains. 
Every garden is provided with stone gutters by the 
sides of the walks, but even these are sometimes 
insufficient to carry off the water quickly enough. 
The summer garden work consists chiefly of 
transplanting, watering and the cultivation of the 
various flowering plants for the beds in winter. 
Pansies are raised from seed sown in pans in the 
month of June, and placed in some shady spot out¬ 
side. When large enough to be handled, they are 
pricked off into carres, that is, long, narrow beds 
prepared somewhat below the level of the ground, 
so as to retain water. They remain in the carres 
during summer, and in the autumn are taken up as 
required. 
Carnations are generally grown from cuttings, 
taken off early in January, and put into prepared 
carres for the summer months. Any flower buds 
which may appear during that time are pinched off, 
with the result that the plants develop a bushy 
habit of growth. Under this method of culture 
they bloom profusely the following winter. 
It is rather difficult to grow Cinerarias here 
successfully, owing to the great heat of the summer- 
They have to be grown in pots in the shadiest place 
that can be found for them, until the approach of 
inclement weather, when they are removed to cold 
frames. As signs of flowering become apparent 
they are gradually inured to the rays of the sun, so 
that when the time arrives for planting they may be 
quite hardened. 
I must now turn for a moment to the more com¬ 
mercial aspect of Riviera gardening—that relating to 
"The Flower Industry.”—"It is only within the 
last fifteen years that the culture of flowers along 
this southern coast has attained its present large 
proportions. The area devoted to flower farms, 
where whole fields are cropped with beautiful and 
odoriferous flowers, is a very considerable one, and 
comprises the towns of Nice, Cannes and Grasse. 
Certain localities in this area have their own peculiar 
floral output, for instance, Cannes, Nice and Antibes 
are famous for Roses; Grasse, for its Jonquils, 
Violets, Tuberoses, Jasmine and Mignonette; 
Hyeres, for Violets ; and the suburbs of Cannes for 
Pinks. In the matter of profit the districts of 
Cannes and Antibes rank first; excellent returns are 
also secured round Golfe Juan and Beaulieu. The 
total area actually cropped with flowers is nearly 
1,800 acres. 
" In summer the aim of cultivators is to supply 
the distilleries, where enormous quantities of flowers 
are used for making scents, essences and pomades. 
During the winter season they chiefly confine them¬ 
selves to growing cut flowers for the markets. All 
the most delicate flowers are grown under glass; in 
the neighbourhood of Nice, Grasse and Mentone 
there are quite 200 acres of land covered with glass 
frames for this purpose. Roses, Lilac and Lily of 
the Valley are the chief flowers raised under glass. 
Violets are generally grown in the shade of trees. 
Many plants are simply protected by matting, can¬ 
vas tents, or rough houses made of Palm leaves. 
" Much of the success of Riviera flower farming 
lies in the bloom and colour-producing power of the 
southern sun, and again, the industry could never 
have succeeded as it has done, were it not for the 
facilities offered by the railway companies. They 
guaranteed the quickest trains to the North, accept¬ 
ing the flowers packed in special osier baskets. It is 
thus that Nice, Cannes, &c., supply London, Berlin, 
Stockholm, and other cities. It is said that no flowers 
are sent to St. Petersburg, as the parcels are too 
severely handled on passing through the Customs. 
The price of flowers depends largely upon the 
weather and fashion. 
" At Cannes Roses range from 2d. to 7s. perdoz.; 
Pinks, id. to 4s. ; and Orchids, is. 6d. to 3s. Nar¬ 
cissi, which sell at one time for id. each, can at 
other times be had by the dozen for the same money. 
It sometimes happens that a certain flower becomes 
fashionable—say the white Carnation. There is 
then a run upon white Carnations, with the result 
that they rapidly go up in price.” 
In packing flowers for transport great care is 
taken to have them dry. The more delicate ones, 
before being sent away are hung up by the stalks in 
a room, that all moisture may be dispelled from 
them. In packing the baskets flowering shoots of 
Acacia form the outer layer, the centre being filled 
with choicer blooms wrapped in tissue paper. 
France alone consumes half of the Riviera out¬ 
put ; gay Paris, with its numerous flower shops, 
fetes and other festivities, is, of course, the principal 
market. 
Having now outlined the development and prac¬ 
tice of horticulture on the Riviera, and noted a 
few of its interesting features, I would like, before 
concluding, to briefly mention some of the best 
known and most striking gardens. Beginning at 
Grasse we here find Miss Alice Rothschild’s villa 
domain, whose principal feature is a remarkable wild 
garden. This extends a long distance up the side of 
