650 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 12,1897. 
FLORAL DECORATIONS AT 
SHEFFIELD. 
The floral and other decorations at the New Town 
Hall, Sheffield, on the occasion of its opening by the 
Queen, and at the Cyclops Works of Messrs. Chas. 
Cammell & Co. were of an elaborate character and 
extraordinary magnitude. The decorations at both 
places and elsewhere in the town were entrusted to 
Messrs. Fisher, Son & Sibray, Limited, the Royal 
Nurseries, Handsworth, Sheffield. The firm em¬ 
ployed ioo men for a fortnight, decorating the 
various places. 
In the New Town Hall alone 6,ooo plants of 
various kinds were employed. On entering the 
golden gates from Pinstone Street, the visitors were 
confronted on either side by grand groups of Azaleas, 
also specimens of Cocos flexuosa, Kentias, and other 
Palms, 20 ft. to 30 ft. high. The accompanying 
illustration (p. 649) shows a view of the interior of 
the Grand Hall and Staircase. Round the sides of 
the former were groups of the finest named Rhodo¬ 
dendrons, Japanese Maples, Lily of the Valley, 
Orchids, and Palms, which were continued up the 
Grand Staircase, and glimpses of the plants can be 
seen here and there in the illustration. The decora¬ 
tions throughout the building were carried out in a 
most artistic manner, but on the Grand Staircase 
particularly, it was shown how these arrangements 
could be carried out so as to blend harmoniously 
with the mouldings and sculpture. The Handsworth 
firm also effected the floral decorations on the 
exterior of the Hall on the Surrey Street side. 
At the Cyclops Works quite a transformation of 
the place was accomplished by Messrs. Fisher, Son 
and Sibray. A lodge was pulled down at the gates 
entering from Savile Street, much machinery was 
taken out, a line of rails was. obliterated, and the 
whole transformed into a sanded carriage way, with 
an avenue of trees 20 ft. on either side hiding various 
objects. It had, indeed, the appearance of a carriage 
drive leading to the private residence of some wealthy 
merchant prince, or " Steel King." The taller trees 
consisted of Conifers, but there were banks of Rho¬ 
dodendrons in full bloom, and handsome specimens 
of Retinospora plumosa aurea. In front of these 
were grass slopes and verges. The drive extended 
up to the Midland Railway, which cuts the extensive 
works in half. 
Messrs. Chas. Cammell & Co. employ some 10,000 
men, and manufacture armour plate for the British 
and foreign navies, the works being the largest of 
their kind in the world. Her Majesty the Queen 
entered the premises by the drive above mentioned, 
and proceeded by a drive inside the Armour-plate 
Mill, ending in a grand circle where her carriage 
was drawn up while she was witnessing the 
wonderful sight of armour-plate rolling. Never 
before was armour plate rolled in such close 
proximity to ornamental trees and shrubs, some of 
which, covering parts of the machinery, were 20 ft. 
high. Since then the Queen has been pleased 
to confer the dignity of a baronetcy upon Mr. 
Alexander Wilson, Master Cutler of Sheffield, and 
managing director of Messrs. Chas. Cammell & Co. 
Messrs. Fisher, Son & Sibray also carried out the 
floral decorations at the Midland Station ; and also 
created a sensation in the original decorations of 
Messrs. Marples & Co.’s premises at the corner of 
Fitzalan Square. The lines of trees in High Street 
also came from the Royal Nurseries, where the 
resources must be of prodigious magnitude. The 
bouquets of Her Most Gracious Majesty, Princess 
Christian and the Lady Mayoress also came from 
the Royal Nurseries. Mr. Wm. Atkinson, under 
whose direction this work has been carried out, is 
Managing Director of the firm of Messrs. Fisher, Son 
& Sibray, Limited. 
« 9 » ■ — » 
A Jubilee Peartree.—A well-trained Passe Colmar 
Pear may be seen in the gardens of the Hon. A. 
Talbot (gardener Mr. Wm. Garman) Frythesden, 
Great Berkhamstead. It is 60 years old, 60 ft. long 
and 15 ft. in height. An old man who has worked 
in these gardens for 64 years, remembers the tree 
being planted and he has pruned and trained it 
annually since then. This is surely a record for the 
old man. The tree bears heavily and the fruits, 
which ripen in November, are of excellent flavour. 
It is considered worthy of the epithet of Jubilee Pear- 
tree 
PELARGONIUMS AT RYECROFT 
NURSERY. 
Mr. H. J. Jones, of Ryecroft Nursery, Lewisham, 
S.E., has for long made a speciality of the Pelargo¬ 
nium ; and he has abundantly illustrated from time 
to time by his exhibits at the Temple and other 
shows how valuable is this charming class of plants. 
In former years visitors have been charmed with the 
exhibits of splendidly grown and flowered plants, and 
have gone away, let us hope, with a resolution to 
follow the example thus set. This year the plants 
are better than ever, and the display of flower more 
profuse. Into a comparatively limited space is 
collected a marvellously comprehensive collection 
of most of the leading varieties. 
That Mr. Jones has the eye of an artist as well as 
the skill of the grower we already knew, and it needed 
not this instance to convince us. Set as the plants 
were in a groundwork of Maidenhair Fern, and with a 
background of Cocos weddeliana the glowing colours 
of the flowers showed up right royally, whilst the 
foliage was clean, healthy, and free from all suspicion 
of insect pests. The show and regal forms were the 
chief attraction, and although the pressure on our 
space forbids mention of all, the following varie¬ 
ties were of the best that the cultivator’s art has 
produced Mrs. Phil Rider is a ’97 introduction 
with salmon-pink flowers, blotched dark red, and a 
huge pip and truss. Vivid is crimson purple, shaded 
with scarlet, and a black-maroon blotch on the upper 
petals. Royal Rose, a bright rosy red ; Delicatum, 
blush; and Ladas, blush rose, with a large blotch ; 
are three grand varieties of last year's introduction. 
Eucharis is pure white, and admirable for cutting, as 
the pips have long pedicels. Mrs. W. Wright 
exhibits a charming rose-blush hue, shading lighter 
with age. Lady Duff, rich red; Mr. H. J. Jones, 
soft salmon rose; Mrs. H. J. Jones, blush white, 
with crimson blotch; and Scarlet Gem, bright 
orange-scarlet, can scarcely be praised too highly. 
The year 1894, in which they were sent out, was 
certainly prolific of good things. 
In another house hard by that occupied by the show, 
regal, and decorative section, was a collection of Ivy¬ 
leaved sorts comprising upwards of two dozen varie¬ 
ties. Here there appeared a novelty in the shape of 
Achievement, the result of a cross between Souvenir 
de Charles Turner (Ivy) and a pure while single 
zonal. The flower is large, semi double, and displays 
the characteristics of both parents. Miss Clara 
Walker is a charming flower of salmon-cerise hue. 
Miss Mabel Collins, light rose, shaded with lilac, is 
at once distinct and pretty. Mrs. W. E Barling is 
by far the best of its colour—a rich, deep magenta. 
All these sorts have been sent out during the present 
season. 
Zonal Pelargoniums were massed on the other side 
of the same house in grand array. Such varieties as 
General Campbell, clear salmon; Iseult, salmon, 
shaded with orange; Magnificent, orange-salmon; 
Niagara, pure white ; George Gordon, rosy scarlet; 
and Daisy Wright, salmon, shaded with mauve, ex¬ 
emplified a very high order of merit 
A visit to the Ryecroft Nurseries would amply re¬ 
pay those who are fond of Pelargoniums, and even 
those who are not could scarcely fail to appreciate the 
general utility and effectiveness of this easily grown 
and popular class of plants. 
-- 
CLEMATIS MONTANA. 
Among the many species and varieties of the Virgin’s 
Bower none, except perhaps C. Jackmanni, can pro¬ 
duce such a wealth of blossoms as the subject of this 
note. Jackman’s Clematis, however, is for the 
summer time, this one for the spring, or May 
suffused with June. 
I have seen the mountain Clematis in several 
places this season, but in no instance did it attain to 
such magnificent proportions as the one I have in 
mind. And this I should never have discovered but 
for a "guile freen'” who showed me where it was 
hiding its shining light behind one of the several 
charming river-residences which go to give War- 
grave on the Thames its unique and floriferous 
character. It is only, then, to those who visit the 
bye-ways and back lanes of little Wargrave that all 
its beauties are revealed. 
However, the plant in question is a very fine one, 
and covers a large space Its pure white, four- 
petalled flowers are not unlike the Wood Windflower 
(Anemone sylvestris) both as to size and substance ; 
and I could not help pondering, further, how few of 
those who gazed upon this glorious sight would think 
of it in connection with the brilliant Buttercups, to 
which it is allied. 
The plant is a native of Nepaul, and has only been 
with us about sixty-six years. It is not quite hardy, 
but otherwise is in no way difficult to manage ; and, 
as it has a good habit and a good character, there is 
no reason why it should not be more generally culti¬ 
vated.—C. B. G., Acton, W. 
[It is as hardy as the British Oak in May, even if 
that may not mean much when the case is investi¬ 
gated.— Ed.] 
THE FLOWER GARDENS OF VICTORIA 
(AUSTRALIA). 
[Continued from p. 629.) 
Again I must sing the praises of a favourite flower of 
mine. I refer to the double pink or Ivy-leaved 
Pelargonium. This plant makes the poorest garden 
look gay in the hottest months, and will grow in 
almost any place where a piece is thrown simply on 
the surface in the spring. I have seen several fences 
converted into what were seemingly hedgerows, and 
in one back yard, in spite of fowls and pigeons laying 
and making their nests in it, I have seen it all through 
the summer just one blaze of lovely delicate pink. 
Its long stalks grow through the green foliage, and 
blossom in huge clusters. If the pale blue Plumbago 
is here and there planted with it, the effect is most 
artistic, for this also grows splendidly—indeed, in 
one of our public gardens round the Melbourne 
Treasury offices I have seen it in a long neatly clipped 
hedge some 5 feet high and full of blooms. 
Towards the latter end of summer and early 
autumn the Liliums are in their best form, and are 
easily grown. The beautiful Nile Lily grows freely 
everywhere, and to immense size. Fuchsias are so 
common as to be rather despised, and embrace many 
kinds, the little "Baby Fuchsia," as it is called 
there, growing into quite a tree. Poppies are in end¬ 
less variety of size, shape, and colour, and these also 
bloom better the hotter the day. The French 
varieties, and one we call the Maltese, from the cross 
seen in the petals, are special favourites. Cacti, 
crimson, pink, yellow, and white, grow splendidly 
and to great perfection in the hot weather. Corn¬ 
flowers of four or five different colours are to be seen 
in nearly every garden. Eschscholtzias, Dianthus, 
Pinks, Picotees, Salpiglossis, Godetias, Gardenias, 
and Heliotropes are splendid bloomers in the summer, 
and always look showy. Everlasting Flowers grow to 
great perfection, some of the indigenous wild ones 
found in the country doing well with a little culture. 
Hollyhocks grow to a great size, and the flowers are 
very large; one fine one of a delicate lemon yellow 
colour looks specially attractive. 
From earliest summer the Roses are in bloom, and 
befoie Christmas the Rose shows are held, and draw 
great crowds of exhibitors and enthusiasts. This 
queen of flowers grows to great perfection, and in a 
manner that would astonish English growers. I 
have heard this from competent judges. I cannot 
remember the names of varieties in such a large class, 
so can only generalise ; but the old favourites, like 
Marechal Niel, Cloth of Gold, Souvenir de la Mal- 
maison, Niphetos, Safrano, Madame Lambard, and 
Gloire de Dijon are to be seen in scores of gardens 
climbing up verandahs, side fences, walls, or on 
lattices. La France luxuriates, and along with 
Safrano is a real marvel to bloom—indeed, one can 
almost always get Safrano blooms. The Banksias, 
white and yellow, are much sought after, making ex¬ 
cellent verandah shades, and for fernery coverings. 
I have seen the front of a one-story house covered 
with the blooms of a yellow Banksia. The following 
note is from a letter from Australia I received about 
fourteen days ago : —" In our garden everything is 
looking so fresh and green, and quite a lovely mass 
of blooms of Roses, Asters, Sunflowers (the large and 
miniature), Gladioli, and the lovely light blue Plum¬ 
bago, also a splendid crop of Gaillardias." I will 
ask you to note that this is in the middle of our 
hottest month (February), and is Nature's response 
to a recent rain, which has just refreshed the land. 
Among the later Roses introduced to Melbourne 
may be mentioned the charming petite Rose, Madame 
