February 28, 1903. 
The Gardening World 
general notices. 
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Views and Reviews. 
The Chiswick Gardens. 
In reading over the annual report of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, one cannot fail 
to see that the Chiswick Gardens are 
evidently doomed to disappear sooner rather 
than later. We were not quite prepared to 
find the society in such a hurry to dispose of 
the famous old gardens, considering their 
fine associations, and their being the home of 
the society at times when practically all 
others had failed. Another point is that the 
society’s hands are sufficiently full for the 
present time in the building of the new Hall 
of Horticulture, and finding the means for 
the same. The report states that the society’s 
lawyers are in correspondence with those of 
the Duke of Devonshire, and that negotia¬ 
tions for the surrender of the Chiswick lease 
are in progress. The society also hoped that 
these negotiations, when completed, would 
materially facilitate the acquisition of a new 
garden. We should be inclined to think 
that this would unduly accelerate the busi¬ 
ness, for it is well known that the more 
hurry the less speed. 
The statement was somewhat ominous, and 
even ambiguous, until it was explained by 
the president at the annual meeting. He 
stated that £5,000 might be obtained for 
the surrender of the Chiswick lease, which 
would greatly improve the financial position 
of the society. “ Nae doot this is a hantle 
o’ siller,” and a great temptation, but we 
know what it would all mean for the garden. 
In the course of a few years it would un¬ 
doubtedly be staked out by the builder for 
the erection of dwelling-houses, and this 
would be a not unimportant loss for Chiswick 
quite independently of the loss of the old, im¬ 
portant, and really famous garden. In the 
meantime landlords in the neighbourhood 
are earnestly endeavouring to sell or let any 
vacant houses they may have on the strength 
of their great value by reason of proximity 
to the Chiswick Gardens. Nevertheless, some 
of them are well aware of the proposed 
changes in progress, and for good reasons 
keep quiet on the matter, 
At one time the gardens were much more 
extensive than they are at present, for a 
fine and well-stocked Arboretum formed part 
of the garden, being situated round the south 
and east of the 11 acres or so which are still 
within the walls. Quite apart from its being 
stocked with many varieties of trees, it con¬ 
stituted a most interesting appanage to> the 
more undoubtedly horticultural aspect of the 
garden. It was, in fact, a park belonging 
to the gardens, and furnished a place where 
the Fellows could enjoy themselves when 
they assembled at fashionable breakfasts in 
the olden times. 
From an educational point of view the 
Arboretum was even more. We have 
evidence that Loudon made a regular pil¬ 
grimage therein order to study the numerous 
new and rare trees got together. What Kew 
was doing in those days wc are not exactly 
certain, as Loudon was indebted to Chiswick 
for his infonnation not only about new trees, 
but for various other things, and was in¬ 
debted to a collection of dried plants of a 
private gentleman for getting infonnation 
together concerning a great mass of garden 
and botanical plants which he tabulated and 
described in his encyclopaedias and works of 
horticulture. 
Tart of this Arboretum had disappeared 
before our time—namely, that portion 
around the southern side of the garden ; but 
the eastern portion, although eliminated from 
Chiswick, and forming a private garden, was 
extremely interesting from the fact that it 
contained a fine collection of Maples, Limes, 
Oaks, various Horse Chestnuts, Lilacs, Pine 
trees, Honey Locusts, and a magnificent 
specimen of Prunus Mahaleb. The Honey 
Locusts outside of Kew are very rare in the 
suburbs of London, and for the matter of 
that they may be considered rare trees as a 
whole for Britain. 
Harking back to the halcyon days of the 
garden, it may not be out of place to mention 
the fashionable breakfasts which in those 
days must have been of leading importance in 
creating an interest in the garden, improving 
its outlook, and encouraging the hope of its 
still greater development. We have different 
ideas upon the subject at the present day, and 
