August 22,1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
70? 
s q a u t sT^ ay .903 ®he hardening *World. 
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EDITORIAL NOTES. 
ft of a Garden to the Royal 
Horticultural Society. 
^or several years past tlie> Royal Horticul- 
al Society and itsi Fellows have been strug- 
■ig with the question of purchasing a piece 
1 and for a new garden, but it seems that 
1 hing has been lost, by waiting, for Sir 
■ imas Hanbury, who is the owner of a 
" ous garden himself, lias just purchased 
famous garden of the late Mr. G. F. 
'■son at Wisley, and presented it to the 
\iety. The story can be well conveyed tO' 
1 readers in the words of Sir Trevor Law- 
Ipe, who has written a, letter to the 
tines announcing the gift: — 
IRj I am authorised by Sir Thomas 
1 ury, K.C.A .0., •whose garden at La Mor- 
t ® as a world-wide fame, to ask you to 
let me make public through your columns 
what I can only describe as a signal mark 
of characteristic generosity. Sir Thomas has 
purchased for presentation to this society 
the' estate and garden of the late Mr. G. F. 
Wilson, F.R.S., at Wisley, near Woking. Mr. 
Wilson’s garden lias long been celebrated, 
and the skill and success with which hardy 
plants have been cultivated there for many 
years show how suitable it. is for the purposes 
for which it. has been selected by Sir Thomas 
Hanbury. The total area of the estate is 60 
acres, part of which is used for agricultural 
purposes. There 1 are a. small residence, a ( 
farmhouse, and other suitable buildings on 
it. The garden has the variety of soil and 
aspect., and the' unfailing water supply, which 
are essential for the purposes of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, which will have but 
little to do but to provide the necessary 
plant-houses. The Fellows of the society 
owe a heavy debt to- Sir Thomas Hanbury 
for his thoughtful and generous gift. All 
lovers of gardens will gladly know that. Mr. 
Wilson’s garden has been rescued from the 
fate which so often overtakes such pleasances 
when their creator passes away. Now that 
the Royal Horticultural Society lias received 
this gift, there is every reason to hope that its 
centennial year, 1904, will see it. provided 
with a new garden as well as, thanks to 
Baron Henry Schroder, with a. new Metro¬ 
politan Hall and, offices:.—I have, etc., 
Trevor Lawrence, President.” 
Situation of the Garden. 
Most comments have, been made concern¬ 
ing the lost site at Limpsfield. One of the 
chief grumbles against this place was the 
difficulty of traversing the three miles be¬ 
tween the station and the Chart, Limpsfield, 
the road being all up hill to the garden. We 
are anxious to know what the grumble will 
be on this occasion, because the difficulty of 
reaching the garden will be nearly asi great 
as in the case of Limpsfield, the* difference 
being that the journey will be more on the 
level, but the distance' will just he as great. 
The nearest station to the late Mr. Wilson’s 
garden, at Wisley is Byfleet, the station 
beyond Weybridge, on the main South Wes¬ 
tern Railway line. Instead of being situated 
on a hill, as at Limpsfield, the garden cannot, 
bei at any great elevation above sea level, for 
it is near the banks of the River Wey and 
the streams leading into it, so that the 
ground is well watered at all periods of the 
year. It is also sheltered to some extent by 
the woods on Wisley Common, while there 
is a considerable amount of wood on the 
estate itself, which extends to 60 acres. 
Whatever the difficulty may he in. reaching' 
this garden, it will have many inducements 
to encourage the Fellows to make an effort 
to reach it. Special provision for travel 
may yet he provided. We think it a re¬ 
markable and unlooked-for presentation, and, 
under careful cultivation and treatment, we 
have no' doubt it. can be made one of the 
most interesting gardens in the 'country, and 
we hope' the- society will rise to these oppor¬ 
tunities. 
Hardy Flowers the Feature of the 
Garden. 
Perhaps, no one would be more pleased and 
surprised at the turn of affairs than the late 
owner of the garden himself had he been 
alive when it wasi sold. While closely 
attached to his gardens, both at Weybridge 
and Wisley, the . late Mr. G. F. Wilson, 
F.R.S., was a staunch supporter of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, and was a regular 
attendant at the various meetings, as well as 
at the committee meetings at Chiswick, and 
often brought some of his choice flowers to 
the fortnightly meetings, so long as he was 
able to attend. At Wisley he had gathered 
together rich collections of all the 1 choicest 
hardy flowers, such as-Daffodils, Irises, Lilies, 
Primroses, Polyanthus, Gentians, and other 
subjects which he planted under the most 
suitable conditions, so that they might estab¬ 
lish and take' care' of themselves. Naturally 
he made many experiments, and was re¬ 
warded with many successes. While still 
hale and hearty his notes in The Gardening 
World recorded many of the results ob¬ 
tained. The blue Primrose owed, its evolu¬ 
tion to his endeavours, in tire early stages, 
and it flourished much better in his garden 
than in tne neighbourhood of London. 
Wisley and its surroundings are truly rural, 
and far from the devastating influence of 
smoke. Lilies and Japanese' Irises were also- 
veiy successefully cultivated by Mr. Wilson. 
The Royal Horticultural Society will he able 
to make their various trials and experiments 
under veiy favourable conditions both as to 
soil and surroundings. 
- 0 - 
The New Horticultural Hall. 
The society has now commenced operations 
at Vincent Square, and none too- soon, if they 
intend to occupy the hall, in order to cele¬ 
brate the centenary of the society next year. 
The square is situated between Victoria. 
Street and Va.uxha.ll Bridge Road, and owing 
to this situation in London, it is not half so 
well known as many another square. For 
many years past, the square itself has been 
the playground of the hoys attending West¬ 
minster School. As recently as 1810 all the 
ground in this neighbourhood was a dreary 
marsh, known as Totliill Fields. At a more 
ancient date it possessed no less than five 
pest houses, used for those who had been 
stricken with plague at a time' when London 
was ravaged by that scourge. More recently 
these pest houses were utilised as- almshouses, 
and were continued for this purpose until 
1832. ' 
