Cfje 3Rt)oliobenl!ron Jtotesi. 
Gardeners’ Chronicle, July 2 th , 1881. 
A lover of Rhododendrons visits, as a matter of course, Mr. Anthony Knap Hill. 
Waterer’s Knap Hill Nursery, near the Woking Station. So well known is this 
garden, that I need almost an apology for saying anything more about it; yet, 
perhaps some who have seen Mr. Waterer’s Rhododendrons in Hyde Park and 
the Botanic Gardens, may fancy that they have seen all that they could see at 
Knap Hill. Such is not the case, however. Acres upon acres at the Nursery 
are covered with the finest specimens, and the most interesting and beautiful 
seedlings. The mass and breadth of colour, the variety of tints, the luxuriance 
and “ abandon ” of growth, the happy intermixing of Pinuses and other trees, 
raise the place to the dignity of one of the show places of England. As spring 
passes away into summer, the prevailing tints of this fairy spot shift and change 
like those of the dying dolphin. In the earliest days of early summer (and before), 
all is aglow with the crimson hues drawn by the subtle hybridist from Rhodo¬ 
dendron ARBOREUM and its allies. At such a time, in olden days, before the 
commons were curtailed, one saw with the laureate— 
“ A crimson cloud. 
That land-like slept along the deep,” 
the deep being the Heather in its dark and gloomy spring attire. As summer 
advances, the purple tints derived from R. ponticum and catawbiense, with 
bold patches of dazzling white, obtain predominance. Then, too, the oranges 
and yellows and scarlets of the Azaleas feast the eye, and perfume fills the air. 
Last of Flora’s gifts comes the coral Kalmia, red or pink, according as it is bud 
or blossom, and resting on its cool dark green foliage; and then, as notable a 
sight as any, the uprising and unfolding of the young and tender shoots of the 
tens of thousands of Rhododendron trees and bushes. Some are of the tenderest 
green, others yellow-brown or rich with pink or ruddy hues. Some wave bright 
scales which presently wither and fall away, and all cover up their now rotting 
and unsightly blossoms with this fresh development of beauty. I know not but 
that this is as interesting a sight as any. 
The name of Waterer (both of the Knap Hill and Bagshot Nurseries), has 
been so identified with the culture and extraordinary improvement for gardening 
purposes of our most showy shrub, that I have often wondered that it has not 
been embalmed as the name of some Rhododendron species, which will live when 
hybrids, however showy and magnificent, have been superseded, and John and 
Helen and Frederic and Michael Waterer have yielded to newer names. It 
had rained all day till 4 o’clock, but the clouds cleared off and the sun shone as 
my brother and I reached Knap Hill, and did homage to the splendid Douglas 
Fir near the gate. 
The crimson period of the garden was just changing into the purple. As 
proof of this, a gigantic bush of an early ponticum flanked by two whites at 
once caught the eye. The effect was surprisingly superb, and taught the lesson. 
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