84 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
Febhuart 1 , 1913 . 
THE ROYAL NURSERIES, HANDSWORTH, 
SHEFFIELD. 1 
lliore ar<* niiiw'rie.s in (irwit Britain that 
may jimtly bo oountod old-established, a 
numl)cr that are of great extent, some tliat 
are famous as having l>een the birth-place of 
valuable and beautiful trees, shrubs, fruits, 
or stove and greenhouse plants. Many 
honoured men and great horticulturists are 
numbered among the founders and proprie¬ 
tors of nurseries in this land of ours. Cer¬ 
tain firms are celebrated as specialists in 
fruit, others in ornamental trees and shrub.s, 
hardy jdants, or particular classes of exotic 
and tender plants, tlie clientele extending 
from end to end of the kingdom, and even 
to distant countries, but every one of these 
distinctions may well bo claimed by the 
Iloyal Nur.Heries, llandsworth, Slieffield, be¬ 
longing to Messrs. Fisher, Son, and Sibray, 
A hundred and .sixty odd years is the 
length of this firm’s career, during which 
time the .growth of the bu.sincKs and ex- 
tensions to the nurseries have l>een such as 
to make the establishment one of the largest 
in the trade. Some idea of the size of the 
llandsworth Nurseries may be gathered from 
the fact that there are about seven miles of 
cart-roads within itn boundaries, and it may 
certainly be said that all classes of plants 
are here grown on a large scale. To name 
and describe all tlie choice varieties of trees 
an<l shrubs that claim this nursery as their 
birthplace would lx» no small task, and from 
the big range of glass-houses some of the 
mo.st handsome crotons and dracsenas have 
lieen distributinl. as well as some exceed¬ 
ingly fine anthuriums. 
Hollies, as most peonle know, are a great 
speciality of the firm, the several home-raif^d 
varieties being everywhere recognised as 
among the most handsome and useful in cul¬ 
tivation. Tlie ''mother” trees of these hol¬ 
lies are a feature of exceptional interest, 
tliere l)eing quite a number of tall, stately 
specimens still full of vigour, maintaining 
splendid symmetry, but. of course not po.s- 
sessing the remarkable beauty of foliage 
whidi characterises their progeny. Indeed 
it affords a striking object-lesson upon the 
real value of the plant-breederai^ painstakino- 
efforts to compare the choice named varie" 
ti^ of hollies which have helped to make 
these nurseries famous, with the old types 
from which they have been evolved. Our 
common green ho]ly (Ilex aquifolia) is a 
grand tree, but, as everybody knows who is 
at all acquainted with hollies, we have many 
varieties that are infinitely superior to it 
and for a number of the best among them’ 
we are indebt^l to Messrs. Fi.sher, Son, and 
Sibray. Ilex M ilsoni de.serves a sfiecial word 
of praise, not only on account of its splendid 
dark grwn foliage, but for its vigour and 
r^rftvt habit. This was the first, if indeed 
It IS not the only, green-leaved holly to re- 
tTV 7< rertificate from the 
B.H.s. and right worthily does it hold this 
di.stinction. T. M ilsoni is grown in immen.v»e 
4|uantities, many fine sjiecinicns being Keen 
as well as thousands of vigfiroiis voung plants 
that are laying the foundations for good 
trees of the future. Handsworth New Silver 
is another variety of which its raisers may 
well be proud, for surely no one wants a 
more delightful variegated variety than 
this. I. Handsworthensis, a small-leaved 
gwn variety, has its particular charms 
of the “ Fisher ” group is I 
Mundyi, which has large leaves of a bright 
glossy green, and grow's into beautiful pyra¬ 
mids with very little pruning. The coilec- 
tion includes all the l>est hollies in eultiva- 
;^hepherdi, otherwise known as 
±l<^ginsi being obtainable in any quantity 
and any size, from young plants a foot high 
to big specimens. There is nothing about 
which Messrs. Fisher, Son, and Sibray are so 
extremely particular as the periodical trans¬ 
planting of tlieir stock to ensure the abun- 
danc-o of fibrous roots, that alone will render 
suceessful removal possible even in the case 
of very large trees. It is worth men¬ 
tioning that the first propagated plant of I. 
Shepherdi may be seen groiving in the 
iiur.series to-day, so that, although not actu¬ 
ally raised here, this popular holly has from 
the beginning been closely associated with 
the nurseries. Altogether there are over fifty 
named varieties of hollies in this collection, 
and the greatest care has been exercised in 
regard to accurate nomenclature. 
On eitlier side of a straight walk a quarter- 
mile in length, grows a magnificent lot of 
golden yews. There are tree® of all shapes 
and forms, but all beautifully developed, and 
of very effective colouring. Fisher's variety 
of the Golden Irish, and Taxus grandis, an¬ 
other home-raised form, possess characteris¬ 
tics that mark them out from their many 
companions, but T. Dovastoni variegata, ele- 
gantissima, laevigata, and .several otliei’s 
are excellent in every way. If we do not 
write at length upon the abiee, the ciipres- 
Kus, and all the other conifers, it is simply 
Wause thei^ is so much else that demands 
notice, and it is difficult in one brief review 
to decide what to mention and what, of 
necessity, to pass over. The flowering shrubs 
alone would furnish material for an exhaus¬ 
tive article, the rhododendrons being ex¬ 
ceptionally meritorious. It may be that good 
varieties of rhododendrons exist which are 
not to be found in this collection, but we may 
say, with all confidence, that the best of the 
Handsworth collection are the beet in culti¬ 
vation, and are grown on a large scale. 
Tile soil suite them, the propagators are 
experts at their work, and the same watch¬ 
ful care in regard to periodical transplant¬ 
ing, as was noticeable in all departments, 
has kept the whole stock in capital condition, 
so that even big, well-developed plants mea^ 
suring as much as six feet in height may be 
removed with scarcely a shadow of risk. The 
beantifnlly balanced standards of Pink Pearl 
arrested our attention, and conjured up in 
our mind’s eye pictures of loveliness that 
they would present when in full bloom, for, 
without a doubt, it is on standard plants, 
which raise the tru^s of bloom to the level 
of the eye, that this glorious rhododendron 
IS ^en to great^t advantage. Countess Fitz- 
william, a variety introduced by Messrs. 
and Sibray, is a bright and very 
attractive variety, baring big trusses of 
carmine-tinted flowers with dark spots. An- 
other of the firm’s raising is Duchess of 
lortland, a variety that ha^ strong claims to 
the distinction of being accounted one of the 
best white-floweied hardy rhododendrons in 
commerce. Tlie hardy ericas constitute 
another most interesting feature, and 
the herlieris, including all the finest 
specif and varieties, and many extremely 
h^utiful soling forms of R. aquifolia, pro- 
4 k flowers that may grace 
the finest shrubberies or borders. 
A most charming shrub that can .scarcely 
1^ over-estimated is Phillyrea Vilmoriniana^ 
^th large foliage and fragrant white flowers. 
in high est^m may be 
Handsworth, and I was informed 
^ ^^^dy sale for this 
highly effective shrnb. Shrubs that bloom 
ami Z Iv especially valuable, 
am on this account we made a note of 
Idrsutus, which, even in 
of berried 
gauitnerias, which do so much to brighten 
the garden when flowers are scarce and the 
days are dull. 
We were much interested in the Hands 
worth variety of the purple sveamore and 
Salix vitelhna aurea pendula, an exceedingly 
graceful weeping willow that certainlv 
merits a place beside even the most orna¬ 
mental of lakes or streams. Golden elms 
scarlet and double white chestnuts silver 
birch, and the Handsworth limes, are all 
available in magnificent young trees. A l)ig 
stretch of Quercus palustris, the marsh oak^ 
comprised a fine lot of this distinct and noble 
tree; and a batch of tall, shapely trees of 
Cotoneaster frigida, ranging in height from 
five feet to ten feet, was of much interest 
The Wheatley elm, one of the best street 
trees in cultivation, is largely grown for this 
particular purpose, and, of course, plane 
trees are also grown and strongly recom¬ 
mended for town planting. Purple beech, 
erect and weeping poplars, Japanese maplesi 
thorns, and, in fact, every kind of tree is 
represented. 
Herbaceous and alpine plants are exten¬ 
sively grown, and there are capital show 
borders on either side of a very long walk, 
where one may see good clumps of all the 
kinds stocked growing and flowering under 
admirable conditions. So, too, there are 
borders of shrubs arranged for effect, and 
beside a very pretty piece of ornamental 
water all sorts of ornamental willows, giin- 
neras, gyneriums, and bog plants are 
grouped in a natural and effective manner. 
The gla^s department of the nursery is 
of great extent, most of the houses being 
long, broad, span-roofed structures capable 
of accommodating very big stocks of plants. 
Crotons are very well grown, and included in 
the comprehensive collection are a number 
of very beautiful varieties which have 
originated in this establishment. One of 
these, named Duke of Portland, is a fine 
broad-leaved variety of capital habit and 
rich colouring; and a new pendulous form 
of C. Heathi elegans exceedingly graceful. 
Int^esting also was a batch of Dracaena aus¬ 
tralis, among which some very distinct and 
handsome forms — all home-raised — were 
noticed. Orchids are grown, and most of 
the more popular greenhouse flowering 
plants are produced on a large scale. 
Anthuriums have for many years been a big 
feature with Messrs. Fisher, Son, and Sibray, 
and those of our readers who saw the mag¬ 
nificent group of these gorgeous plants which 
the firm exhibited at the International Ex¬ 
hibition will not readily forget it. 
This establishment has a large seed and 
bulb department, with a spacious, well- 
appointed warehouse, in a prominent position 
in Sheffield, and a big agricultural as well as 
horticultural seed trade is done. 
East Lothian Stocks. — These 
stocks are not so freely used in the South of 
England for summer bedding as they are in 
the North, and when one considers their use¬ 
fulness for such work, it seems rather surpris¬ 
ing, as they flower continuously from July 
until well into the autumn. When growing 
them for this purpose, the seeds sliould be sown 
at once in shallow pans or boxes and placed in 
a gentle heat to germinate. When the seed¬ 
lings appear give them a position close to the 
glass in a cool house, and as soon as they 
Ij^me large enough to handle pot them off 
singly, using large 6()’s, and grow them on 
in a cool-house or pit until well established. 
Then remove them to a cold frame, giving 
plenty of air on all favourable occasions, 
so that by the time they are ready to be 
planted out in their summer quarters they 
will he well hardened off. Seeds of these 
stocks can be obtained giving distinct .shades, 
and if procured from a reliable source the 
flowers can be depended upon to come true 
to colour. This is a decided advantage when 
planting masses of separate colours, in which, 
by the way, these stocks are seen at their 
^t. A very desirable white stock named 
All the Y^ear Round produces an abiindan^ 
ot bloom from June until Cliristmas, should 
the autumn prove mild if treated in this 
manner.—T. B. Field. ’ 
