September  22,  1898 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
223 
three  sides  by  a  stone  wall,  upon  which  at  intervals  are  vases  tilled 
mainly  with  Henry  Jacoby  “  Geraniums  ”  and  other  similar  homely 
plants.  The  beds  also  contain  large  numbers  of  Zonals,  with  Calceolarias 
of  excellent  quality — indeed,  Mr.  Martin’s  plants  of  the  latter  are  amongst 
the  finest  I  have  seen.  As  he  has  told  Journal  readers,  early  planting 
and  no  coddling  are  the  secrets  of  his  success.  The  dwarf  plants  are 
many-branched,  and  the  freedom  with  which  they  flower  is  little  short  of 
remarkable.  Another  old-fashioned  Zonal  that  thrives  splendidly,  and  is 
a  great  favourite,  is  John  Gibbons.  It  is  extensively  grown,  and  gives 
the  most  satisfactory  returns.  There  is  a  small  Dutch  garden  even  more 
formal  than  the  one  just  referred  to,  but  space  cannot  be  given  to  a 
description  thereof.  The  grass  between  the  beds  in  both  sections  is  thick 
and  soft,  as,  indeed,  is  it  throughout  the  pleasure  gardens  and  grounds. 
From  the  formal  we  may  be  said  to  pass  to  the  informal  garden,  where 
beds  and  borders  find  such  occupants  as  herbaceous  and  bulbous  plants, 
with  shrubs  and  trees.  It  is  in  this  section  that  we  pass  through  the  Ivy 
bowers  to  what  is  termed  the  Mosshouse,  both  of  which  are  delightfully 
cool  on  a  warm  day.  These  are  very  old  indeed,  as  probably  is  the 
herbaceous  garden  itself.  The  number  of  plants  here  utilised  is  enormous, 
and  they  provide  flowers  without  number  for  cutting  purposes.  There 
are  beds  of  all  shapes  and  sizes,  as  well  as  borders,  and  everywhere  is 
seen  the  same  profusion  of  blossoms  and  foliage.  From  the  Ivy  bowers 
and  the  Mosshouse  the  ground  falls  to  the  river,  beyond  which  is  the 
tree-clad  rising  ground  and  the  grove  previously  mentioned.  Coniferous 
The  gardens  wittnn  the  walls  are  extensive  and  very  close  to 
the  older  portion  of  the  Abbey,  which  unfortunately  does  not  show  in  the 
picture.  As  a  matter  of  fact  there  are  three  distinct  gardens  containing 
fruits,  vegetables,  flowers,  and  houses  for  plants  and  fruits.  Each  is  ot 
considerable  extent,  but  all  available  space  is  fully  occupied  with  ser¬ 
viceable  crops,  as  are  portions  outside  the  walls.  This  will  give  some 
idea  of  the  requirements  of  the  establishment,  for  there  is  a  great  amount 
of  ground  to  cover.  The  fruits  comprise  all  kinds,  and  they  are  grown  in 
all  the  general  forms  adopted  in  training.  Particularly  striking  are  the 
cordon  Gooseberries,  which  are  splendidly  grown.  They  produce 
immense  crops  of  berries,  and  at  the  time  this  visit  was  paid  they  were 
roped  from  top  to  bottom.  Considering  their  extraordinary  fertility,  it 
is  surprising  that  far  more  cordon  Gooseberries  are  not  cultivated.  Wall 
space  is  of  course  abundant,  and  the  whole  of  it  occupied  with  trained 
trees  of  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Apricots,  Plums,  Pears,  and  Cherries,  and 
the  beeping  of  them  in  proper  order  must  entail  a  tremendous  amount  of 
labour.  Small  fruits  were  cropping  heavily,  and  both  these  and  the 
Apples,  Pears  and  others  were  in  capital  condition. 
It  would  not  be  an  easy  matter  to  say  which  of  the  vegetables  looked 
best,  but  taking  the  season  into  consideration,  we  must  give  the  palm  to 
the  Carrots.  These  in  a  large  drift  were  grand,  and  by  far  the  best  I  had 
seen  this  year.  Parsnips  close  by  were  also  most  creditable,  and  Onions 
superb.  There  were  large  bulbs  as  well  as  small  ones,  and  all  alike 
hard  and  ripening  splendidly.  Potatoes  occupied  a  goodly  amount 
trees  are  comparatively  scarce  at  Stoneleigh,  they  not  having  proved  very 
satisfactory,  but  a  Cedrus  deodara  on  the  edge  of  the  water  looks  very 
effective.  Holly  thrives  excellently,  and  numerous  examples  of  Golden, 
Silver,  and  the  Hedgehog  are  admired.  Cupressus  Lawsoniana  and  Irish 
Yews  are  also  fine  in  places,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  view  of  the 
Abbey  that  is  given  in  the  illustration,  fig.  41,  which,  with  the  one  of  the 
monastery,  has  been  prepared  from  admirable  photographs  taken  by 
Mr.  W.  F.  Kimberley,  Castle  Studio,  Kenilworth. 
Having  referred  to  the  monastery  (fig.  40)  we  may  devote  a  few 
more  words  to  it  now  ere  turning  to  the  other  sections  of  the  garden. 
With  the  picture  before  them  readers  will  not  require  to  be  told  that  the 
structure  is  an  ancient  one,  and  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  few  gardeners 
occupy  such  a  house.  It  is  most  comfortable,  too,  though  it  lacks  the 
superficial  touches  with  which  the  up-to-date  jerry  builder  loves  to  adorn 
the  fruits  of  his  labour.  It  is  known  also  as  the  Old  Gatehouse,  and  is  in 
close  contiguity  to  the  old  and  modern  portions  of  the  Abbey.  Reference 
is  made  to  it  in  the  article  above  quoted,  in  which  it  is  3aid,  “  This  Gate¬ 
house  may  have  been  intended  as  a  place  of  reception  for  guests,  and  an 
eleemosynary  for  distribution  of  alms.  In  an  ancient  wooden  bench 
within  the  gateway  (see  left  corner  of  the  photograph)  are  ten  curious 
circular  holes,  the  original  use  of  which  is  uncertain  ;  but  they  were 
possibly  destined  in  later  warlike  days  to  hold  lances  or  other  weapons.” 
It  was  built  by  one  Robert  de  Hockele,  who  died  in  1349,  “  and  over  the 
gateway  we  notice  the  large  stone  escutchecn  bearing  the  arms  of 
Henry  II.,  placed  there  by  Robert  in  memory  of  the  founder  of  Stonele 
Abbey.” 
of  space,  as  would  naturally  be  expected,  while  other  root  crops  and  green 
vegetables  were  by  no  means  neglected.  The  borders  of  herbaceous 
flowers  in  the  three  gardens  made  them  much  more  attractive  from  an 
artistic  point  of  view,  though  their  greatest  value  no  doubt  lies  with  the 
vegetables  and  fruits  that  they  contain.  In  the  centre  of  one  of  the 
gardens  is  a  round  house,  in  which  is  located  the  gardener  s  office  and  a 
good  fruit  room.  From  a  glance  at  the  labels  herein,  it  is  easy  to  see  that 
many  of  the  best  varieties  of  Apples  and  Fears  find  a  home  at  Stoneleigh. 
Within  doors  the  stock  of  fruits  comprises  Grapes,  Peaches,  and 
Nectarines  and  Melons  as  the  chief  products,  as  well  as  Tomatoes  and 
Cucumbers,  though  strictly  the  latter  are  vegetables.  There  are  several 
houses  devoted  to  those  most  important  crops,  and  in  all  of  them  were 
excellent  results  of  good  culture  to  be  seen.  Grapes  of  all  the  leading 
varieties  were  bearing  heavily  and  finishing  splendidly — indeed,  some  had 
finished,  and  had  been  most  satisfactory.  Practically  the  same  may  be 
said  of  the  Peaches  and  Nectarines,  of  which  the  clean,  healthy  trees  were 
carrying  big  crops  of  well-developed  luscious  fruits.  Strawberries  in  pots 
had  done  their  share  towards  the  maintenance  of  the  long  but  ever  neces¬ 
sary  supply,  several  hundreds  having  been  forced  early  in  the  year. 
Then  we  might  go  on  about  the  Melons,  the  Tomatoes,  and  the  Cucumbers, 
but  when  it  is  said  that  all  were  as  good  as  need  be  wished,  it  becomes 
superfluous  to  say  any  more.  Certainly  the  whole  of  them,  with  the  plants, 
showed  that  unremitting  attention  by  Mr.  Martin  and  his  assistants  was 
given,  or  their  condition  would  be  very  different  from  what  it  is  at  present. 
The  several  plant  houses  are  abundantly  filled  with  plants  of  varied 
