November  23,  lfc99. 
445 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
the  Society,  we  must  grant  that,  but  for  the  labours  of  the  Sowerbys, 
father  and  son,  it  could  not  have  attained  to  i's  present  position. 
It  is  not  needful  to  go  into  guide  book  details,  but  I  lake  a 
few  facts  about  the  gardens  which  are  of  importance.  Its 
magnum  opus,  the  chief  conservatory,  the  centre  of  which,  erected  in 
1846,  from  the  designs  of  Messrs.  Burton  and  Turner,  was  regarded  as 
unique  of  its  kind,  the  only  objection  made  being  that  the  structure 
was  too  light.  An  east  wing  and  corridor  was  added  in  1871  and  the 
west  wing  completed  in  1876.  Two  years  before  that  a  valuable  range 
of  bouses  was  erected  in  the  medicinal  division  to  receive  collections  of 
economic  plants.  One  of  the  other  houses  which  for  some  years  was 
a  special  attraction  contained  tall  Pelargoniums  and  choice  Azaleas  ; 
so,  too,  the  house  having  the  Victoria  Regia,  with  groups  of  aquatic 
species,  and  the  curious  Gourd,  Trichosanthes  colubrina.  We  notice, 
as  helpful  to  gardeners,  the  department  where  flowers  are  arranged 
according  to  colours,  and  the  geographical  garden  which  exhibits  in 
order  the  species  of  various 
regions. 
For  some  time  past  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Society  have  been 
anxious  to  start  an  “  Albert 
Institute  of  Botany,”  to  be 
connected  therewith.  At  the 
last  annual  meeting  the  chair¬ 
man  regretted  that  no  funds 
were  available  towards  this 
object.  He  added  that  people 
will  not  pay  for  science,  though 
they  will  pay  to  be  amused. 
Hence  it  arises  that  the  gar¬ 
dens  have  been  more  popular 
than  ever  for  fetes  and  enter¬ 
tainments.  The  profit  obtained 
from  these  is  not  large,  much 
expense  being  incurred  in  the 
maintenance  of  the  grounds, 
and  the  subscriptions  yield 
only  a  moderate  return.  The 
Practical  Gardening  School, 
about  which  hard  things  have 
been  said,  now  numbers  fifteen 
students,  and  last  year  650 
free  students’  orders  given, 
courses  of  botanical  lectures, 
also,  which  had  fair  audiences, 
and  the  general  attendance  at 
the  gardens  increased  from 
67,000  to  86,000. 
Only  a  few  weeks  since  a 
correspondent  gave  us  some 
notes  on  the  floral  display 
in  Regent’s  Park  (page  236) 
as  it  was  to  be  seen  during 
the  summer  and  autumn. 
The  ornamental  portion  of  the 
park  was  not  laid  out  till 
1863,  the  work  being  done 
under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Cowper.  We  have  both  an 
English  and  an  Italian  garden, 
the  latter  divided  by  an 
avenue  of  Horse  Chestnuts, 
not  so  large  and  lofty  as  those 
of  Bushey  Park,  but  considered 
to  be  of  better  shape.  Yuccas 
and  Rhododendrons  were  from  the  first  made  a  notable  feature  of  this 
garden,  contrasting  with  Palms,  Hollies,  Conifers  and  other  evergreens. 
The  English  garden  is  arranged  to  show  a  variety  resembling  Nature  ; 
the  ground  undulates,  the  walks  are  winding,  clumps  of  flowering  and 
evergreen  trees  appear  of  various  sizes,  single  trees  are  also  to  be  seen 
here  and  there  amongst  the  grass.  Formerly  the  Park  exhibited  a 
profusion  of  Pelargoniums,  it  is  now  found  that  this  flower  is  apt  to  be 
unsatisfactory.  The  effect  of  an  assortment  of  colours  has  always  been 
studied  in  the  beds,  and  sub-tropical  plants  with  large  and  handsome 
leaves  are  favourites,  such  as  Ficus  elastica,  Cannas,  Dracaenas,  Ricini 
and  Palms. 
From  the  summit  of  Primrose  Hill,  above  the  Park,  there  was  a 
time  when  you  could  survey  the  green  fields  of  Islington,  the  wood  of 
Plighbury,  and  the  windings  of  the  New  River  to  the  north  ;  but  the 
scene  has  changed.  Still,  however,  the  river  runs  its  course  amid 
populous  streets,  though  near  the  New  River  Head  there  yet  remains 
a  memorable  piece  of  garden  ground,  which  it  is  hoped  to  secure  for 
the  public.  Close  by,  the  seven-storied  Canonbury  Tower  has  for  the 
present  been  spared,  though  its  once  extensive  gardens  and  park  have 
only  left  names,  or,  at  least,  a  few  small  open  spaces.  Prior  Bolton,  a 
good  monk  of  the  olden  time,  was  one  of  its  owners,  and  he  put  up  in 
several  places  his  punning  device  of  a  bolt  or  arrow  piercing  a  tun. 
He  delighted  in  his  garden,  cultivating  Figs,  Mulberries  and  choice 
Apples.  He  died  in  1532.  Islington  early  in  our  century  seems  to 
have  been  more  famous  for  its  cows  than  its  Cabbages,  but  it  had 
some  market  gardens  or  nurseries,  since  it  was  handy  to  the  City. 
Not  far  from  Colebrook  Row  were  the  grounds  which  so  rejoiced 
poor  Charles  Lamb  when  he  retired  from  business  life,  and  could 
regale  himself  upon  their  fresh  vegetables  and  fruit.  Part  of  this  land 
was  under  cultivation  fifty  years  ago,  but  the  growth  of  Islington, 
Canonbury,  and  adjacent  suburbs  has  sent  the  nurseryman  farther  off. 
He  raises  his  stock  at  a  distance  mostly,  though  we  come  across  some 
conservatories  amongst  the  streets.  It  is  supposed  the  oldest  nursery 
in  Islington  was  the  one  for  many  years  held  by  Mr.  Solomon,  situate 
between  Upper  Street  and  Cross  Street,  near  St.  Mary’s  Church.  The 
ground  is  now  built  over.  At 
Holloway,  beyond  Islington, 
are  the  important  nurseries 
belonging  to  Messrs.  B.  S. 
Williams  &  Son,  which  have 
existed  a  little  over  forty  years. 
These,  known  as  the  Victoria 
and  Paradise  Nurseries,  occupy 
about  3  acres.  There  is  some 
outdoor  cultivation,  but  the 
plants  are  chiefly  under  glass. 
Ferns,  Palms,  Orchids,  with 
many  other  stove  and  green¬ 
house  species,  make  a  good 
show,  in  spite  of  smoke  and 
fog. 
Squares  of  various  dimen¬ 
sions,  seldom  large,  are  freely 
scattered  over  these  northern 
suburbs ;  here  and  there  they 
represent  the  remainder  of  a 
much  larger  nursery  garden. 
For  many  years  the  seven 
acres  of  Euston  Square  formed 
the  Bedford  Nursery  ;  its 
name  is  now  changed  to 
Endsleigh  Gardens,  but  it  is 
not  yet  free  to  the  public. 
Ampthill  Square,  Hampstead 
Road,  was  a  nursery  belonging 
to  Mr.  Greene  ;  a  rather  exten¬ 
sive  stock  was  cleared  in  July, 
1878.  No  doubt  as  time  goes 
on  all  the  squares  will  be 
made  pleasant  gardens,  also 
giving  horticultural  hints ;  but 
there  are  difficulties  to  be 
removed.  Barnsbury  Square 
was  opened  in  1891  by  her 
Grace  the  Duchess  of  West¬ 
minster,  and  De  Beauvoir 
Square  by  Lord  and  Lady 
Amherst  in  1892.  Canonbury 
and  Thornhill  Squares  belong' 
to  the  Islington  Vestry,  and 
have  been  open  about  ten 
years.  The  burial  ground  of 
the  Chapel  of  Ease,  Holloway, 
having  a  good  extent,  is 
maintained  by  this  Vestry  in  capital  condition  at  all  seasons;  and  that 
of  St.  James’,  Hampstead  Road,  is 'a  beautiful  garden. 
Passing  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  Regent’s  Park,  we  come  to 
St.  John’s  Wood,  where  the  demand  for  flowers  and  plants  led  to  the 
opening  of  numerous  nurseries  ;  the  oldest  I  think,  certainly  the  best 
known,  was  the  Pine  Apple  Nursery  of  Messrs.  Henderson. in  the 
Edgware  Road.  The  firm  made  great  improvements  in  the  cultivation 
of  Pines,  and  raised  quantities  of  Grapes.  The  success  of  this  business 
led  to  the  establishment  of  Wellington  Nursery  by  other  members  of 
the  family.  The  head  of  this  nursery,  Mr.  E.  J.  Henderson,  died  in 
1876,  at  the  age  of  ninety-three,  a  witness  to  the  healthfulness  of  his 
profession.  Subsequently,  I  remember  the  old  Pine  Apple  Nursery 
made  a  fresh  start,  and  showed  a  large  collection  of  ornamental  foliaged 
plants.  About  Maida  Vale  the  nurseries,  now  reduced  in  number, 
used  to  remind  one  of  King’s  Road,  Chelsea,  when  in  its  glory. 
Strolling  there  some  twenty  odd  years  ago  I  came  upon  a  piot  of 
ground  in  Grove  Road  which  had  been  occupied  by  a  nursery  woman 
(Mrs.  Ginn),  one  of  the  pioneers,  shall  I  call  her,  of  a  recent  move¬ 
ment. — J.  R.  S.  C. 
Fig.  80.— Pear  Marguerite  Marielat. 
