March  12,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
229 
has  accomplished  during  a  period  of  some  twenty  years.  The  mansion 
he  built,  the  pleasure  grounds  be  formed  and  planted,  the  park  extensions 
completed,  the  great  extent  of  glass  structures  erectei,  the  enormous 
number  of  plants  in  almost  bewildering  variety  purchased  and  raised — 
all  these  features  in  the  aggregate,  and  provided  in  so  short  a  time, 
constitute  little  short  of  a  monumental  work.  The  mansion,  a  substantial 
and  commodious  building  of  brick  with  stone  dressings,  is  much  larger 
than  appears  in  the  illustration  (fig.  34,  page  227),  which  only  shows  the 
drawing-room  front,  with  Mr.  Chamberlain’s  business  room,  facing  south. 
The  carriage  entrance  is  on  the  west,  and  the  ranges  of  glass  extend  in  an 
easterly  direction.  These  are  in  immediate  connection  with  the  mansion, 
the  conservatory — a  large  and  lofty  structure — adjoining  and  leading 
out  of  the  drawing-room.  The  central  portion  is  occupied  with  beds, 
containing  large  Palms  and  other  appropriate  plants.  Quite  in  the 
centre  is  a  grand  specimen  of  Chamterops  excelsa,  30  feet  high  and 
furnished  with  glossy  leaves  from  the  summit  to  the  base.  Another  bed 
contains  as  a  central  object  a  vigorous  young  specimen  of  Areca  sapid  a, 
growing  from  a  mass  of  Iledychium  Gardnerianum  (fig.  41,  page  239), 
no  doubt  the  finest  example  of  this  old  conservatory  plant,  in  the  effect 
produced  at  the  present  time,  to  be  found  in  England. 
It  is  often  seen  in  a  semi-starved  condition  in  pots,  with  pale  green 
leaves,  but  as  planted  in  the  good  medium  provided  in  the  Highbury 
conservatory  the  leaves  are  of  the  deepest  glossy  green.  In  the  summer 
the  flower  heads  of  pale  primrose  must  have  been  of  unusual  size,  and 
have  filled  the  air  all  around  with  fragrance.  But  while  the  plants  are 
enjoyable  in  summer,  they  are  even  more  quaintly  beautiful  in  winter 
in  their  fruiting  state,  when  their  growth  is  continued  under  favourable 
conditions.  The  Bpikes  on  those  in  question  are  a  foot  long  and  as 
conspicuously  brilliant  as  Bed  Hot  Pokers  (Tritomas),  but  in  a  very 
different  way.  They  are  studded  with  deep  scarlet  Currant-like  fruits 
clustered  in  persistent  orange  -  coloured  receptacles,  from  which 
project  in  bristling  array  the  stiff  green  bracts,  giving  the  whole  a  heavy 
appearance.  The  seeds  are  pushing  and  crowding  each  other  out,  and 
with  the  brilliant  combination  of  colours  and  the  whole  character  of  the 
spikes  have  a  remarkable  effect.  From  some  of  the  seeds  plants  have 
been  raised,  and  it  would  be  easy  to  raise  hundreds  more  if  they  were 
required.  Hedychiums,  which  are  closely  allied  to  the  Ginger  plant,  can 
be  grown  and  flowered  in  beds  in  the  open  air  in  the  summer  very  well, 
as  might  have  been  seen  at  Chiswick  last  year,  but  they  are  usually 
grown  under  glass,  and  then  it  is  customary  to  cut  off  the  fading  flower 
heads  This,  where  their  growth  can  be  continued,  is  a  great  mistake,  as 
the  spikes  that  follow  have  a  beauty  all  their  own,  even  exceeding  that 
of  the  flowers. 
At  the  back  of  the  conservatory  are  a  massive  marble  arch  and 
fountain,  furnished  with  Rex  Begonias  and  Ferns,  with  a  plant  or  two  of 
Aponogeton  distachyon  in  the  basin.  This  part  of  the  building  is 
furnished  with  rustic  chairs  and  seats,  and  is  used  as  a  resort  after  dinner 
for  coffee  or  as  smoking  bower,  and  a  pleasant  resort  it  must  be. 
Flowering  plants  are  arranged  on  low  front  stages,  also  in  various  parts 
of  the  building  in  groups  or  bold  masses,  and  these,  with  the  ample  foil 
of  foliage  of  the  permanent  occupants,  must  render  the  structure  very 
delightful,  especially  when  it  is  also  seen  sparkling  with  the  pendants  of 
the  electric  light. 
As  an  annexe  of  the  conservatory  is  a  very  charming  rock  fernery, 
not  large  but  bold,  and  a  most  enjoyable  connecting  link  with  the 
corridor  into  which  it  opens.  The  rugged  walls  are  clothed  with  luxuriant 
Ferns  and  other  appropriate  plants,  while  in  the  body  of  the  building  are 
rocky  mounds  each  containing  a  towering  Palm  or  Fern,  with  an  under¬ 
growth  of  smaller  plants  suitable  for  the  positions.  Conspicuous  in  this 
enclosure  is  the  rare  and  remarkable  Anthurium  Chamberlainianum. 
Its  leaves  are  enormous,  sagittate,  and  apparently  3  or  4  feet  across 
From  the  stem  roots  issue  like  smooth  gutta  percha  cords,  half  an  inch  or 
so  in  diameter  and  many  feet  in  length,  which  twist  about,  until  some  of 
them  find  their  way  into  the  fissures  of  the  rocks.  The  plant  has 
flowered  and  is  ripening  seeds,  while  it  is  the  parent  of  several  young 
plants  which  have  been  obtained  by  intercrossing  with  others  of  the 
genus,  and  their  progress  is  being  watched  with  much  interest.  This 
gigantic  Aroid  is  of  doubtful  origin.  It  is  supposed  to  have  come  in  a 
consignment  from  Mr.  Sander,  but  whence  he  obtained  it  does  not 
appear  to  be  known.  Kew,  it  is  said,  is  in  possession  of  a  plant,  this 
and  the  Highbury  specimen  completing  the  stock  in  this  country. 
The  Corridor  and  Plant  Houses. 
From  the  rock  fernery,  passing  from  the  mansion,  the  corridor  is 
entered.  This,  when  furnished,  is  a  beautiful  promenade,  as  may  be 
seen  by  the  photograph  (fig.  38,  page  234).  A  border  on  the  left  hand  side 
supports  the  various  climbers  which  clothe  the  wall  and  arch  over  the 
roof— namely,  Coboea  scandens  variegata,  red  and  white  Lapagerias, 
Jasmines,  Plumbagos,  Heliotropes,  Manettia  bicolor,  Hoy  as,  Cassia 
corymbosa,  Bignonia  grandiflora,  Passifloras  in  variety,  Abutilons,  Lonicera 
semperflorens  minor,  Bougainvilleas  glabra  and  Sanderiana,  Bomarias, 
Fuchsia  boliviensis,  Begonia  corallina,  Lisiandra  macrantha  floribunda, 
Allamandas,  Euphorbia  jacquiniaiflora,  Hibiscus  in  variety,  Gloriosa 
superba,  and  a  very  fine  variety  of  scarlet  Tropioolum  which  quickly 
covers  a  space  of  15  or  20  feet,  hanging  in  tresses  with  bright 
scarlet  flowers  for  months  together.  The  border  provided  for  the 
creepers  is  also  furnished  with  Imantophyllum  miniatum,  Iris  Robin- 
soniana  and  others,  Lilium  auratam,  Ferns,  and  Lycopods,  edged  with 
Streptocarpus. 
On  the  opposite  side  of  the  corridor  groups  of  Palms,  Ferns,  and 
various  flowering  plants  are  arranged.  It  is  on  this  side  that  the  various 
span-roofed  houses  are  entered,  in  which  Orchids  and  various  other 
plants  are  grown  or  displayed  from  time  to  time  as  their  flowering 
period  arrives.  The  houses — some  twenty  of  them — are  arranged  close 
together,  forming  a  block,  the  north  end  of  each  joining  the  corridor. 
Mr.  Deacon,  the  gardener,  is  preparing  some  of  Mr.  Lye’s  free-growing 
FIG.  35.— DENDROBIUM  LEECHIANUM. 
Fuchsias  for  planting  out  and  covering  the  ends  of  these  houses  and 
what  may  be  termed  the  shaded  part  of  the  corridor.  Few  plants  could 
be  more  appropriate  for  the  position,  and  as  Fuchsias  are  coming  into 
fashion  again  Highbury  will  be  up  to  date  with  these  elegant  flowers. 
Judging  from  plants  raised  from  cuttings  last  August,  and  now  thriving 
pyramids  3  or  4  feet  high,  Mr.  Deacon  is  an  expert  grower  of  these 
plants,  as  indeed  he  ought  to  be  after  a  successful  term  of  practice  in 
the  neighbourhoods  of  Bath  and  Trowbridge,  districts  which  are  as  famed 
for  specimen  Fuchsias  as  Birmingham  is  for  Primulas. 
Several  of  the  corridor  houses  are  devoted  to  Orchids,  which  are 
extensively  and  admirably  grown,  but  special  attention  is  devoted  to 
other  plants  as  well.  It  would  be  a  mistake  to  assume,  as  some  persons 
do,  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain  care  for  nothing  but  Orchids  ;  it 
would  be  nearer  the  truth  to  say  that  they  care  for  everything,  or  practi¬ 
cally  all  kinds  of  plants,  hardy  or  tender,  including  Orchids.  For 
instance,  we  find  one  of  the  corridor  houses  34  by  18  feet  occupied  with 
various  stove  plants,  including  many  seedling  Anthuriums  and 
Hippeastrums.  Special  interest  is  devoted  to  raising  and  crossing  both  the 
kinds  mentioned  with  satisfactory  results.  In  this  house  was  flowering 
beautifully  the  fine  old  stove  plant  Franciscea  grandiflora.  The  house 
adjoining  is  devoted  to  Ferns  of  various  kinds  in  pots — quite  a  collection 
of  medium-sized  plants.  Then  we  find  two  houses  mamly  devoted  to 
Indian  Azaleas,  including  the  best  varieties  ;  hybiid  greenhouse 
Rhododendrons  and  Olivias.  The  last-named  plants  are  no  doubt  among 
the  finest  to  be  seen  in  private  collections  of  the  best  modern  varieties. 
Four  of  the  corridor  houses  are  kept  bright  with  the  following  kinds 
in  due  season  and  rotation,  not  in  mixture,  but  in  collections  of  each  kind  ; 
Cyclamens,  now  in  beauty,  a  fine  assortment  of  excellently  grown  plants. 
