232 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  12,  1896. 
love.  The  more  and  better  the  produce  that  earnest  gardeners  can  raise 
the  better  satisfied  they  are,  and  the  more  calmly  they  can  sleep — 
always  provided  their  efforts  are  appreciated  ;  but  when  the  reverse  is 
the  case,  when  really  good  work  is  done  and  excellent  produce  supplied, 
to  meet  with  only  a  chilling  acknowledgment  and  intimation  that 
something  better  is  expected — something  beyond  the  power  of  man  to 
produce  under  the  circumstances — then  does  this  question  of  supply 
become  brain- wearying  and  heart-breaking  work  ;  and  well  it  is  for 
those  workers  who  serve  employers  who  are  practical,  like  themselves, 
and  who  can  accord  their  approval  or  the  reverse  as  reason  and  justice 
may  dictate  under  the  circumstances.  No  doubt  much  is  required  at 
Highbury,  but  certainly  nothing  unreasonable  expected.  The  master 
does  bis  share  in  the  form  of  appliances,  and  the  gardeners  have  only 
to  do  theirs  by  their  skill  and  devotion  to  duty,  on  well  judged  lines, 
to  be  happy. 
Other  adjuncts  in  the  way  of  glass  have  to  be  mentioned — such  as  a 
lean-to  house,  CO  feet  long  for  Melons,  Cucumbers,  and  early  Tomatoes  ; 
a  span  house  24  by  14,  for  forcing  flowers  in  spring,  and  ripening 
Hippeastrums  in  summer,  with  four  ranges,  each  60  feet  long,  of  lean-to 
pits,  mostly  heated  ;  also  numbers  of  portable  frames  of  various  shapes 
and  sizes  for  Violets,  Christmas  Roses,  Salads,  and  various  other  purposes 
to  which  such  ails  are  applied  in  a  cherished  and  well  furnished 
gardeD, 
One  aspect  of  the  flower  supply  has  been  omitted,  but  it  must  not 
be  entirely  overlooked,  or  Mr.  Deacon  will  not  be  pleased.  On  broad 
shelves  in  the  new  fruit  houses  were  observed  as  fine  a  collection  of 
sturdy  Chrysanthemum  plants  as  the  most  critical  fancier  could  desire 
to  see,  and  standage  ground  is  being  prepared  for  them  in  an  ideal 
position  in  front  of  the  range.  Upwards  of  2000  plants  are  grown — 
about  700  for  large  blooms,  and  the  remainder  for  bush  and  decorative 
purposes.  They  comprise  all  the  newer  and  best  old  varieties.  The  large 
blooms  are  grown  partly  for  exhibition  purposes,  success  being  shown 
by  the  winning  of  three  first  prizes  in  leading  classes  at  the  Birm.ngham 
show  last  season,  where  the  competition  with  cut  blooms  is  so  severe  ; 
also  three  first  prizes  were  taken  for  other  exhibits  —  a  very  good 
beginning,  and  suggests  that  Highbury  will  have  to  be  reckoned  with  in 
the  future.  For  home  display  decorative  varieties  are  grown  in  numbers 
of  fifty  and  a  hundred  of  each,  such  as  Lady  Selborne,  Source  d’Or, 
Ryecroft  Glory,  Mdme.  Desgrange,  and  others,  for  early  work  ; 
W.  H.  Lincoln,  L.  Canning,  and  Cullingfordi,  being  among  the 
favourites  for  late  flowering. 
The  heating  of  the  structures  in  such  an  establishment  as  this 
is  no  light  matter.  That  of  the  new  houses  is  done  most  effectively 
by  one  of  Weeks’  powerful  tubular  boilers,  and  the  apparatus  in  this 
range  is  on  their  system  ;  the  older  corridor  block  and  mansion 
are  heated  by  Trenthams.  There  are  five  boilers,  heating  some 
15,000  feet  of  piping  in  the  gardens,  in  addition  to  the  mansion.  From 
eight  to  ten  tons  of  coke  are  consumed  weekly,  more  in  severe  weather. 
The  entire  system  has  been  re-arranged  by  the  Chelsea  firm  under  the 
personal  superintendence  of  Mr.  A.  W.  Weeks,  and  the  whole  circula¬ 
tion  works,  as  might  be  expected,  in  a  smooth,  certain,  and  satisfactory 
manner. 
The  Pleasure  Grounds. 
From  Birmingham  to  Highbury,  on  the  south,  the  ground  seems  to 
rise  gradually  to  a  distance  of  about  three  miles  ;  here  we  reach  the 
crest  of  the  hill,  and  overlook  an  expanse  of  “real  country” — a  valley 
of  grass  land  very  well  wooded,  with  rising  ground  in  the  distance,  also 
well  wooded  and  “touching  the  horizon.”  Mr.  Chamberlain,  with 
an  eye  for  a  good  view,  chose  the  crest  of  this  hill  for  hie  home, 
and  the  ground  sloping  from  it  to  the  south  for  his  pleasure  garden.  It 
was  then  presumably  a  large  field,  and  could  have  contained  but  few 
trees.  Two  notable  monarchs  were,  however,  observed — grand  Turkey 
Oaks  ;  one  of  these  by  the  side  of  the  carriage  drive  between  the  north¬ 
western  lodge  and  mansion,  the  other  in  the  “  frame  yard,”  and  there  it 
affords  shade  in  the  summer  to  thousands  of  flower  pots.  There  are  also 
three  or  four  tall  Ash  trees  on  the  lawn,  cherished  no  doubt  aB  relics  of  the 
past.  There  the“timber”  almostappears  to  end.  Butdo  not  fancy  there 
are  no  trees,  for  of  these  and  shrubs  there  are  thousands,  of  many  kinds 
and  varieties.  These  have,  of  course,  been  planted  by  the  proprietor,  and 
it  must  be  gratifying  to  him  that  they  have  made  Buch  good  progress  in 
the  time.  The  Conifers  are,  however,  not  likely  to  increase  in  vigour 
and  beauty  with  increasing  years,  for  Highbury,  though  overlooking  a 
fine  expanse  of  country,  is  not,  when  the  wind  is  right  (or  wrong), 
beyond  the  smoke  zone  of  Birmingham,  and  Coniftrs  “  don’t  like  smoke.” 
The  leaves  are  too  persistent,  and  hold  the  sooty  particles  too  firmly 
year  after  year.  They  can  be  neither  washed  off  nor  thrown  off  as  in 
the  case  of  deciduous  trees  or  smooth-leaved  “evergreens,”  and  that  is 
why  Conifers  look  best  in  a  young  state  in  the  London  and  other  town 
parks  and  gardens  within  reach  of  the  smoke  fiend. 
The  H'ghbury  grounds  were  laid  out  with  skill  and  taste  by  Mr. 
Milner.  Banks  and  dells,  rocks  and  bogs,  water  scenes  and  rustic 
bridges,  with  most  other  features  that  impart  the  charm  of  variety  to 
gardens  being  represented  ;  but  alteiations  and  improvements,  as  well 
as  planting,  have  always  been  going  on.  This  is  Mr.  Chamberlain’s 
exercise  ;  he  practically  takes  no  other,  and  no  doubt  finds  such  con¬ 
genial  occupation  conducive  to  his  health. 
In  the  pleasure  grounds  special  attention  is  paid  to  hardy  flowering 
trees  and  shrubs,  such  as  the  varieties  of  Pyrus,  flowering  Cnerries, 
Thorns,  Laburnums,  and  Spiraeas.  Trees  which  succeed  best  in  the 
locality  are  Chestnuts,  Sycamores,  Acers,  and  Beech.  Conifers  are 
numerous,  but  only  a  few  growing  to  large  specimens.  Hollies  are  a 
great  feature,  there  being  some  very  fine  specimens,  both  of  the  green 
and  variegated  forms,  and  there  are  bold  masses  of  Rhododendrons. 
Small  shrubs  are  plantel  in  masses  towards  the  front  of  the  borders, 
especially  in  the  slopes,  such  as  Berberis  aquifolia,  Laurel  (rotundifolia) 
Variegated  Hollies,  Aucubas,  Variegated  Privet,  the  Golden  Cupressus, 
with  others,  producing  a  far  better  effect  than  in  the  orthodox  mixture. 
Spaces  are  left  at  the  back  for  tall  flowering  plants,  such  as  Delphiniums, 
Sunflowers,  and  Hollyhocks.  The  last  named  seem  at  home,  growing 
and  flowering  freely  in  their  season,  and  showing  little,  if  any,  signs 
of  disease.  Is  it  that  the  fungus  which  is  so  destructive  in  most  places  is 
conquered  by  the  Birmingham  smoke? 
Various  Hardy  Plants  and  Flowers. 
lu  the  groundsareseveral  pools.  Oneof  them isrendered  very  interesting 
in  the  summer  with  bog  plants,  such  as  American  Grasses,  and  Reeds, 
Iris  Kae  npferi,  and  the  pink  and  white  Spiraeas,  and  Brasenia  peltata. 
Another  pool  is  furnished  with  Nympbacas,  among  which  are  N.  alba, 
N.  alba  rosea,  and  N.  flava,  Sagittaria,  Water  Irises,  Menyanthes 
trifoliata,  and  other  plants  appropriate  to  the  position.  The  swan  pool 
or  lake  is  bordered  with  Rhododendrons  and  several  varieties  of  Willows. 
In  open  places  are  groups  of  Water  Iris,  such  as  I.  sibirica,  1.  sibirica 
orientals,  virginica,  the  common  Water  Iris,  Iris  Monnieri,  and  others 
in  wired  enclosures. 
German  Irises  are  grown  in  masses  of  hundreds,  and  form  broad 
margins  to  the  walk  in  the  lower  part  of  the  grounds.  The  varieties 
are  numerous,  the  greater  part  being  very  choice.  Iris  Ktempferi  is 
also  largely  grown,  and  in  different  positions  to  obtain  the  best  results. 
One  very  fine  bed  is  in  a  sunny  position  on  the  lawn,  with  water  laid  on 
an!  a  permanent  pipe  fixed  to  swamp  the  plants  in  the  summer  months. 
This  bed  has  not  been  long  established,  but  shows  every  prospect  of 
success.  Mr.  Chamberlain  takes  great  interest  in  all  the  Iris  family, 
and  is  said  to  never  get  weary  of  alterations  by  way  of  trials  for 
ascertaining  their  particular  requirements.  He  has  also  a  very  good, 
though  not  an  extensive,  collection  of  rock  plants. 
Herbaceous  borders  are  extensive,  and  not  planted  on  the  dotting 
or  sprinkling  system,  but  in  large  irregular  masses  of  four  or  five  dozen 
plants  of  a  kind  together.  One  of  the  borders  has  recently  been  planted 
with  kinds  that  grow  from  2  to  3  feet  high,  such  as  dwarf  Sunflowers, 
Asters,  Lupins,  Pyrethrums,  Lychnis,  Delphiniums,  Centaureas, 
Campanulas,  Heucbera  sanguinea,  Geum  coccineum,  and  others  of  similar 
stature.  Another  is  planted  with  clumps  of  Lilies,  Flag  Irises,  and 
Papaver  orientale,  with  a  deep  border  of  Violas  in  bold  masses  of  colour. 
A  third  border  is  planted  with  Cape  bulbs  and  such  plants  as  Hemero- 
callis,  Montbretias,  Anthericums,  Alstromerias,  Hyacinthus  candicans, 
English  and  Spanish  Irises,  and  varieties  of  Gladiolus,  of  which  hundreds 
are  grown.  The  front  of  this  border  is  to  be  occupied  with  dwarf 
annuals,  in  masses  of  one  colour,  such  as  the  Eschscholtzias,  Godetias, 
and  others  of  the  same  nature.  A  fourth  border,  a  very  large  one,  affords 
space  for  a  fine  collection  of  perennial  Asters,  Helianthus,  and  general 
herbaceous  plants.  The  herbaceous  borders  at  Highbury  must  afford 
waggonloads  of  flowers  in  their  season. 
Spring  flowers  are  largely  grown  in  all  their  forms,  among  which 
Anemones,  IUnunculus,  Aubrietias,  Alyssum,  Arabis,  Polyanthus,  and 
Pinks  have  their  separate  beds,  while  the  shrubbery  borders  are  mixed 
with  Crocus,  Narcissus,  and  Snowdrops.  Large  spaces  of  the  lawns  and 
wide  bands  in  the  grass,  parallel  with  the  carriage  drive,  are  studded 
with  Narcissus  and  Crocus.  Summer  bedding  is  also  represented,  and 
Stocks,  Asters,  Zinnias,  Salpiglossis,  grown  to  produce  masses  of 
colour  of  each  kind  respectively.  Mr.  Chamberlain  takes  great  interest 
in  all  outdoor  alterations  and  planting,  spending  hours  of  the  day  in 
the  grounds  when  at  home.  Several  acres  have  been  added  to  the 
grounds  of  late,  which  are  being  planted  to  match  the  old  pait  of  the 
park. 
