October  17,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
353 
Ashton  Court,  Bristol. 
To  the  citizens  of  Bristol,  Ashton  Court  has  long  since  become  a 
familiar  name  through  the  kindly  disposition  of  the  owner,  Sir  J.  H. 
Greville  Smythe.  Bart.,  allowing  all  and  everyone  who  cared  to 
journey  thither  on  days  set  apart  during  the  summer  months  to 
inspect  the  extensive  and  well  kept  gardens,  and  which  has  enjoyed 
a  reputation  for  so  many  years.  My  recent  visit  was  the  first  paid 
during  an  interval  of  some  twenty  years.  Then  Mr.  Austin  was  the 
superintendent,  and  his  reputation,  acquired  largely  by  his  success  as 
an  exhibitor  of  high-class  fruit  and  vegetables,  remains  still  quite 
fresh  in  the  memories  of 
those  who  knew  him 
either  intimately  or  by 
name  only.  Many  changes 
have  been  experienced 
since  that  time,  but  the 
reputation  of  these 
gardens,  then  so  loudly 
praised,  are  not  one  whit 
the  less  praiseworthy 
now.  Mr.  Noble,  Sir 
Greville’s  present  gar¬ 
dener,  has,  during  the 
several  years’  charge, 
earned  for  himself  the 
good-will  of  those  with 
whom  he  has  been 
brought  into  contact,  and 
the  publicity  generously 
allowed  by  the  owner 
naturally  brings  the 
gardens  and  their  super¬ 
intendent  into  touch  with 
persons  of  all  ranks  and 
creeds.  During  the  sum¬ 
mer  months  many  hun¬ 
dreds  pay  an  annual  visit 
of  inspection,  and,  if  I 
mistake  not,  charitable 
institutions,  gardening 
and  otherwise,  benefit 
thereby. 
The  Court  is  of  palatial 
proportions,  and  its 
dignity  is  added  to  by 
the  vast  extent  of  park¬ 
land  in  which  it  stands, 
together  with  the  wealth 
of  timber  and  ornamental 
trees,  its  fine  command¬ 
ing  position,  and  exten¬ 
sive  landscape  views  and 
lawns.  The  entrance 
lodges,  too,  are  not  of 
the  primitive  order,  but 
are  commodious  and  well 
appointed,  provided  even 
with  hydraulic  attach¬ 
ment  for  the  opening  and 
closing  of  the  gates,  and 
automatic  bell  signals 
given  by  approaching 
vehicles  passing  over 
road  plates. 
The  acreage  of  the 
pleasure  grounds  is  some¬ 
what  considerable,  and 
are  made  to  appear  much 
more  so  by  reason  of  the 
undulating  nature  of  the 
park-land  with  which 
they  are  surrounded. 
There  is  also  an  exten¬ 
sive  range  of  glass  struc¬ 
tures  for  the  growth  of 
decorative  plants  for  the 
house,  as  well  as  Grapes 
and  other  fruits,  a  lofty 
conservatory  attached  to 
the  Court  being  kept  gay  with  permanent  and  pot-grown  plants.  The 
winter  garden,  a  creation  of  recent  years,  out  of  what  was  once  an 
open  court-yard,  is  an  elaborate  apartment  much  used  for  reception 
and  other  purposes.  This  has  some  extremely  handsome  Palms 
planted  in  prepared  beds,  which,  with  groups  of  other  plants 
artistically  arranged,  convey  quite  a  tropical  aspect. 
The  main  garden  entrance  opens  into  this  fine  apartment,  which 
makes  it  secluded  and  private,  because  unseen  from  outside.  In  the 
main  range  of  glass  here,  a  commodious  stove-house  contains  great 
quantities  of  beautifully  coloured  and  well  grown  Codiseums,  which 
are  largely  drawn  upon  for  winter  furnishing.  Calanthes  and 
Ccelogynes,  too,  are  grown  in  quantity  for  cutting,  as  are  other  stove 
and  greenhouse  plants.  Cool  house  Orchids  "and  Ferns  fill  a  long 
lean-to  house  having  a  north  aspect. 
Flower  gardening  is  the  feature  here  ;  the  great  extent  of  beds  "to 
be  filled  requires  many  thousands  of  plants  in  their  endless  variety. 
Cai’pet  bedding,  so  much  in  fashion  twenty  years  since,  has  lost  some 
of  its  charm  and  necessity  of  that  period.  Lady  Smythe  preferring 
floral  rather  than  picture  effects  in  foliage.  Begonias  and  flowering 
Zonal  Pelargoniums  are  largely  employed  with  telling  effect,  great 
beds  filled  with  masses  of  selected  colours  being  very  fine.  With 
such  a  vast  open  tract  of  park  and  tree  land  in  the  near  and  distant 
landscape,  this  wealth  of 
flower  finds  ample  atone¬ 
ment,  and  is  not  in  the 
least  degree  overdone. 
Carpet  bedding,  it  must 
be  said,  is  not  entirely 
superseded  by  the  freer 
style  of  planting,  but 
instead  of  occupying  the 
most  conspicuous  posi¬ 
tions  it  is  relegated  to 
the  outer  boundaries  of 
the  garden,  where  it 
seems  very  agreeable  and 
well  placed.  Subtropical 
bedding  cannot  be  suc¬ 
cessfully  adopted  by 
reason  of  the  violence  of 
the  summer  gales,  which 
strip  the  leaves  of 
Cannas,  Ricinus,  and 
plants  of  a  like  nature 
into  shreds.  With 
sufficient  shelter  to  allow 
of  this  style  of  summer 
bedding  a  splendid  tro¬ 
pical  aspect  might  be 
imparted,  the  nature  of 
the  surroundings  being 
so  well  fitted.  Rhodo¬ 
dendrons,  Roses,  and 
other  flowering  shrubs 
are  being  planted  in  bold 
groups  about  the  grounds, 
which  in  their  season 
must  have  a  telling  effect 
viewed  from  the  higher 
ground. 
Separate  staffs  of  men, 
with  a  responsible  fore¬ 
man,  control  the  flower 
and  kitchen  gardens,  and 
are  situated  at  some  dis¬ 
tance  one  from  the  other. 
Fruit  and  vegetables  have 
a  considerable  area  set 
apart  to  meet  the  large 
demand,  and  the  glass 
department  is  of  like 
proportion.  Fruit  out¬ 
doors  is  grown  in  con¬ 
siderable  quantities,  and 
Mr.  Noble,  though  re¬ 
spectful  to  veterans  of 
the  past,  displays  a 
marked  appreciation  for 
young  trees  in  order  to 
secure  fine  fruit  of  the 
best  quality  and  variety. 
One  wall  with  a  southern 
aspect,  quite  400  yai’ds  in 
length,  was  filled  with 
Peaches  and  Nectarines, 
and  while  some  of  these 
have  the  protection  in 
spring  of  overhead 
copings  and  nets,  there 
(See  page  352.)  are  others  that  go  un¬ 
protected.  At  the  time 
of  my  visit  one  could  not  distinguish  between  the  two,  the  health  of 
the  trees  and  extent  of  the  crops  being  all  that  could  be  desired. 
The  Plum  walls  are  fast  becoming  filled  with  young,  well  trained, 
and  fruitful  trees,  and  the  sample  all  of  high  standard  quality.  Pears, 
too,  were  equally  satisfactory,  both  on  walls  and  in  bush  form.  To 
give  a  comprehensive  list  of  kinds  planted  would  serve  no  useful 
purpose,  it  being  sufficient  to  say  that  all  the  most  popular  and  best 
are  represented,  and  not  in  solitary  numbers. 
The  walled  garden  has  the  paths  bordered  with  large  specimens, 
ACACIA  ALATA. 
