32 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AUD  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  8,  1903. 
The  famous  Yew  tree  at  Whittinghame. 
man,  who  has  made  the  Eucalypts  a  special  study.  This  has 
much  of  the  character  of  E.  globulus,  and  is  vei*y  hardy.  It  was 
brought  as  a  young  tree  from  Ballarat,  in  Western  Australia, 
fifty  years  ago  by  Lord  Salisbui-y,  uncle  to  Mr.  Balfour.,  In 
the  hard  winter  of  1860-61  it  was  cut  down,  but  soon  sent  up 
fresh  shoots,  five  of  which,  as  noted,  are  now  stout  limbs  of 
the  original  stock.  A  seedling  from  it  was  sown  in  1896,  and 
was  18ft  high  in  Augu.st,^  1901,  when  my  visit  was  made.  Euca¬ 
lyptus  Gunni,  in  another  part  of  the  garden,  is  growing  satisfac¬ 
torily,  and  has  produced  quantities  of  seed.  Mr.  Garrett  had 
nearly  thirty  varieties  of  this  genus  at  Whittinghame,  but  they 
all  succumbed  in  1860-61. 
The  grounds  are  exceedingly  well  kept  and  beautifully  laid 
out.  Groups  of  both  flowering  and  evergreen  shrubs  are  dis¬ 
posed  throughout  with  good  taste,  and  succeed  splendidly,  while 
the  forty  acres  of  lawns  and  eleven  miles  of  good  paths  and 
di’ives  are  typical  of  an  extensive  and  orderh'  Scottish  estate. 
The  Fern-leaved  Beech  is  admirably  represented,  and,  at  my 
visit,  I  especially  remarked  a  beautiful  weeping  Holly, 
15ft  in  height,  and  66ft  in  circumference.  The  Negundo 
acerifolia  flourishes  in  a  manner  not  common  in  the  east  of 
'Scotland,  and  groups  of  Diervillas,  Berberis  Sternbergi,  Stephan- 
dra  flexuosa,  Corylus  Avellana  purpurea,  Spartium  junceum,  and 
the  best  named  Rhododendrons  -  furnish  much  ,  to  interest  the 
lover  of  arborescent  vegetation.  Moutan-Pseonies,  of  fragile 
loveliness,  in  their  short  season,  yield  a  gorgeous  display.  The 
Viburnums,  Ericas,  Cotoneasters,  Hydrangea  paniculata  grandi- 
flora,  Spiraeas,  including  the  variety  Anthony  Waterer,  with 
Hesmodium  Sieboldianum,  also  Phyllqstachys  and  other  Bamboos 
may  be  mentioned  among  shrubs  that  succeed. 
In  front  of  the  shrubberies  are  hardy  herbaceous  plants,  with 
an  accompaniment  of  annuals  during  the  summer.  Roses  do 
well;  so  do  the  Kniphofias,  Liliums,  Ciinicifuga  racemiflora,  Eryn- 
giums,  QHnotheras,  and  the  Winter  Cherry  (Physalis  Alkekengi), 
The  purplish  Hypericum  Menziesi  was  noted;  so,  too,  w’as 
Elseagnus  pungens  glauca,  Acers  in  variety,  including  digitata 
purpurea,  polymorphum  sanguineum,  and  Ampelopsis.  Phor- 
mium  tenax  succeeds  out  of  doors. 
I  am  tempted  also  to  write  of  the  fine  Conifers  which  abound, 
but  I  will  be  content  to  say  that  there  are  some  magnificent 
samples  of  Araucaria  imbricata,  which  have  seeded,  largely 
owing  to  the  dry  subsoil  and  the  atmosphere.  Sequoias  are  a 
feature,  as  are  Cedars  and  Hollies;  and  Portugal  Laurels  betoken 
great  age  in  some  cases.  '  The  great  Lime  avenue,  leading  down 
from  the  old  castle  to  Mr.  Garrett’s  lodge,  and  to  the  handsome 
red-.sandstone  gateway  on  the  west  side  of  the  same  (page  33),  is 
an  excellent  feature. 
Thousands  of  Daffodils,  Dog’s-tooth  Violets,  Grape  Hyacinths, 
Squills,  and  other  spring  flowering  btdbous  plants  ad  infinitum 
adorn  the  borders  and  lawns  in  the  earlj’  months  of  the  cycle. 
Whittinghame  has  a  private  churchyard.  Mr.  Balfour’s 
mother  ancl  brother  are  lying  here,  surrounded  by  ranks  of 
beautiful  Beech  trees — a  secluded  retreat  in  the  midst  of  Cjuiet 
grounds — a  place  of  solemn  stillness.  A  monument  stands  in  the 
middle,  erected  to  the  memory  of  soldiers  who  fought  in  Prussia 
in  1760,  and  bears  this  inscription  :  — 
“  The  site  of  this  monument  was  the  parish  burial  ground 
A.D.  1200.  The  sepulchral  beneath  was  finally  closed  A.D.  1817.” 
The  glass  hou.ses  within  the  garden  walls  are  in  keeping  with 
the  magnificence  of  the  ornamental  grounds,  and  the  visitor 
will  not  fad  to  note  with  interest  the  great  curvilinear-roofed 
pea,chery,  the  trees  within  beiirg  planted  in  the  centre  and 
trained  to  wires  across  the  house  from  side  to  side,  while  others 
occupy  the  sides.  Peach  fruits  are  also  had  out  of  doors  from 
July  to  October,  Early  Alexander  and  Hale’s  Early  being 
favoured.  Under  glass  are  found  Barrington  and  Sea  Eagle  in 
health,  and  Marchioness  of  Downshire.  Bellegarde  and  Pine¬ 
apple  and  Lady  Palmerston  Nectarines  were  also  as  fine  as  anyone 
could  desire  to  see.  This  great  Peach  house  was  originally 
devoted'  to  Camellias,  and  must  demand  great  vigilance  from 
those  in  charge  of  the  ventilating  and  heating.  There  were  two 
vineries,  containing  crops  of  Cupar’s  Black  Grape,  Alnwick 
Seedling,  Alicante,  and  Abercarney,  each  with  massive  bunches. 
Beside  the.se  there  is  a  Muscat  vinery,  in  which  the  variety  Mrs. 
Pearson  is  grown,  and  much  commended.  Muscat  Hamburghs 
are  here  in  quantity,  and  Appley  Towers  grows  and  fruits  well. 
Tlie  stove  has  its  complement  of  decorative  plants  and  Palms, 
and  in  other  structures  there  are  Carnations,  Hippeastrunis, 
Poinsettias,  Roses,  with  Ccelogynes,  Cypripediums,  and  other 
Orchids  according  to  the  season  of  the  year. 
The  herbaceous  flow'er  borders  in  the  hardy  fruit  and  kitchen 
garden,  where  the  Gloire  de  Dijon  and  Crimson  Rambler  Roses 
flourish,  were  at  their  best  in  August.  The  average  annual  rain¬ 
fall  is  27in,  which  is  none  too  much  for  these  grounds,  on  a  sand 
and  limestone  formation.  Mr.  Garrett  is  a  very  competent 
gardener,  and  is  a  thoroughly  tru.sted  and  highly  respected 
servant.  For  some  years  he  has  been  a  widower,  and  his  family 
are  grown  up.  One  is  pleased  to  be  able  to  write  that  a  daughter 
of  his,  now  mistress  of  a  ladies’  college  at  Hull,  was  the  first 
woman  to  graduate  M.A.  at  Edinburgh  L’niversity. — J.  H.  D. 
