532 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Otlier  People’s  Gardens. 
We  Bometimee  get  information  through  the  Journal  about  other 
people’s  gardens,  but  these  are,  as  a  rule,  large  places,  and  include 
some  of  the  very  best  in  the  country,  such  as  Hatfield  House, 
Mentaiore,  and  others.  They  are  often  accompanied  by  a  view  of  the 
mansion  and  other  prominent  features  of  the  place.  No  doubt  most 
gardeners  are  interested  in  learning  what  other  gardens  are  like, 
especially  those  who  do  not  go  very  far  abroad  to  see  for  themselves. 
In  these  notes,  however,  it  is  not  ray  intention  to  give  a  description 
of  some  large  garden  that  I  have  visitrd,  but  to  confine  my  remarks 
to  what  I  have  noticed  in  small  gardens. 
The  gardens  of  which  I  would  speak  are  in  Yorkshire,  and  several 
of  them  are  surrounded  by  old  stone  walls,  on  which  many  interesting 
plants  are  to  be  found.  The  owner  of  one,  with  wh'ch  I  am  well 
acquainted,  takes  great  interest  in  gardening.  The  garden  has  stone 
walls  on  three  s;des,  and  on  theie  seviral  native  plants  flourish 
admirablj’.  On  the  top  of  the  east  wall  Sedum  acre  grow's  abundantly, 
interspersed  with  large  patches  of  Draba  verna,  a  very  small 
crucifercus  plant  bearing  white  flowers  early  in  the  spring.  On  the 
side  of  this  wall  Saxifraga  tridactylites,  Arabis  Thaliana,  and  other  less 
interesting  plants  make  their  home.  The  walls  bounding  the  north 
and  west  are  covered  with  Sedum  album  and  S.  dasyphyllum.  The 
latter  appears  to  prefer  the  sides  of  the  wall,  growing  much  lower  down 
than  the  former.  In  the  same  garden  on  a  grassy  bank  is  a  patch  ol 
what  I  believe  to  be  rather  an  uncommon  Cranesbill,  Geranium 
phaeum.  It  is  by  no  means  a  showy  species,  the  flowers  being  small 
and  of  a  dark  dingy  purple  colour.  In  the  spring  this  bank  is  a 
ma.«s  of  bloom  with  Violets,  Crocus,  Narcissi,  Asperula  odtrata, 
and  Scilla  campanulata.  On  other  walls  I  have  noticed  Linaria 
cymbalaria,  Asplenium  tiichomanes,  A.  ruta-muraria,  and  many 
others. 
Several  weeks  ago  when  in  a  small  country  town,  I  was  asked  by  a 
friend  to  go  and  have  a  look  through  his  garden.  He  takes  great 
interest  in  his  garden,  especially  in  a  bed  of  Good  King  Henry, 
Chenopodium  Boniis-Henricus.  To  this  he  drew  particular  attention, 
and  asked  if  I  knew  what  it  was  ;  when  I  answered  that  it  was  quite  a 
familiar  plant  to  me  he  seemed  a  little  disappointed,  I  was  then  informed 
that  it  was  a  Lincolnshire  plant,  being  much  grown  in  that  county 
and  used  instead  of  the  ordinary  garden  Spinach.  But,  he  addeii, 
“People  in  Yorkshire  do  not  know  what  it  is,  and  even  head  gardeners 
from  large  places  have  not  known  i',  so  I  have  given  them  a  few  roots 
to  plant  in  their  own  gardens.”  In  an  odd  corner  was  a  large  clump  of 
what  I  thought  might  be  one  of  the  Artemisias,  but  my  friend  did 
not  know  what  it  was  himself.  When  asked  why  he  grew  so  much  of 
what  was  of  very  little  worth,  he  replird,  “  Well  you  see  I  brought  it 
out  of  Lir colnshire.”  I  at  once  remarked,  “Then  surely  you  must  be 
a  Lincolnshire  nian  ?”  which  proved  to  be  correct.  Our  friend  would 
have  kept  me  all  day  talking  about  what  people  grew  in  their  gardens 
in  that  county.  But  wo  rou.st  coi  fine  our  remarks  to  his  own.  He 
had,  to  me,  rather  a  novel  method  of  maintaining  the  supply  o: 
Asparag'is.  His  stock  consisted  of  one  small  bed.  Seed  is  gathered 
each  autumn,  and  sown  on  the  bed  in  the  spring,  so  that  there  are 
plants  of  ad  ages.  He  informed  me  that  he  was  advised  to  do  so 
by  a  friend,  and  asked  my  opinion.  Of  course,  I  could  hardly  agree 
with  his  friend’s  advice,  and  intimated,  if  he  continued  this  practice,  he 
would  find  the  bed  become  so  full  of  roots  that  the  produce  would 
become  poor  and  weak.  The  garden  was  fairly  well  cropped  with  other 
vegetables. 
Amongst  flowers  Cactus  Dahlias  and  Chrysanthemums  were  the 
special  favourites.  The  latter  included  such  well  known  early  flower¬ 
ing  sorts  as  G.  Wermig,  Mdm.  Desgranges,  Golden  Fleece,  La  Vierge, 
as  well  as  several  later  flowering  varieties.  Not  taking  notes  at  the 
time  I  do  not  remember  what  the  Dahlias  were;  but  they  were  good 
plants,  raised  by  himself  from  cuttings  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
new  ones  procured  this  season.  At  the  back  of  his  hou  e  is  a  good 
sized  greenhouse.  It  has  a  Grape  Vine  planted  in  the  centre,  with 
main  branches  radiating  in  all  directions  about  the  roof.  The  bunches 
were,  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  just  ready  for  thinning.  I  had  already 
been  informed  that  no  less  than  a  hundred  bunches  had  been  cut  off. 
These  were  laid  in  a  heap  on  the  stage  in  the  house  for  visitors  to 
look  at.  He  did  not  intimate  how  many  bunches  remained,  but  no 
doubt  these  would  also  be  counted  after  they  were  thinned.  When  I 
told  him  it  was  time  for  me  to  be  going  he  answered,  “  Wait  a  bit. 
See,  there  is  jus^  one  Dahlia  cutting  left  (Cannell’s  Gem).  Will  you, 
take  it  home?”  It  was  carefully  lifted,  packed  in  damp  grass,  and 
wrap;  ed  in  brown  paper  and  put  in  my  bag.  “  Oh,  before  you  go 
have  a  look  at  this  book,”  and  out  came  a  Dobbie’s  catalogue,  well 
thumbed  with  corners  turned  down  at  Cactus  Dahlias.  So  much  for 
garden  number  two. 
It  is  sometimes  said  that  farmers  are  bad  gardeners  ;  that  is  quite 
true  in  several  cases  that  have  come  under  the  writer’s  notice.  But 
December  10,  190ti. 
one  at  any  rate  with  whom  I  am  familiar  has  a  good  and  well-cared-for 
garden.  My  reason  for  mentioning  this  garden  is  because  the  common 
white  Lily,  Lilium  candidum,  does  so  well.  It  may  be  planted 
anywhere  about  the  garden  with  equally  good  results — clean  healthy 
foliage,  strong  s'ems,  and  pure  white  large  flowers.  We  cannot  get  it 
to  grow.  I  have  planted  it  in  ordinary  garden  soil,  imported  soil, 
different  positions,  disinfected  the  bulbs  be''ore  planting,  but  all  to  na 
purpose.  Many  of  the  plants  die,  and  the  leaves  turn  brown  on 
those  that  try  to  grow,  so  that  the  flowers  are  weak  and  small.  I 
rather  envy  my  friends  their  Madonna  Lilies.  In  this  garden  great 
interest  is  taken  in  fruit,  there  being  a  large  orchard  as  well  as  wall 
trees.  Most  of  Apple  tn  es  fruit  very  well,  but  some  are  old  varieties,, 
producing  small  fruit.  The  lady  of  the  house  is  very  conversant  with 
the  different  varieties  of  Apples,  and  can  give  much  information 
respecting  them.  They  have  great  faith  in  soot  as  a  remedy  for  the 
Gooseberry  caterpillar ;  the  bushes  are  dusted  over  two  or  three  timea 
during  the  sprin  ’.  As  far  as  I  remember  they  are  not  troubled  much 
by  this  terrible  pest. 
During  the  past  summer,  whilst  going  through  a  number  of 
cottage  gardens  in  the  capacity  of  judge,  I  found  that  cottagers  are 
taking  an  increasing  interest  in  their  gardens — not  only  in  vegetables, 
but  also  in  flowers.  A  large  number  cultivate  Sweet  Peas,  which  are 
generally  found  in  a  row  of  mixed  varieties,  and  some  take  a  pride  in 
the  number  of  colours  ihey  can  pick  out.  There  is  also  a  little 
humour  connected  with  a  visit  to  these  gardens,  the  owners  of 
some  apparently  thinking  we  might  stay  the  whole  day  in  their 
garden.  One  poor  old  man  not  less  than  eighty  years  of  age,  who 
had  a  large  garden,  was  very  anxious  to  walk  round  and  show  every¬ 
thing.  Our  time,  however,  was  too  limited  to  admit  of  this.  When 
beseemed  to  realise  this  he  finished  up  by  saying,  “There  is  lots 
of  things  in  my  garden  ;  but  you  won’t  see  them  half,  you  won’t 
see  them  half.”  At  any  rate  he  came  in  second,  and  obtained  ISs., 
so  I  hope  he  will  not  think  so  ill  of  us  after  all.  In  another  garden  of 
which  the  owner  was  at  home  he  remained  quiet  until  we  ha  1  finished. 
But  when  we  were  leaving  he  walke  d  to  the  gate  with  us,  giving  quite 
a  history  of  his  garden,  what  a  rough  state  it  was  in,  and  how  he 
had  woiked  to  get  it  in  order.  We  had  to  leave  him  I  am  afraid  in 
rather  an  unceremonious  mai.ner. 
At  another  garden  we  came  upon  a  very  fussy  old  gentleman  who 
would  talk.  His  garden  was  some  distance  from  the  house,  and 
although  it  was  a  very  hot  day  he  would  not  go  without  his  coat. 
We  tried  to  persuade  him  to  come  minus  tie  coat,  but  no,  so  bad  to 
wait  until  he  was  reidv,  “You  know,  gentlemen,  I  do  not  expect  to 
get  a  prize,  but  thought  I  would  enter  the  competition  to  make  one 
more.”  Whether  he  did  or  not  is  more  than  I  cm  say.  In  a  ratter 
small  but  well  kept  garden  were  a  few  very  clean,  healthy,  dwarf 
Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses.  When  I  remar-red  to  my  colleague,  “  There’s 
my  old  friend  Ubich  Brunner,”  tie  man’s  wife,  who  was  showing  us 
the  garden,  sai  l  “Yes,  it  is,”  and  then  gave  us  the  names  of  all  of  them. 
Not  only  did  she  know  the  names  ot  the  Roses,  but  most  of  the  other 
flowers  too,  as  well  as  many  of  the  varieties  of  the  different  kinds  of 
vegt  tables.  And  finally  she  drew  our  attention  to  her  Crimson 
Rambler  Ro  e,  which  was  growing  up  t  e  gable  end  of  a  building  in 
one  corner  of  the  garden.  It  was  about  the  best  specimen  I  have  seen 
on  a  wall,  dark  green,  healthy  looking  foliage,  and  large  trusses  of 
blooms.  She  intimated  that  they  had  been  told  it  required  a  great 
deal  of  water,  and  ihat  it  had  been  freely  applied  during  the  summer. 
We  assured  her  that  was  correct,  and  advised  that  it  should  be  well 
mulched  with  good  manure  during  the  winter,  as  well,  also,  to  take 
care  of  the  strong  shoots  that  sprang  up  from  the  bottom  of  the  plant. 
When  we  meet  with  intelligent  people,  a  visit  to  a  garden,  however 
humble,  becomes  doubly  interesting. — J.  S.  Upex. 
- - - - - - 
Flowers  as  IVlental  Healers. — The  statement,  credited  to  the 
head  of  the  House  of  Correction,  Chicago,  that  he  is  convinced  that 
vi^omen  misdemeanants  may  he  reformed  by  being  taught  to  cultivate 
Roses,  is  based  upon  sound  psychological  principles,  and  is  likely  to  lead 
to  something  practical  and  valuable.  One  who  has  observed  the  effect 
on  his  own  mind  of  the  cultivation  of  plants  and  flowers  cannot  have 
failed  to  perceive  its  quieting,  healing,  restorative  nature.  Excitement, 
agitation,  anxiety  diminish  when  attention  is  drawn  away  from  one’a 
self  to  any  beautiful  object,  especially  if  it  be  a  living,  growing  beauty.. 
Count  de  C barney’s  plant  “  Picciola,”  in  Saintine’s  beautiful  tale,  growing 
up  between  the  stones  of  the  prison  yard,  kept  from  insanity  and  despair 
a  mind  that  would  otherwise  have  been  wrecked  and  lost.  The  story  is 
not  without  its  suggestion  of  what  close  contact  with  life  in  its  lower 
and  simpler  forms  may  do  for  a  soul  that  is  shattered  and  unstrung 
through  contact  with  the  rough  world  of  sin  and  care  and  sorrow. 
Yes;  set  the  misdemeanants  cultivating  Roses  ;  give  the  insane  a  taste 
of  the  joy  and  sanity  of  contact  with  Nature  ;  put  a  plant  in  the 
window  of  the  sick-room ;  let  all  who  are  broken  down  in  body,  mind, 
or  soul  feel  the  touch  of  the  healing,  restorative  forces  that  clothe  the 
world  with  health  and  beauty. — (“Vick’s  Magazine.”) 
