Mr. Hovey, editor of the magazine which bears his name, had occasion
during the year 1844 to visit Europe, for professional objects; “not
the least was that of giving some account of the condition of
gardening in that country, from whose works, whose practice, and
experience, our own cultivators have derived so much knowledge.”
We cull from the several numbers already published in his magazine,
the most interesting facts.
RHODODENDRONS.—Speaking of the Liverpool botanical gardens, he says:
“The principal clumps were filled with rhododendrons of
various kinds, which do remarkably well; the climate, from
its humidity, seems to suit them, and most of the plants
were clothed with branches from the base to the top. _R.
altaclerense_ we saw six feet high; how fine must be its
numerous clusters of splendid rosy blossoms! From the time
we entered this garden, where we first saw the rhododendrons
in abundance, until we returned home, we were constantly
impressed with the importance which this shrub is destined
to hold in our gardens. Although a native of our woods and
forests, it is scarcely known out of our native habitats;
yet abroad we see it the first ornament of the garden. By
hybridization, and the production of an immense number of
seedlings, during the last fifteen years, it has been
increased in splendor, until it now almost equals its
tender, but gorgeous eastern sisters. How long shall our
gardens be deficient in this great ornament?”
FUCHSIAS, OR LADIES’ EARDROP.—Nothing will be more surprising to those
who have cultivated this beautiful plant, and thought it well grown if
a foot high, and brilliant if a dozen blossoms showed at once, than
the magnificent size and flowering of _Fuchsias_ as seen in England.
At the Sheffield Botanical Gardens Mr. Hovey saw the Fuchsias globosa
major, upwards of _twenty feet_ high, the stem, at the base, being two
inches through! Its drooping branches were clothed with thousands of
flowers; another variety, “called _Youngii grandiflora_ was also
twenty feet high, and equally strong, with innumerable flowers: this
plant was only seven years old. It is almost impossible for those who
have never seen specimens more than four or five feet high, to imagine
the great beauty of such gigantic plants; notwithstanding their size
they were well grown, being of symmetrical shape, and with vigorous
and healthy foliage; they were planted in very large tubs, about two
feet deep and two feet in diameter.
“The splendid _F. fulgens_ and _corymbiflora_ we also saw
here upward of ten feet high, and full of their showy
flowers.”
The Regent’s Park Garden occasions the following remarks:
“_Fuchsia globosa_ was, perhaps, as beautiful as anything
which we saw for this subject. There is an opinion prevalent
that fuchsias in our climate do not do well in the open
border; but we suspect such an idea has been prematurely
formed without experience, for we recollect seeing in the
garden of Mr. Johnson, of Lynn, three years ago, plants,
which were then in profuse bloom, and had been so all
summer, turned out of the pots into the soil; the
probability is that the plants have not been abundant enough
to give a fair trial. As they are easily propagated, and may
be sold almost as cheap as verbenas, we hope to hear of
experiments being tried to test their capability of enduring
our warm sun.”
At Chiswick Mr. Hovey saw the original tree of Williams’ Bon Chrétien
pear (the Bartlett of Boston gardens). It was hale and healthy.
TULIPS.—Mr. H. visited Mr. Groom, at Clapham; “preparations were
making for planting out the great collection of tulips in October. For
this flower Mr. Groom is famous; he has raised several very splendid
seedlings, some of which are priced as high as _five hundred dollars_,
and a great number at _one hundred_ dollars each (£21 sterling). It
would seem to those who know little of the tulip that this was
something of a tulip mania; but the tulip is a most gorgeous flower,
and when once a love for it takes possession of the amateur, and he
obtains a knowledge of its properties, there is scarce anything he
would not sacrifice to obtain the choicest kinds. In England, there
are many collections valued at thousands of pounds. In this country
the tulip is but little valued, and a bed of the most common kind
attracts nearly as many admirers as one of the choicest and
high-priced flowers.”
DWARF PEAR-TREES.—“The garden is laid out with numerous walks, and the
borders of them were filled with bearing trees. They were from six to
ten feet high, trained in pyramidal form, and many of them full of
fruit. This mode of growing trees appears to be universally adopted
around Paris; we scarcely saw a standard tree. The advantages of the
pyramidal or quenouille form are, that, in gardens of moderate extent
only, a collection of two or three hundred kinds may be cultivated;
they occupy but little room, being placed about six feet apart, and
being pruned in, they do not throw sufficient shade to injure anything
growing near them. They afford greater facilities for examining the
fruit while growing, and for picking it when ripe; the trees are not
so much shaken by high winds, and the large kind of pears do not so
easily blow off: the facilities for making observations upon the wood
and leaves, are also greater; and, as regards appearance alone, they
are, when well managed, far more beautiful than standards. To those
who wish to plant out large quantities for orchard cultivation, they
would not, of course, be recommended; but for the garden, the
pyramidal form should be adopted.”
ALPINE STRAWBERRY.—This variety is especially valuable from its
propensity to bear all the summer. At the gardens of the Luxembourg,
Paris, Mr. Hovey says:
“The Alpine strawberry is cultivated very extensively for
the supply of the royal tables throughout the whole summer
and autumn, and one-quarter was devoted to this fruit; the
plants were set out in long rows, with alternate plantations
of dahlias, which were now in most profuse bloom; a great
many of them were the _fancy_ sorts, which are greatly
admired and extensively cultivated in and around Paris. One
of the finest we saw was the Beauty of England, purple
tipped with white; and every flower distinctly marked. The
strawberries are set out in August or September, and the
following season produce abundantly; or they may be raised
from seed in the spring, and planted out to bear a crop in
the autumn. A moist soil and half shady aspect is most
favorable, and, in our climate, to expect success, such a
locality should be selected if possible; an abundance of
fruit may then be expected. The best berries were as large
as the finest Woods we generally see in our market. We
recommend all who love this delicious fruit to try the
experiment of their cultivation. Such profusion as we saw
them exposed for sale in the cafés of Paris, shows that
there can be no great difficulty in the way of success.”