The Wild Garden; or, Our Groves and Shrubberies made beautiful by the Naturalisation of Hardy Exotic Plants

Abstract

THIS little volume forms a fitting sequel to Mr. Robinson's admirable book, “Alpine Flowers for English Gardens,” which we noticed some time back.^* It does not contain nearly such a large amount of novel information, but will nevertheless be of great value to all lovers of their gardens. The book is a protest against the practice which commenced some twenty years since, and reached its height a year or two back, of throwing the whole energies of the gardener into producing large masses of colour by the use of what are termed “bedding plants,” to the exclusion of the cultivation of the individual flower. This somewhat barbaric taste has resulted in the gradual disappearance from our gardens of many flowers which had been “household words” since the time of Shakespeare, to the great detriment, as Mr. Robinson considers, of gardening as a real art, and to the enormous increase of its expense. Our great traveller and naturalist, Mr. Wallace, says, that “during twelve years spent amidst the grandest tropical vegetation, he has seen nothing comparable to the effect produced on our landscapes by gorse, broom, heather, wild hyacinths, hawthorn, and buttercups.” Mr. Robinson's aim is to make our gardens as beautiful as our hedgerows and woods; and to this end he would not have his favourite plants placed together indiscriminately in a bed; but, as far as possible, he would imitate the natural habitat of each species, and for this he gives full instructions in each case. Half the volume is occupied by a list of hardy exotic plants suitable for naturalisation in our woods, semi-wild places, shrubberies, &c., with directions for their cultivation; and we hope it may assist in again bringing the public taste to the culture of flowers beautiful not only in themselves, but from the historic associations connected with many of them.

The Wild Garden; or, Our Groves and Shrubberies made beautiful by the Naturalisation of Hardy Exotic Plants.

By W. Robinson. (London: Murray.)