Collectanea de Diversis Rebus: Addresses and PapersEade, Peter, Sir
Science
Collectanea de Diversis Rebus: Addresses and Papers
Eade, Peter, Sir
English essays; Speeches, addresses, etc., English
The real object of the paper is to show in a simple way what a large
field these home city gardens, according to their size, may still afford
for observation and intelligent amusement; and how even in the limited
space and depreciated air, which naturally belong to many of them, they
yet afford great opportunities for the observation of both vegetable and
animal life. The simple grass-plots themselves, however small, when
carefully tended and shaven, are in themselves a constant source of
pleasurable satisfaction; whilst the very worms which inhabit them, and
the birds which feed on these, afford much room for study of some of
nature’s methods and instinctive tendencies.
Doubtless the larger space which I possess gives wider opportunities than
smaller gardens. But these must be small indeed which do not offer full
repayment for observation of the varied life which exists within them, or
which may be imported into them.
My garden is about 60 yards in length, by about 26 yards in width. It
runs nearly north and south. It has walls of varying height on its
several sides. Near to the house these are covered on one side by
trained wisteria and white and yellow jessamine, but the greater part of
the other portions is covered with ivy. The area of the ground is
principally laid with grass, with a broad gravel walk around it.
Under the east wall is a long terraced rockery, well covered with
suitable plants; and along the west wall runs a broader bed devoted to
very small shrubs and to flowers. The south end, under a stable wall,
contains some very ancient and still productive apple trees, also two or
three beech trees, and an old pink May-tree, under the shade of which
some of the commoner ferns flourish abundantly.
A vinery, and a verandah utilised as a summer conservatory, complete this
note of the arrangements of my city garden, and from this brief record it
will be seen that an effort has been made to make every use of the
available space and of its several possibilities.
I do not propose to detain you with any detailed account of the flowers
and plants which can be grown, or which flourish fairly at the present
date in this limited city garden. There are many which are hopeless by
reason of the city air and city soil. And I have found the more delicate
flowers to be so uncertain as to be scarcely worth the trouble of
planting out. Others again fall inevitable victims to the myriads of
autumn slugs. But spring bulbs, the autumn hardy flowers, and some
annuals, as well as the robuster ferns, do well, and fully repay the
trouble of cultivation.
As to ferns, in my former and more open garden higher up the street, I
once had as many as forty different varieties growing abroad; but, of
course, these gradually died out, so that at the end of four or five
years only the common and hardier sorts remained. Some of these, which
were removed, are still very fine specimens, and have lasted in their new
home, as such, for many years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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