Gardening for women

by Viscountess Frances Garnet Wolseley

OUTFIT

The same clothes are needed in South Africa as in England, except that furs are not necessary, and a larger supply of washing dresses, etc., are needed for the longer summers. Wool of some sort must always be worn next the skin, even if it is only a cholera belt in the hottest weather, on account of the sudden falls in the temperature. In the Transvaal and Orange River Colony the winters are bitterly cold, and warm underwear is there very necessary.

Warm wraps are essential, as the nights seem bitterly cold by contrast to the hot, sunny days. Washing fabrics should be chosen of fast colours; white linen, holland and Tussore silk wear the best. Light unwashable materials are unwise, as the dust is terrible all over the country, and there are no good cleaners. Black and dark-coloured materials are inadvisable, as also most kinds of grey, as they become stained with red dust. Rough mixture tweeds in greens, browns and reds are most useful, or any other warm, light, dust-proof material.

Brown shoes and stockings are better than black ones, and a good supply should be taken, as the wear is harder than at home. Gauze and chiffon veils are a great comfort in a dust storm, and it is wise to have a cushion for travelling.

A thick mackintosh, overshoes, and a warm rug are essential.

It is economical to provide a really serviceable outfit, calculated to last for some time, as clothes obtained in the colony are both more expensive and less satisfactory than in England.

FARES

(2nd Class Union-Castle Intermediate Steamers)

To Cape Town	£20 15s.	to	£21 13s.
To Algoa Bay	£21 13s.	„	£23 9s.
To East London	£22 11s.	„	£24 7s.
To Durban	£24 11s. 6d.	„	£26 9s.

N.B.—At least £1 10s. should be allowed for landing expenses, and about £1 for tips on board ship (the stewardess expects from 5s. to 10s., according to the amount of attention required on the voyage, and the cabin steward and table steward will expect 5s. each. Subscriptions to games and other tips are optional). An Emergency Fund of a few pounds should also be kept in hand. Passengers are met at the various ports by South African Colonisation Society agents, and they can stay at the Hostels of the South African Colonisation Society, where board and lodging are provided for from 3s. 6d. per day.

A girl with a long railway journey before her would do well to provide herself with food at the port of landing; tea and coffee can always be obtained en route.

Besides the regulation cabin trunk (this must not exceed 14 inches in height, 2 feet in breadth, or 3 feet in length), it is wise to have two smaller boxes in preference to one big one, as they are more convenient for transit in South Africa, and are less likely to get damaged in loading and unloading on board ship. Second-class passengers are allowed 25 cubic feet of baggage free on the ship; any excess is charged 1s. 6d. per cubic foot. On the South African Railways 75 lbs. only of luggage is allowed free to second-class passengers; all excess is charged according to scale.

Girls going to towns, who possess bicycles in good condition, are advised to take them, but they will have to pay duty on them—as much as 15s. in all probability; also the train freightage is heavy. On the boat they are shipped as luggage without extra charge if the 25 cubic feet of baggage be not exceeded.

Introductions to residents in South Africa are given to everyone going out under the auspices of the S.A.C.S., so that all may find friends on arriving in the new country.

CHAPTER XII
ITALIAN POT GARDENS: A SUGGESTION

A well-known French horticulturist, director of many parks, once gave most flattering praise to an English garden. He called it “un jardin intime.” These three words sum up what most of us wish our gardens to be.

We bring to them, from other countries, plants that recall pleasant memories. As we watch these growing happily in our herbaceous borders, thoughts come to us of those who gave them, of happy meetings, and unforgotten scenes. In England we make real friends of our gardens; we confide many secrets to their safe keeping. Owing to a temperate climate, we have long in which to mark the slow development of bud and blossom. The time of flowering is late, and it remains all the longer for our enjoyment. When spring flowers are over, there are lovelier ones to look forward to. We have not to combat the heat and drought which so speedily bring summer beauty to an end in Italian gardens. It is, no doubt, on account of climate that abroad the bedding-out system has been adopted, and thus much of that intimacy with herbaceous plants, which we have, is there unknown. Our English gardens are tended carefully and steadily all the year round; a feeling of rest and peace pervades them.

In Italy a garden is neglected during the winter, whilst the Signoria are away. Beds and paths are left unweeded, all vegetation appears to be dead, and the gardener occupies himself only with vines, vegetables and plants growing in pots, which later will be the chief means of dressing-up the grounds. Most Tuscan villas in winter have the appearance of a Palace of Sleep. We wonder how it will be possible, when the Fairy Prince arrives, to transform disorder into a well-kept, beautiful place. We realise as we see so wonderful a change occur, how valuable a touch of this surprise would be to our old-fashioned English homes. It would improve not only the appearance of our gardens, but enhance the architectural beauty of our houses.

This sudden transformation is brought about upon the first really warm spring day, as if by the stroke of a fairy’s wand. Then the doors of the orangery are flung open, and ornamental pots of all sizes and shapes are brought out by means of rollers and stood in striking positions in the pleasure grounds. During the last few years we have been shown in England, through the good taste and skill of Mrs. Watts and others, what can be done in the way of terra-cotta work for the adornment of gardens. There is nothing new to us in the lovely boxes, sundials, fountains, vases and pots that we see designed, but we have not all, perhaps, succeeded in mastering the art of the Italian in placing these objects, with striking effect, in masses.

With a view to studying this we wandered round many gardens in Tuscany. We were shown lovely loggias overhung with climbing roses; masses of tall graceful arums and many coloured carnations in pots, stood beneath them in cool shade. Flowering bushes outside were carpeted with sweet-smelling violets, walls and arbours were hidden under lavender wistaria, white and pink camellias lit up the borders of shrubberies. Nothing, of all this luxuriant vegetation, was arranged quite in accordance with our English taste. We were dissatisfied, until one day we chanced upon a garden which seemed to combine successful herbaceous arrangement with ornamental pot decoration.

A narrow country lane, hedged in on either side by cypresses, led to the front of the villa. The terrace, with old-fashioned stone seats built into the corners of the wall, invited the passer-by to rest beneath the shade of an overhanging sycamore and look down upon a lovely stretch of country below. Near by, dense box hedges sheltered some plantations of fruit trees, all pink and white with blossom, while beneath grew delicious scented narcissus. The shadows played upon the grey and green of the olive gardens, and deep blue in the distance were the hills round Fiesole. Florence itself was hidden, but close to us the stately Certosa crowned her dome-shaped hill. To the left, an opening in the hills showed us the misty plain of Prato, looking like a still lake in dreamland dotted with small white ships. The villa door stood temptingly open, and ascending a flight of stone steps we entered the small, cool, paved court.

It was different from most courtyards. In the place of orange trees in pots there were flower beds amidst the paving. Each was round in shape and contained a graceful lilac bush carpeted with mauve violas. In the centre of the court was a well with ornamental ironwork railings, against which stood handsome Amaryllis lilies in pots. The walls of the house had roses climbing up them; so robust were they that their stems had twined around the iron window gratings, making, with their thorns, a double security against attack. The whole effect was cool and quiet—a good preparation for the blaze of colour which met us, as we passed under the dark archway into the garden itself.

What struck us most, when first we saw it, was the height above the ground to which colour had been raised, by planting shrubs in large ornamental terra-cotta pots. It will be seen upon the plan, that these not only stand upon the paths and walls, but are arranged at intervals, in the very midst of the herbaceous borders. Large grey stones, about a foot above the level of the flower bed, are placed for the pots to stand upon. A groove, in the form of a cross, is cut in the stone, to allow the drainage from the pot to run off easily. These stones and the lower portion of the pots are partially hidden by groups of irises, pæonies, aquilegias and roses, growing in the border. Just a touch of the terra-cotta flowerpot with its handsome ornamentation of wreaths, is seen above the blue and white of the irises or the many-coloured ranunculuses, and then, above, high up, we get the foliage and colour of the shrub which is planted in the pot. It is certainly a most effective way of giving height and variety to a flat, rather uninteresting piece of ground.

AN ITALIAN POT GARDEN

IN ORDER TO SHEW THE LAY OVT OF THE GARDEN MORE DISTINTCLY THE POTS ONLY ARE SHEWN.

ON THE PLAN THE POTS ARE INDICATED THVS

DRAWN FROM PLANS MADE BY MISS MARY CAMPION.

Most of the pots had lemons or oranges growing in them. In our country it is possible to have these only in the more sheltered parts, but laurustinus, box trees, bays, lilacs, hydrangeas or roses could be used instead. Even should the pots occasionally have to stand empty, they are so exceedingly handsome and decorative in themselves, that they only improve the general appearance of the garden. They are made in different shapes and sizes. Some are very elaborately ornamented, but the kind of which a sketch is given are the simplest and most dignified.

No one who has seen an Italian garden, so arranged, can dispute the beauty of it. It may be suggested that in England it would be difficult to protect the terra-cotta from cracking in frosty weather. Experience in southern counties has been favourable, and should it not be so in colder places, they can be put under cover for the winter months.

The plan which is given is from drawings made by the kindness of Miss M. G. Campion. Although it is rather elaborate, it could easily be modified for a small garden. It represents about an acre of land, which is cleverly arranged to allow of the combined cultivation of fruit trees, flowers and vegetables. It is closed in upon every side. The house shelters it from the east wind, the long orangery casts a shadow upon the south side and makes it possible to have a lovely bed of lilies of the valley near by. On the north, besides the trees, is a high wall. The west is the most exposed, as it has a hornbeam hedge through which small openings are cut, to show the hills with vineyards outside the grounds. Against the hedges stand large, empty oil jars, in terra-cotta, their graceful shapes showing well against the dark green. Round the central fountain is a 3-ft. wall, wide enough to have pink Bourbon roses, in pots, standing upon it. Each of the four smaller fountains forms the centre of a little plot of ground. These plots are divided into four beds. Each bed is large enough to have several pink and white blossomed fruit trees and some gooseberry bushes. Amongst them are planted spring-flowering bulbs such as narcissus, tulips, etc., for cutting. Other beds have smaller fruit trees, or currant bushes and roses alternate. The dark red-green foliage of the rose bushes contrasts with the fresh green of other plants. A few plots are reserved for vegetables, but, as a rule, these are close to a border of flowers; therefore, the garden, although small, is ornamental as well as useful. From below the windows of the house comes a delicious scent of freesias, and as we look more closely, we see orange-red tulips planted amongst them, the deeper notes of orange in the freesias corresponding with the colour of the tulips.

The plan, if carefully studied, will give a good idea, therefore, of a successful combination of permanent herbaceous borders, improved, dressed up, and heightened by the addition of ornamental terra-cotta pot decoration.

ITALIAN ORANGE POTS AND OIL JARS.

DRAWN FROM SKETCHES BY MISS MARY CAMPION. TO BE OBTAINED FROM THE SCHOOL OF LADY GARDENERS, GLYNDE, SUSSEX.

CHAPTER XIII
FOR THOSE WHO HESITATE TO EMPLOY LADY GARDENERS

Many ladies who own large gardens take personal interest in the arrangement of the grounds. Not only do they wish to have beautiful, sweet smelling flowers in glasses and bowls to adorn their rooms; they also aspire to have plants grouped harmoniously in herbaceous borders and in formal beds. There has arisen a kind of competition to have as good a garden, if not a better one, than our neighbour. In the case of some specially gifted and energetic ladies, lovely gardens have been created, through their directions being carefully followed by the head gardener. Some illustrations of such are given in this volume. Possessed of complete knowledge about the flowers best suited to the soil and position, having carefully studied the height, time of flowering, and prettiest combinations of colour for beds, they are competent to direct themselves. It sometimes occurs, however, that the lady of the house is willing to devote a small amount of time to planning garden effects, but family and social duties call her away. She can only give general directions to the clever gardener, and leave him to carry them out. Although many men are skilled in growing fine specimen plants, few are sufficiently well educated, or possessed of the natural taste requisite to execute their employer’s wishes.

I hope no one will suppose that, because this book is intended to be a guide to lady gardeners, I am narrow-minded enough to think in a depreciative way of men gardeners. Some of them are personal friends whom I respect, esteem, and who, I am aware, have done infinitely better work than any lady has so far achieved. Many are not only gardeners, they are artists as well. I have the highest opinion of them and their profession. I do feel strongly, however, that there is a large field open to young gentlewomen anxious to take up this work. There are many gardens, too, where a change has necessarily to be made, and the owners will benefit by substituting a lady in the place of a man, as head gardener.

I should like to draw the attention of employers to two important points connected with this subject:

1. A lady must be selected; not a “would-be” one. Only if she is this at heart, will she have authority over men working for her.

2. She should have the same salary as a man. A lady gardener must not be considered an economy. Many people without consciences think they can exact the same amount of manual work from a young woman that they would expect from a man. They also imagine, because she is a woman, they can pay her lower wages. Pay her well, and treat her well. Her honesty and intelligence will save expense in the end, but do not economise upon her salary. The advantages to be gained by the employer, should he appoint a lady as head gardener, are these:

(1) Scientific knowledge and true artistic taste.

Owing to a college training, and first-rate general education, she should have better scientific knowledge than the ordinary labouring man who has worked his way up from village schooldays, through the different grades of a gardener’s life, to be head over others of his own class. She will possess a good grounding in botany and the science of soils. In short, she can reason scientifically. Instead of saying, “Oh, so-and-so won’t ever grow here, the soil does not suit it,” she will be able to ascertain what quality is lacking in the ground, and by adding an ingredient secure proper growth. Thus, an end will be made to the often erroneous ideas of a foreman, who, because he does not know the requirements of a plant, gives up the idea of growing it, or continues absolutely satisfied with the weedy specimen under his care.

A lady gardener, too, owing to her early surroundings, the study of pictures, gardens, and beautiful objects, should possess greater capacity for appreciating fully the requirements of the lady of the house. Plans for the arrangements of flower beds, shrubbery, borders, surprises of all sorts, are more speedily, more satisfactorily decided upon when two people meet upon the ground of similarity of education.

(2) Taste in colour.

This is more developed with the majority of women than with men. We have so many opportunities, at the fortnightly exhibitions of the Royal Horticultural Society, of seeing the latest productions of beautiful flowers. Then, too, there are books, such as Robinson’s “English Flower Garden,” Kelway’s Manual, Wright’s “Beautiful Gardens,” to guide us. They show us plans for grouping colours harmoniously in herbaceous borders. Nowadays we all know what we want to achieve, but we often fail to find the right one to fulfil our imaginings. It hurts the eye to see scarlet geraniums growing near mauve asters, or the delicate pink of the Dorothy Perkins rose killed by being placed near a glaring red brick wall. The lady gardener should, by her natural taste and good judgment, avoid such mistakes of arrangement both in the ordering of plants for flower borders, and in the decoration of flowers in rooms. A dinner-table should be an easy matter for her to plan. Lightness of touch will enable her to succeed in mixing graceful, soft foliage with suitable flowers. She will accomplish this in less time than the average man gardener.

Week-end parties are a favoured form of entertaining, and often the lady of the house is busy in London during the week, only arriving at her country house just before her guests. It will give her a pleasant sensation of ease if she has someone at home to whom she can absolutely entrust the decoration of her rooms and dinner-table. Then, too, another important matter is the selection, gathering, and packing up of suitable flowers to send away. My experience has always been that men gardeners do not study this sufficiently. They gather beautiful carnations, pentstemon, irises, or whatever their speciality may be, but forget that suitable green or coloured foliage must be mixed with them to show off the blossom. Knowing the very great difficulties of arranging flowers in glasses, a lady will be more careful about this than a man.

(3) Honesty and trustworthiness.

The lady gardener is a gentlewoman, and, therefore, we presume she possesses these qualities. I do not mean to cast the faintest aspersion upon the honesty of men gardeners! There have been instances of dishonesty and drunkenness amongst them, and as a class they are certainly open to greater temptations than a lady. Many owners of moderately large places, where perhaps no agent or bailiff is kept, are forced to be absent for some months each year; others fill high positions in diplomacy, and are obliged to spend some years away from home. To such, it will be a satisfaction to feel that they leave a capable lady at the head of affairs. Someone is at home who can be trusted, and will report to them if things are not going on as they would wish.

I am often questioned as to whether a lady can possibly exert authority and influence over a working man. I am certain, if she is the right kind of woman, she can. Let her, without hesitation, dismiss the first drunken under-gardener she meets with, and the others will respect her, and not try to take advantage of her because she is a woman.

(4) As companions.

The above remarks apply chiefly to a large flower and vegetable garden. I think women are equally suited to small posts. We often hear of a maiden lady living in the country who needs company. She would be pleased if a nice, cheerful, bright girl lived with her to share her pleasure in the garden. The strength and vigour of the young girl would compass things which the elderly lady could not attempt unassisted. Thus companionship would be added to the joy of gardening.

THE RUINS, RATTON PARK, SUSSEX.

WHICH THE HON. MRS. FREEMAN-THOMAS HAS ENLIVENED WITH CHARMING BOX-EDGED BEDS OF BRIGHT FLOWERS.

Photograph by Pictorial Agency.

Then, also, we know of many a young married woman with a large family of children, whose limited means necessitate a country life. The children are sent to school, and return home only in holiday time, or they have daily teachers who leave them after lessons. Surely an arrangement might be made by which some of their free time could be turned to profitable, and yet pleasant account, by their working a little in the garden under the direction of the lady gardener. Children love planting and digging. If encouraged, they will take the greatest interest in beautifying a garden. Some lessons in nature study, too, could be given occasionally to increase their love for a country life.

This comparatively new idea of having someone to talk over garden arrangements with, in a friendly and more or less companionable way, usually smiles upon the woman of the house. She, at last, sees within her reach the possibility of achieving artistic effects which she has long thought of in her day dreams, but has failed to get carried out. Against the dark green yew hedge, how lovely will be the group of tall, stately pink hollyhocks, with pale rose-coloured annual larkspurs, Japanese anemones, and silver-foliaged plants intermingled with them! What lovely combinations of plants bearing similar coloured foliage she can arrange to plant together! There will be irises, German and Spanish ones, then the white drooping bells of hyacinth candicans, followed by scarlet tritomas and montbretias, bringing their brightness to cheer dull autumn days. How satisfactorily she now will be able to maintain a constant succession of colour in herbaceous borders throughout the year!

In short, the advent of a lady gardener is pleasing to her. Her husband will probably not approve the innovation. “If I see the poor thing out working in a heavy downpour of rain, I shall feel a brute not to go and help her,” he will say as he smokes his pipe reflectively, and meditates over the follies of womenkind. But, I ask, what man head gardener need work in rain? If he does, he will probably do more harm than good, by making a mess of the ground. Need he, wet or fine, do much manual labour? No! his duties lie chiefly in directing the men under his charge; in executing the lighter, but more intricate work of pruning, thinning out grapes, and secretarial duties. Above all, he must plan the succession of crops. All these matters can be done equally well, if not more speedily, by an educated woman.

As this book aims at introducing lady gardeners to employers, I should like to ask for these gentlewomen the good treatment, absolute trust, gentle handling, which their position entitles them to receive. Without the entire confidence of their masters, no ladies would wish to take up a post, but with their support, and the power to dismiss those under their authority who they find are dishonest or undeserving, lady gardeners should be absolutely successful. No longer need there be that frequent termination to all pleasure in a large garden, when the head gardener grows only what he likes, and not what his master requires. How often, when shown round a large place, one is struck by the remark, “Oh, Dibber never lets us have violets or carnations, all his interest is centred in vegetable growing”; or “Truman gives all his time to preparing plants for exhibition; he is certainly very successful in winning prizes, but we come off badly, as all the best things are sent to exhibitions!” Instead, therefore, of having someone to contend with, or a man whose obstinacy has to be circumvented before a bunch of sweet peas can be brought into the house, you will have a friend who will endeavour to give you all she can successfully grow, and whose taste and judgment can be relied upon.

Every year the number of women students at horticultural colleges increases. The profession appeals to many, and there are now a large number who, having completed their education, are seeking posts. Up to the present time, the supply is in excess of the demand. This is, I believe, the case with all professions until they have become firmly established. Employers still hesitate to try a lady gardener. Then, too, the ladies who up to now have desired to have women head gardeners, have usually possessed large gardens, needing many hands to work them. It is natural that the young woman who but lately was a student, superintended and guided in all her undertakings by a teacher, hesitates about managing a large garden. There are many such who still hold back in diffidence, hoping to obtain a small post first.

I sincerely trust, when this is fully realised by those interested in the success of women horticulturalists, that many owners of medium sized or small gardens will come forward and offer posts to women. A garden of one or two acres, with a small greenhouse, and only one or two labourers for rough work, will be best suited to a newly fledged lady gardener. She should be able to manage this, and two or three years spent in it will be a good preparation for a post entailing larger responsibilities. I do not think that anyone who is generous spirited enough to offer such posts to ladies will repent the act.

Part II

CHAPTER XIV
COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS FOR LADY GARDENERS IN GREAT BRITAIN

The following syllabuses of British colleges and schools are submitted for the use of ladies interested in gardening. It is hoped that they may assist all those who, in England or abroad, have the management of such training centres. By means of them it will be easy to compare notes as to the various methods of imparting practical information the form in which foreign syllabuses are staged may inspire fresh ideas. I should like to add that I do not, of course, consider what I am able to give of these particulars as in any way comprehensive; but it has been my endeavour to insert only details of colleges and schools that have been in existence some time. I have received the syllabuses and many interesting notes through the kindness of those who have at heart the wish that ladies should succeed in the profession of horticulture.