1861 | The Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener and Country Gentlemen
SINGLETON ABBEY, THE RESIDENCE OF MRS. J. H. VIVIAN.
AMONGST the many gentlemen’s residences which cluster round the great commercial seaport town of Swansea none possess more horticultural interest than Singleton, with its beautiful climber-covered walls, rare Coniferz, fine fruit, and splendid situation. The house stands about two miles and a half from Swansea, and commands a delightful view of the bay, and has a background of picturesque woods and hillsy. It is easily reached by road from Swansea, and the visitor wilh not have seen much of the place until it becomes evident that originally a very great amount of good taste and prudent fore=- thought must have been brought to bear on its construction, and it is pleasing to observe that all that has been done in the past is duly appreciated at the present time.
The house itself is of modern construction, it haying been: built and the whole place made by the late Mr. Vivian. The front door is surrounded with a spacious yard or wide piece of grayel, and this is belted with trees and evergreens, amongst- which Chimonanthus fragrans and Viburnum Tinus lucidum haye grown into conspicuous specimens. On the south front, re-- presented in the engraving (fig. 8) there are many flower beds, grass terraces, and trees of numerous sorts. In some of the beds Tom Thumb and Flower of Spring Geraniums stand out alk the year round, and they look better now than plants that- have been protected. Magnolia conspicua and M. grandiflora. grow luxuriantly and flower abundantly as standards.
The climbers growing against the house attract much at- tention. As if to throw all the others into the shade Pitto-- sporum Tobira has ascended 20 feet with the same width, and it produces its lovely scented flowers in great profusion. The yellow and white Banksian Roses have grown most luxuriantly,. as they are about 40 feet high and cover a large space. The Malmaison Rose has also grown about 20 feet, and so has the. Lemon-scented Verbena. Flower beds abound on both the. south and west sides of the house, and some of these are- effectively filled with Geraniums, Calceolarias, Verbenas, &c., but many of them contain old-fashioned Petunias, Heliotropes, Carnations, and other sweet-scented flowers. Magnolias are. forming fine standards on the west side of the house; M. con- spicua has attained a height of 25 feet and the same in width.
Close to the flower beds attached to the house and elegantly draped with climbers is the conservatory, a structure 60 feet. in length. It contains some fine specimen Camellias, Tree Ferns, Orange trees, and many other plants ; but here there is. no need to go under glass to find rare specimens of vegetation, as they adorn every nook and corner in the open air. Several. of the Indigoferas are doing good service as climbers against the end of the conservatory, and so is the Climbing Devoniensis. Rose, which flowers very freely and is never pruned or restricted in growth in any way. Many of the finer sorts of Clematis: are also used asclimbers. On the westside of the conservatory” there are some splendid specimens of Camellias both growing in boxes and planted out in the ground, ‘The position is rather exposed to the sea, which is only about 400 yards away, and the winds sometimes injure the leaves of some of the trees, as is the case with some Hollies, Laurels and Bays close to the Camellias, but not a leaf of the latter has been touched, and here the Camellias are regarded as the hardiest of shrubs. Going northwards from the conservatory by shaded walks beautifully overhung with choice trees and shrubs we come to the archery ground, a fine piece of grass, and pass on to another flower garden, There are no finely trimmed carpet beds here, but there are many features equally attractive. Round the centre fountain all kinds of sweet flowers are growing luxuri- antly, and Roses hang in long wreaths from pillars. In the bed which surrounds the fountain Yucca gloriosa is finer than ever we saw it, and so is Y. filamentosa, many dense clumps of them being as much as 24 feet in diameter, and the mass of flowers which they produce has a very imposing appearance.
The lawn tennis court is situated at the end of the archery ground. Looking through a long vista of trees we find a most; effective terminal group of Palms, including grand specimens of Latania borbonica, Seaforthia elegans, Sabal umbraculifera, also Draceena Cooperii and D, australis, As an edging to this tropical-looking bed fine plants of Begonia Rex appeared to great advantage, as they were growing freely and were finely coloured. From the west side of the house a walk leads to what is called the Cratzgus garden, which contains fine speci- mens of nearly every species of the Hawthorn. Time, however, would not allow us to inspect this fine collection, and we could only look in their direction and at the same time admire the beautiful wood of Clyne and the magnificent castle of W. G. Vivian, Esq., which lay in the distance. Still going north from the house we arrive at another flower garden; but like the others there were no glaring masses of colour, the beds here and there being intersected with all kinds of choice shrubs, Yuccas, Palms, Araucaria excelsa, A. Cunninghamii, and Cycas reyoluta. The last-named Cycad was not protected in any way during the winter, and it has thrown up many young fronds this spring. The double-flowering Cherry is a great feature when in bloom in spring, some of the trees being 40 feet high and as much in diameter. Further north and completely hid from the last flower beds there is a Rhodo- dendron garden containing many fine plants both in size and variety. Argenteum, Gibsoni, Falconeri, Dalhousii, Countess of Haddington, and Edgworthii are amongst the leading sorts grown. Many of these Himalayan Rhododendrons that are usually grown in greenhouses are 20 feet high and as much through ; they are growing luxuriantly and bloom profusely. Azalea indica does equally well planted out. At one end of this Rhododendron garden is a large slope arranged as a wild garden with rocks, Ferns, and wild flowers.
Leaving this and winding our way through various walks to the east side of the mansion we came to the pinetum and another large garden of Rhododendrons. Many of the shrubs here are the same as those just named, with the addition of some grand specimens of Rhododendron Thompsonii, R. campanulatum, and R. barbatum. All the best of the hybrids are also planted, and when in bloom in spring produce a rich effect. Ghent Azaleas are mingled with the Rhododendrons, and Azalea mollis forms a beautiful edging to some of the beds. Many of the large Rhododendrons and Araucarias 25 feet high were. transplanted from crowded places into more open positions last winter, and not one of them appears to have sustained the slightest check or injury. Space will only permit a few of the finest specimens of Coniferee being named. Pinus Men- ziesii, 60 feet ; P. grandis, 70 feet ; P.excelsa, 70 feet; P.insig- nis, 100 feet high, 40 feet through ; P. Morinda, 55 feet; P. Pin- sapo, 40 feet; P. Sabiniana, 40 feet; Cryptomeria japonica,. 30 feet by 20; Thuja Lobbiana, 35 feet; Cedrus Deodara, 90 feet; Taxodium fastigiatum, 80 feet. Many smaller speci-- mens are growing plentifully, and help to constitute the finest and most extensive arboretum in South Wales.
The kitchen garden and glass houses are about 400 yards from the mansion. The houses are in three ranges, two of the ranges being span-roofed and the other lean-to houses. The vineries are six in number, and are altogether about 180 feet in length. They are mostly devoted to a single variety of Grape in each house, such as Black Hamburgh, Foster's Seed~ ling, Muscats of sorts, Lady Downe’s,&c. Many of the Ham- burghs were cut, plenty were ripe, some just commencing colouring, and others recently thinned. All are bearing very fine crops, and the Vines are in a highly creditable condition.. In one of the back ranges Peach trees occupy an important. part, Most of the early fruit was gathered, and heayy crops of later were coming well on. At the end of the Peach range there is a large span-roofed greenhouse. Many Maréchal Niel Roses are planted out, and their usefulness for supplying cut blooms in spring cannot be over-estimated. The body of the house was filled with a variety of healthy plants of the kinds generally used for decoration in greenhouses at this season of the year. The next range we enter, a span-roofed plant stove, where Caladiums, Draczenas, Begonias, and many fine-foliaged plants are growing freely, and their high colourings are re- lieved with the soft green tints of many choice Ferns. Round some of the shelves Maiden-hair Ferns are planted out, and they do much better in this way than in pots.
The next house is a successional Pine pit containing many fine plants. Cucumbers grow along the back wall and bear wonderful crops, and at the further end from the door is a collection of Orchids, amongst them the Aérides and Vandas are particularly fine. The next house is a large three-quarter ‘span-roofed Pine stove. Mr. Harris is regarded as the best Pine-grower in Wales. Scoresof Queens were in fruit, some of them green, othersripe. Not one of them would weigh less than 4 Tbs., and many of them over 5 tbs. In fact the average may safely be taken at the last figure, and those who are practically acquainted with growing Queen Pines will understand that to have scores of fruit averaging 5 tbs. a-piece is no mean achieye- ment. Mr. Harris depends a great deal on atmospheric mois- ture and water at the axils of the leaves to develope the fruit properly. The soil in which they are growing contains a good admixture of peat and a little horse droppings. Moscow Queens and Smooth Cayennes were much larger than the Queens, and altogether they reflect the highest credit on Mr. Harris, who was the premier prizewinner for a single fruit at the great Preston Show.
The kitchen garden is about four acres and a half in extent, and replete with fine crops of all kinds of vegetables. The prick walls are substantial and well covered with finely trained healthy fruit trees. The Peach trees on the open walls were especially fine, and although the cold winds had injured the Jeaves the crops of fruit are heavy. The kinds are chiefly Royal George, Noblesse, Bellegarde, Late Admirable, and Sal- wey. The last named comes in very late, fruit weighing three- quarters of pound haying been gathered from it on November 20th. Small fruits are a heayy crop, and Apples, Pears, &c., moderate. Mr. Harris has a comfortable house looking into the kitchen garden, and it is nearly hid with large Fig trees which generally bear heavily.
Many names and dimensions of plants and other features worthy of note haye been omitted in these brief notes, but we do not think that any person could visit Singleton without coming away with our impression, that Mrs. Vivian possesses a remarkably fine garden, a gardener highly worthy of en- couragement, and a conyiction that this is given and fully appreciated.
