The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-10 00:00:00

THE FLOWER SHOW AT CHISWICK.

The fete of the Horticultural Society yesterday
was, happily, governed with the three most essen-
tial elements of a successful exhibition of the
kind—charming flowers, elegant company, and
magnificent weather. It was a display iu every
respect worthy to be associated with those earlier
show fetes of Flora, when as yet Fluvius had not
taken to mar the festivities by his cumbrous showers.
The recent election of the Prince Consort as the
president of the society, combined with the exer-
tions which have been made by the best friends of
horticulture, appear to have given new life and
vigour to the society. Notwithstanding floral fetes
at the Crystal Palace, the Botanic Society Gardens,
and elsewhere, the publiccannot spare these charm-
ing reunions of Chiswick, and it would have been
a lasting shame to us if the appeal made a short
time since to the public to assist the society in pre-
serving these delightful grounds had not been libe-
rally responded to. It is almost entirely owing to
the exertions of the Horticultural Society that gar-
dening in the United Kingdom has reached its un-
rivalled position. The flower, fruit, and vegetable
shows throughout the kingdom took their origin
from the parent society, and Sir J. Paxton and
other eminent men may date their success in life
from their knowlege first obtained at the gardens
at Chiswick. The expenses incurred by the society
have been heretofore mainly defrayed by the pro-
fits obtained out of the garden exhibitions ;
but unpropitious weather, the attractions of the
Crystal Palace flower shows, their accessi-
bility, and that of the Botanic Gardens, have
materially damaged the old society's earnings in
this respect. There is really no reason what-
ever why the Crystal Palace should be preferred to
Chiswick, even in regard to its accessibility, if only
a little exertion was used to make the facilities ef
reaching the gardens duly known. Chiswick is not
so far fr. m London as the Crystal Palace—=team-
boats go to within a short distance of the grounds ;
the North London Railway, in connection with the
Brentford branch, provide a station scarcely 100
yards from the society's grounds ; the South-
Western Railway carry passengers from Vauxhall i
or Waterloo-bridge to Chiswick itself, and there s
an entrance into the grounds direcly opposite the
railway station, only unfortunately it is not always
open, and was not open yesterday, and those who
went down by that line had a pretty little rural
walk of about half a mile along the Sutton green-
lane, with a delicious odour of roses, laburnums,
and white and pink May, and the newly mowngrass,
which 'twere worth a much longer walk to enjoy
By the South-Western Railway the entrance is at
the rosary and American plant garden, and the
contrast between the rich and luxurious blossoms
of the rhodiodendron and the carefully cultvated
garden, contrast strongly with the rustic simplicity
of the line, and the few neat but straggling.coiin-
try-looking cottages. The whole of the Chiswick
gardens have been newly arranged ; and it must be
remembered that here most of the trees and
shrubs are rare specimens, and labelled with their
common and botanical name., and tile collection
of fruit trees is the most perfect in the world. We
rejoiced to see that the public, who used to flock to
Chiswick in the days of its glory, thousands who
love flowers and fruit, and everything connected
with a garden, did endeavour to show their grati-
tude for benefits conferred by the society, by an
attendance which, if not, perhap?, quite so nume-
rous as on some occasions ihat we have witnessed,
might
the list of the compare
wbirtihl brilliant eom an
any
of itsr predecessorsrank and fashion which it contained. At the head
of
gra-
tification of placing the names of her Majesty, the
Prince Consort, and the Princesses
Alice and
y for the
Helena. we have the

The fruit and flowers were,
occa-
sions, arranged beneath the enormous marquees,
supplied from the m mufactory of Mr. B. Edging-
ton, of the Borough. The geraniums were, as
usual, perfect masses of gorgeous colours. The
roses were as on former
charming and delicious, the fruits
tempting in the extreme, the orchids quaint and
bizarre, and glowing bright in their colours.
There was also a large show of horticultural fin-
' plements of all kinds, hot-houses, conservatories,
machines of all descriptions and forms used in the
garden. Numerous specimens of Ransome's impe-
rishable siliceous stone fashioned into the most
artistic of vases, gave the charms of the sculptor's
art to the show, and presented a pleasing appear-
ance on the walks and lawn. Music was there, too,
with all its charms ; and there are few among those
present who will soon forget the admirable manner
in which the three united Guards' bands performed
the selections from the incomparable music of
" William Tell," or the picturesque appearance of
the Guards, with the groups of elegantly-dressed
ladies promenading upon the clean mown sward,
or seated apart beneath the cool shade of the deep

Foliage of the trees.