Abbotsbury <1>
6 Novr
My dear Henry
I have been on the point of writing to you very often & asking if you could come here for two or three days – while Susan & Fanny <2> were here but the weather has been so very rough & unsettled that I could not entertain any hopes of showing you anything to advantage<.> It is now blowing a gale & we have had torrents of rain the last week<.> I hope you have better accounts from Mt Edgcumbe <3> – The last I heard were a little more favourable.
I enclose you a specimen of a something from N. Zealand. the floral leaves when fresh are quite white which gives a degree of effect to an otherwise insignificant flower. The season has been on the whole favourable to the garden but I have been absent all the finest months. Many of my water plants are decided failures.
We have all our usual late flowers & some early in flower such as Phlox verna – Saxifraga ciliosa, Geranium Richardi – white violets & primroses – Mahonia Fortuni, some good roses. Nerine undulata Brunsvigia sp – Hedychium Gardnerianum Tropeolums – Lithospermum Medicago, Coronilla – many Cistus – Veronica speciosa – Oxalis rubella &c –
I have got some seed for you of Beschorneria which flowered this year – it is a bad season for late seeds. I recommend you the Abelias – & Ceratopetalum glutinosum. The greatest curiosity is Pistea mollifera which never would flower in the green house having now 3 fine flowers on it out of doors. For the first time too Eucalyptus resinifera is shewing bloom – for next year. so also Rhod. glaucum from Sikkim.
Have you Crocus speciosus? the earliest & finest of the autumnal<.> I got last year from Lows an Iris Soganlu – Grasia – knowing any thing from Grasia must be of some interest – I find it is a var. of Iris Graminea with leaves broad as I. fœtida.
I found on the mons <4> near the Roman wall in Northumberland a large blue heartsease somewhat like what one finds on mountains on the Continent – Charlotte <5> says she has seen it in Wales. In Yorkshire I found Fumaria claviculata long a desideratum – & in a pond at Castle Howard a quantity of Villarsia
Have you raised any plants of Tacsonia manicata? I wish you could come & chuse & take away a few of our varieties with you. The Arbutus are finer this year than ever I knew them Do you know Pelargonium luteum & alchemillæfolium the latter is rather a pretty pink herbaceous sort I hear better accts of Jane <6> –
Yrs aff
W F S
[envelope:]
Henry F. Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
2. Susan and Fanny Strangways, cousins of WTHFS. Their father was the Revd the Hon Charles Strangways.
3. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
4. hill [possibly referring to the vallum or earthwork south of Hadrian's Wall].
5. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
6. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).