Woodbine Cottage; Miss Johnes. A description of this place has already appeared in our Volume for 1836, p. 26., so that little is left for us to say, except that we found it still more romantic than the description led us to expect The whole is kept in excellent order by Mr. Gullet, who is unquestionably, not only an excellent gardener, but a man of genius as a sculptor and mechanic. To be convinced of this, it is only necessary to see the numerous figures which he has cut out in wood with his knife during the winter evenings, some of which are portraits of well known characters at Torquay; and the manner in which he has brought water from a distant hill, across a valley, and over an intervening hill, by a siphon. In the quarry covered by glass, mentioned in Vol. XII. p. 27., we found esperione grapes ripe, and of very superior flavour to the Hamburg. Not only the heat, but the soil, must have some effect in improving the flavour; for, had we not seen the leaves, and the form and close berries of the bunch, we should never have recognised the variety by the taste. A great many Cape, Australian, and Mexican plants flourish in the open air here, without any protection, in winter. The agaves are very large and fine; and Phormium tenax seems a favourite here and in many other places. The Pittosporum Tobira stands the winter better than the common laurel. Pelargoniums have stood out five years without any protection. Clianthus puniceus has attained a large size; Phlomis fruticosa has acquired the character of a little tree, and Coronilla glauca and Medicago arborea have become large bushes. In short, there is no greenhouse plant that might not be trusted out here summer and winter. The woods in some places rise from a covering of tutsan, and in others from one of ivy; which is also introduced into dry stone walls near the bottom, and soon changes these walls into evergreen hedges. The common ash, Mr. Gullet finds, will transplant better than any other tree when of large size, and it also stands the sea breeze remarkably well. Miss Johnes, the proprietress of Torquay, is sister to the late Colonel Johnes of Hafod in Cardiganshire, a splendid place, where we had the pleasure of passing a few days professionally, so long ago as 1805. Miss Johnes is upwards of ninety years of age, and in perfect health.
