An 1838 book that Georgiana owned
In 2012, I received this beautiful gift from my husband, Mike: Anigozanthos manglesii a copper line engraving with original hand-colouring, 1838. It’s from the same edition of the book that Captain James Mangles sent to Georgiana. The species was named for his brother, Robert, whose gardener grew on the seeds taken to Britain by James Stirling. It flowers each summer in the bush and in our own garden here in Western Australia.
ORIGINAL TEXT 1835
This singularly beautiful species of Anigozanthos was raised in the garden at Whitmore Lodge, Berks., the seat of Robert Mangles, Esq. from seeds brought from Swan River by Sir James Stirling, the enterprising governor of that colony, by whom they had been presented to Mr. Mangles.
The greater length of the anthers, and the capitate stigma, essentially distinguish it from the rest of the genus. We are indebted to Mr. Donald Mackay, Mr. Mangles’ intelligent gardener, for the following particulars relative to its culture.
‘The seeds were sown in August 1833, and the young plants were potted off, and kept in an airy part of the greenhouse during winter. Early in the spring they were re-potted, and in April they were planted out in a border composed of maiden loam, leaf mould, and bog earth, in equal proportions, with a slight mixture of pounded chalk, in which the plants were found to thrive amazingly, shewing (sic) flower at the age of ten months. I have tried them in bog earth alone, the same as we use for Heaths, but it will not do for them. A cold frame will protect them well enough in winter. The slugs are fonder of it than any other plant I am acquainted with.’
