Cupressus Lawsonia, 1915
A specimen at Singleton said to be 75ft high by 3 and a half feet in 1906 (Gardner’s Chronicle)
Eucgarus anazonica, 1881 – Gardeners’ Chronicle
Not long since a correspondent eulogised the Peaches and wall fruits grown at Singleton Abbey by Mr. Harris, and thoroughly well deserved it was. Now I am bound to speak in loud praises of his Eucharis. I read in last weeks Garden Chronicle that “W.P.R” mentions Eucharis 5 feet over, with a dozen spikes. Mr. Harris has now magnificent specimen pots. I counted twenty nine spikes, averaging eight flowers to each spoke. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales have been staying at the Abbey, and HRH. the Prince was pleased to point out to Mr. Harris how exceptionally beautiful they were.
Cucumbers, 1862 – The Florist and Pomologist
Mr. Westcott of Singleton Abbey Gardens, Swansea presented a Black spined-variety of cucumber about 26 in length at a meeting in London.
Abies Albertiana, 1912 – The Garden Journal
A specimen at Singleton was estimated to be 110ft high
Pittosporum Tobira, 1876 – The Garden Journal
“There is now opening its flowers against Singleton Abbey a tree of this nearly 20ft high, full of flowers and buds. This most precious shrub is not sufficiently planted on our warmer coasts, it is so far as the blossoms are concerned, as good as the Orange tree; the flowers are freely producing all autumn, and indeed in winter. It is a fine evergreen, distinct in foliage and habit from any other we have. In short, we know of no one hardy shrub offering so many charms for gardens by the sea.”
Mr. Frank Surman for the last three years Head Gardener at Cleremont Girdens, Swansea, as Head Gardener to
Lady Swansea, Singleton Abbey, Swansea. 1885
Peaches, 1885
The Gardeners’ Chronicle remarks:— We received recently from Mr. Harris, of the Singleton Gardens, Swansea, two peaches of Royal George, both gathered from the same tree, but the branch from which the ripe fruit was gathered has shown signs of earlier ripening than the remainder for several years, but this year it was much more early—quite a fortnight. Of the sample of fruits sent one of them was 101oz. in weight, true to name, juicy, and well coloured the other, the unripe one, required fourteen days’ bright, sunny weather to bring it up to an equal degree of ripeness. The probability is that the particular roots supplying the earlier ripening branches found themselves in a warmer part of the border than those from which the late branches derived their root-food.
Pineapples and Nectarines, June 1886
At the annual Summer show of the Royal Botanic Society of London last week, Mr. James Harris, gardener to Mrs. Vivian. Singleton, Swansea, secured first prize for a Queen pine apple and also first prize for a dish of nectarines with excellent produce the nectarines being Elruge and Lord Napier.