John Macdonald

John Macdonald, Nurseryman and Florist, Crossmyloof Nursery, Crossmyloof.—

    The occupation of a florist may be said to have two extremes attached to it, the extremes of pleasure and pain, because the florist regards his flowers as the children of his taste, and the tender offices he has to perform in the propagation and nursing of them make them more than gold to him ; consequently, the watching and tending them from their infancy until they burst into a beautiful perfection of bloom under his fostering care, produces a keen sensation of satisfaction and delight, and when their promising infancy culminates in premature decay the opposite feeling of poignant sorrow. Thus, the nursery is the medium of a fine moral, and Mr. Macdonald’s, at Crossmyloof, furnishes an instance of some splendid and widely interesting work.

    It was originally established by Mr. Mark Walker, twenty-three years ago, on the same site, and is now owned by Mr. John Macdonald. The nurseries occupy about one and a half acres of land, and there are nine greenhouses and forcing houses. Two of these greenhouses are sixty feet by sixteen feet ; the rest run about the same length, but are scarcely so wide, and they are all heated by hot water. Flowers of every description are raised here, and the firm supplies all the principal florists and professional connoisseurs in this branch of trade in Glasgow and surrounding districts, and also the large private houses in the neighbourhood. Mr. Macdonald produces some beautiful results, and makes a specialty of pelargoniums, palms, ferns, mosses, and freus elastica. Table, window, and bedding plants, cut flowers, bouquets, wreaths, &c., are extensively produced, and his devotion and general attention to his business, as a first-class florist, has earned for him much favour and esteem throughout a wide local and country connection.

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