Nursery established in Rouen 1817-1832 by (Colonel) Alfred Crace Calvert (d. November 12, 1848 in Québec).
[From Journal of a Horticultural Tour, 1823, p. 497:] ....since 1817, Calvert and Co. (Englishmen) have established a nursery at Bonne Nouvelle, near Rouen, in which they devote as much attention to the Rose tribe as Vallet does to the Orange. Their catalogue enumerates near 900 varities of roses! Yet they possess very few of the "Scots roses"...
[From Monographie du Genre Rosier, 1824, by Auguste de Pronville, p. 148:] One speaks a lot of the nurseries of Rouen, and among those, of the collection of M. Calvert.
[From The Gardener's Magazine, 1828, p. 334:] ..."I have myself lost near 30,000 rose trees [by the larva of the cockchaffer]...A. C. Calvert, Trianon Nurseries, near Rouen...
[From Rosetum Gallicum, by Narcisse Desportes, 1828, p. 123:] CALVERT, à Rouen (Seine-Infèrieure).
[From The Gardener's Magazine, 1834, p. 574-575:] ... The property I hold and occupy as a nursery was given by the government to the town of Rouen to create a garden of plants : but with the condition that the corporation should indemnify me. They have already paid me 27,000 francs on account; the remainder to be paid upon my giving u possession. I can remain two years longer; but I may leave this year, if I arrange with the town. At all events I shall not leave Rouen. I am much flattered by the greater part of the members of the corporation wishing me still to remain at Trianon, and cultivate the gardens for the town. In my nursery, at this moment, there are from eight to ten thousand georginas, several thousand roses, from three to four thousand camellias, from two to three thousand pelargoniums, and several thousand plants in pots, and containing every thing new which I have been able to obtain. If this is to be considered as the wreck of a horticultural establishment, what would your correspondent consider enough to complete a nursery? I am satisfied that I have too many plants; and I should be very happy to have less, as nothing would please me better than to find purchasers for them.- W. C. Calvert. Trianon, Rouen, Sept. 27. 1834
[From The Gardener's Magazine, 1836, p. 334:]...My object in visiting Rouen was to look at the nurseries of the rose-growers there, more particularly at that of Calvert, about which some little controversy took place some months since in your Magazine. Mr. Calvert was not to be found; but one of his workmen walked round with me—not to show me roses, however, for there were none to show, and a bill was up at the gate, "To be let;" indeed, the place seemed to want a fresh tenant, for it looked desolate enough. Mr. Calvert, jun., who speaks broken English with great volubility, said that his father was going to leave for England, and that he intended commencing a nursery near London. I believe that he is now agent for the purchase of carriages in England for Louis-Philippe and the royal family of France; but has met with a great misfortune in the transit of one, which, for a time, has clouded his prospects.
...April 4. 1836.
[From Journal of a horticultural tour, by James Forbes, 1837, p. 141-2:] .. I .....proceeded to the nursery garden of Mr. Calvert, where I found an extensive range of hothouses rapidly falling into a state of dilapidation fdr want of paint and other repairs. The nursery ground was also principally in a waste state, except a part in which dahlias were cultivated, and which were certainly very fine, containing both the French and English collections. Mr. Calvert's son informed me that his father was then clearing the ground of the stock with the intention of removing it to England, where he intended commencing the nursery business. I was also informed that the Rouen Botanic Garden was contemplated to be formed on the site of this nursery, which is unquestionably a fine situation for it.
[From The Gardener's Magazine, 1840, p. 556:]... forming woollen cloth by means of strong pressure of wool on a base of caoutchouc [is discussed]. This has been done in England by Mr. Calvert, formerly nurseryman at Rouen.
[From Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, 1847, p. 197:] The Botanic Garden at this place, or "Jardin des Plantes de Rouen, et à l'École Normale primaire du Département de la Seine-Inferieure." is situated on the south side of the town, and so far distant as to be sufficiently out of the reach of smoke. It is on the site formerly occupied by Calvert's Nursery, and, together with the Arboricultural department, occupies, it is said, upwards of twenty acres. The cultivation of this and the former garden has been for more than forty years under the direction of M. Du Breuil, senior.
[From The Gardeners' Chronicle, 1971, p. 28:]... In 1820, an English horticulturist, Mr C. Calvert, rented the property and built greenhouses in which he grew various plants, especially dahlias. On December 13, 1832, the city of Rouen, on authorisation from the king, bought the domain for 64000 francs for use as a botanic garden and it finally settled down as Le Jardin des Plantes in 1842.
