John Fleming was a gardener active, particularly in England, in the mid- to late-19th century. He was born in Scotland, around 1822, and is especially noted for his skills in carpet bedding and spring displays.
In 1844 Fleming was living in Bardsea, Ulverston, Lancashire, England. He later worked in the garden of the earl of Denbigh at Newnham Paddox, Warwickshire, England and, by 1850, was working with Charles Barry in transforming the terrace garden at Harewood House in Yorkshire, England.
Soon afterwards, from 1853 to 1855, Fleming was gardener to the earl of Southampton at Whittlebury Lodge, Towcester, England. Later, from 1855, he was gardener to the Dukes of Sutherland and Westminster at Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, England.
At Cliveden, Fleming was again responsible for working with Charles Barry on the laying out of a terrace garden. He was also, in 1870, along with James Gray of Chelsea, responsible for erecting new glasshouses on the estate and was engaged in landscaping a wild garden in a valley here which was later commended by William Robinson (born 1838, died 1935).
From 1862 to 1864, Fleming is known to have served on the council of the Horticultural Society. In 1866 he was a member of the committee for the International Horticultural Exhibition.
Fleming died at Cliveden House, Buckinghamshire, England on 26 November 1883.
Bibliography
Desmond, Ray, Dictionary of British and Irish Botanists and Horticulturists (London: Taylor & Francis, 1994), p. 250.
Elliott, Brent, ‘Fleming, John (c.1822/3–1883)’, rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2007) <http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/37420> [accessed 1 March 2008]