Have recently come across the following - part from each of 2 sources - I got the last 6 lines from 'A Collection of Gardening Wisdom' and then the first 4 (2 line overlap) by googling line 3 - the google hit said it was published in Punch in 1896. Does anyone have any more, please?

They gardened in bloomers the newspapers said,
So to Kew, without waiting, all Londoners sped;
The orchids were slighted, the lilies were scorned,
The dahlias were flouted, till botanists mourned,
But the Londoners shouted, What ho there, Go to;
Who wants to see blooms now you've bloomers at Kew.

No idea who wrote it Marian - it has the feel of a Punch staff writer's effort.
You could pop along to the British Library: they have an extensive Punch archive. Take a flask ...

Stephen

I'd better take a sleeping bag, too - it's quite a way from Yorkshire! Actually I did visit the British Library a while ago and was very impressed - so welcome the chance to go again - good idea, thank you Stephen

There is a Reading Room at the Boston Spa Branch of the British Library. But you would need to talk to the people there first to see if they have or could whistle up the Punch archive. Take a flask AND some parkin.

Stephen