126 



THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



acquiring its proper verdure, the eye rests 

 agreeably on the arcades, which are in a 

 different style on each level, but the styles 

 harmonize with each other, and with the 

 gardenesque of the other numerous acces- 

 sories. The cross walk connects the en- 

 trance from Exhibition Road with the en- 

 trance fi-om Albert Road, and divides into 

 two equal portions the lower parallelogram 

 or ante-sarden. The exhibitions of the 

 society will be held on the large plots on the 

 left or south side of this walk ; these plots 

 are bounded by banks for ferns and al- 

 pines, and their front lines broken by 

 clumps of evergreen shrubs. It is here 

 that the architectural visitor will experience 

 his first delight in tlie inspection of the 

 south arcades. The round-headed arches, 

 between piers set twenty feet apart, the 

 spiral mouklings of the light shaftings, the 

 floral capit^ils, and the diversity of design 

 in the caps and belts, constitute a series of 

 features unique in themselves, and their 

 compound effect is as refreshing to the eye 

 as the green turf on which we loiter to in- 

 spect them. Let imagination supply the 

 roof and the glass front, and we believe 

 that this is an example of garden architec- 

 ture which has no match and no parallel 

 for novelty and for unity of design. From 

 the point where the main walk intersects 

 this ante-gnrden, we can put Mr. Nesfield's 

 plan upon trial, balance Ids geometric pat- 

 terns and his colours, and conclude for a 

 verdict that he has proved himself more 

 than an artist. With the exception of the 

 two oblong plots which form the northern 

 half of the ante-garden, the rest of the plan 

 is strictly symmetrical, every detail on one 

 side having its counterpart on the other. 

 These two plots are in harmony, nevertlie- 

 less. That on the right hand is devoted to 

 American plants, in circular groups, with 

 grass alleys between, and large masses of 

 shrubs and groups of tall trees, with a space 

 of turf marked out for a pheasantry, fifty 

 feet by thirty feet. On the left the shrabs 

 and tall trees are matched, as is also the 

 inclosed space of turf ; but, instead of a 

 pheasantry, there is to he an aviary for 

 song-birds. The American garden has its 

 match here in a maze of holly and horn- 

 beam, of about a quarter of an acre in 

 extent. 



Proceeding northwards, we reach the 

 first break in the level, formed by turf, and 

 slopes, and shallow steps, and have before 

 us the garden proper. Tlie main walk is 

 flanked by the two grand triangular panels, 

 in which Mr. Nesfield intends to work out 

 his idea of variously-coloured gravels, vo- 

 lutes in dwarf-box, and rich colouring in 

 the inclosed spaces for flowers. The fine 



deodars, which look hut little the worse 

 for the winter and their removal, will here 

 tell with much finer effect than in any other 

 of the public gardens about London, when 

 they attain to sufficient size. The triangles 

 are elaborate examples of scroll-work, in 

 which maybe traced out, without difliculty, 

 even now, the outlines of the rose, sham- 

 rock, thistle, and leek, though the proper 

 effect will, of course, not be visible till quite 

 the end of June or the beginning of July, 

 when the colouring will be at its highest. 

 Beyond these panels are broad spaces of 

 turf, groups of low trees and shrubs, and 

 canaLs, fed by the larger waterworks above, 

 and which run parallel with the main walk, 

 and between it and the eastern and western 

 boundaries. On the hither side of these 

 canals are two other smaller examples of 

 scroll-work, of no great consequence as 

 items in the general design, but useful as 

 affording diversity in the perambulation of 

 the ground. As we quit the centre of the 

 garden, still going northwards, we reach 

 the second break in the level, ascending 

 which we find the main walk diverge right 

 and left, to form the centre-cross walk to 

 east and west corridors. Before us we have 

 the branch walk to the conservatory ter- 

 races, which is broken by a geometric 

 arrangement of beds of different-coloured 

 eartiis, in the rear of which is the great 

 basin and cascade. On this level the de- 

 corations are of the most luxurious descrip- 

 tion : the grass ramps, the avenues of Por- 

 tugal laurel, which match, as if all turned 

 out of the same mould ; the dead flat of 

 thepanelsin grass, the beautifully-moulded 

 verges, all attest that, .in Mr. Eyies, Mr. 

 Nestield has found an able and willing co- 

 adjutor, and that his design will not f lil for 

 lack of directing skill in the carrying out 

 of practical details. This part of the grounds 

 will be the favourite promenade ; it is suf- 

 ficientlj' distant from the band-houses to 

 allow of the mingling of the music with 

 the S[)lash of the cascades ; and the high 

 style of decoration will render it eminently 

 attractive. East and west from this point, 

 along the cross walks, wehave a view of two 

 small basins, with jets, backed by the steps 

 leading to the corridors. Looking forward, 

 right and left, two more canals, a match pair 

 to those just described as flanking the centre 

 level ; on either hand, in front of the canals, 

 on oblong grass-plots, geometric beds ; be- 

 fore us the great central pattern in coloured 

 earths, beyond that the large basin ; then 

 another ascent, and, as a centre-piece, the 

 memorial sculpture of the Great Exhibi- 

 tion of 1851, to be placed above the cas- 

 cade. The compartment of flowers and 

 embroideiy is 125 feet in diameter, and we 



