366 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



Nuneham, with its much more minute and artistic arrangements ; 

 better than all these in this, that the Aston garden is an outcome of 

 private enterprise — designed, planted, and sustained as a place of 

 public resort, to which can come the almost teeming multitudes that 

 inhabit the immense borough of Birmingham, and see, in all their 

 simplicity of beauty, how wondrously attractive common flowers may 

 be made, where an enterprising genius, a true artist in the exquisite 

 arrangement of harmony and distribution of colours, and the large 

 heart of a true social philanthropist, wields the almost magic wand by 

 which so much of freshness and beauty woos, and woos successfully, 

 the sons and daughters of toil to gaze on that which to them is full 

 of new wonder and delight, and capable of satisfying aspirations and 

 awakening capacities the bountiful heart of nature has committed to 

 such agencies to call into active and harmonious play. 



The grounds of the Holte Hotel are a part of the Aston Park estate, 

 but divided from it by the main road which runs from Aston to 

 another of the wealthy suburbs of Birmingham. It is simply a j^lace of 

 public resort for the people of Birmingham, where amusements and 

 sources of recreation are provided, with delightful walks and charming 

 gardens, but without the admixture of a single coarse feature. It is a 

 kind of Sydenham Palace, having all the characteristics of the outer 

 grounds without the palace of glass, but yet having musical and other 

 features of a high and elevating order. There are two great lakes of 

 several acres in extent — one kept as a home for wild-fowl and orna- 

 mental water-fowl, with overhanging umbrageous trees, under which 

 are shady and pleasant walks ; the other, for boating and fishing. 

 There are also archery, croquet, cricket, bowling, and quoit grounds ; 

 a large concert-hall for public gatherings, theatricals, concerts, and, 

 under the strictest and most severe supervision, dancing. There are 

 also extensive refreshment -rooms, where large parties can be enter- 

 tained; and in addition to these, charming pleasure-grounds and 

 promenades, and a first-class band of music performing every day. 

 Thousands enter these gardens the year through, and it is always 

 pleasant to note what a chief source of attraction are the gardens, with 

 their vari-coloured beds, and specimen ornamental trees, and extensive 

 greensward — 



" With singing birds and balnay flowers, 

 Creatures of beauty and delight/' 



where the visitors love to linger in the calm twilight — 



' ' When the fragrance of flowers is lightly 

 Awaf t on the soft evening breeze, 

 Whilst the pale moon is glinting so brightly 

 With silver the tremulous leaves." 



