310 THE FLORIST. 



the cutting and keeping of these views, as the trees below rise suffi- 

 ciently high to render this necessary The lawn is extensive, and almost 

 completely covered in both fronts with beds ; and lower down the lawn 

 are various designs with rustic baskets and rustic edgings to the beds, 

 and such other variations as this easy style admits of; among others 

 a small Rosery, where we found mildew quite covering the plants : 

 Mr. Arnott, the gardener, told us it was occasioned by hot dry weather, 

 and that the common kinds of Roses were always the greatest sufferers. 



The beds near the house are large and mostly filled with Geraniums, 

 with edgings, as generally used ; but no person who has not seen 

 Geraniums round here, or at the Isle of Wight, can credit the difference : 

 they are one intense blaze of colour, with scarcely a leaf to be seen. In 

 the lower and mixed beds we saw fine Myrtle bushes, Coronilla, Plum- 

 bago, Veronica Lindleyana, Hydrangea — fine bushes on the Grass, 

 which take the form of shrubs, and other varieties, standing the winter 

 and blooming abundantly — the old sweet-scented Lemon Aloysia, and 

 several others also winter here. Among the mixture in these beds 

 we saw quantities of the old-fashioned herbaceous plants, as the Golden 

 Rod, tall Phloxes, &c, making quite a show ; in some of the beds 

 round the baskets the dwarf French Asters, not more than six inches 

 in height, made good compact beds. On the lawn are some fine 

 Cedars, Platanus, &c, one of the former terminating the broad front 

 walk where it branches into two, one leading to the forest and the other 

 to the park in front of the lawn, which suddenly terminates here on 

 the west side, at the top of a deep dell. The sudden contrast from gay 

 and dressy to Nature's wildest forms of heath, with Furze up the oppo- 

 site hill mixed with stunted Firs, &c, is quite startling. In returning 

 to the house, on the right hand is a good sized garden in front of a 

 temple, laid out in stone, with a large fountain in the centre ; the beds 

 full and fine. A back border here was filled with conservatory plants 

 in pots, and mossed to the level of the pots — a good plan. 



On the west side of the house there is a conservatory of large dimen- 

 sions in communication with the rooms of the house. A fine plant of 

 Mandevilla suaveolens in full bloom completely scented the air with its 

 beautiful fragrance. Some large plants of the old Brugmansia suaveolens 

 also aided ; this is a fine plant for large conservatories, of which we will 

 have something to say another day ; Fuchsias, trained mushroom shape, 

 looked novel and well. This house is principally for Orange trees, of 

 which there is a fine lot of clean stemmed young trees, set at present 

 round the house, and covered with fruit ; Mr. Arnott told us they were 

 used for dessert and greatly prized ; we tasted one, and found little 

 difference, except a little milder in flavour from those imported. 



The kitchen garden is some distance from the house on a slope to 

 the south, nearer the shore, and divided into sections, with good high 

 walls. At the entrance are two large fish ponds, with a walk all 

 round. A fine border of shrubs, with Apple, Pear, Medlar and other 

 standard fruit trees, for a backing, divides this from the park. In this 

 border are fine trees of the Magnolia grandiflora, 25 feet high, and 

 most of them, as is the habit of this plant, with a k\v flowers in 

 different stages ; these, from the flower, I thought were the Exmouth 



