302 THE FLORIST. 



at all necessary, for the once celebrated garden, designed by the poet 

 Mason, with its statues, busts, and urns, illustrated by the genius of 

 Whitehead, has been oft the theme of the tourist, and is described 

 in various publications. Our object will be briefly to describe Nune- 

 ham as it has been improved of late under its present liberal proprietor, 

 who has been aided in his designs by Mr. Bailey, under whose 

 superintendence all has been so satisfactorily carried out. 



Independent of the above associations and the natural beauty of the 

 place itself, its situation so near to Oxford gives it an additional interest 

 to the scholar and admirer of " Alma Mater." 



The house, a somewhat modern building, commodious, but destitute 

 of architectural pretension, is situate on the brow of a line of 

 eminences which at this point rise rather abruptly from the Thames 

 valley. The site of the mansion is, therefore, a commanding one, and 

 affords an extensive and varied prospect over the valley immediately 

 below, with the Thames winding its way majestically through meadows 

 of the richest pasturage. The country beyond is purely an agricultural 

 one, and presents further in the distance that happy combination of 

 woodland scenery interspersed with villages, cornfields, and upland 

 downs, — so truly characteristic of English scenery. The house itself 

 is embowered in woods of ancient growth ; the Elms are particularly 

 fine. The deer park, which occupies a large extent at the back of the 

 mansion, is likewise richly furnished with timber of large size, among 

 which the Elms, both English and the Wych, are very striking, from 

 their large dimensions and fine growth ; the planting in the park has 

 been judiciously done for effect, and where faults occurred they have 

 within these few years been carefully corrected. That great master of 

 the art of giving effect to landscape, " capability Brown," has been 

 most happy and successful in his operations at this place, and Dame 

 Nature IbUowing him, has completed the details of his plans with con- 

 summate effect. Of the English Elms, every tree would form a study 

 for a painter. 



The south and west front of the mansion, overlooking the valley of 

 the Thames, is surrounded by a terrace garden, the outer boundary 

 wall of which is surmounted with suitable balustrading, vases, &c. 

 This forms a base for the mansion, and has effected a great improve- 

 ment both to the appearance of the house and for formiug a promenade, 

 the view from which extends over the valley we have described above. 

 Flights of steps at each end lead on the one hand to the pleasure 

 grounds, and on the other to a small parterre fronting the north wing, 

 Irom which additional steps lead to the grounds north of the mansion, 

 and including the garden formed by Mason. 



The terraces are laid out in parterres, and were at the time of our 

 visit (the last week in August) in full beauty ; all the best and most 

 striking varieties of bedding plants are grown on a large scale, and 

 under Mr. Bailey's good taste as regards arrangements presented a rich 

 display of colour, well contrasted, for producing the most pleasing effect. 

 The scarlet Geraniums in the vases on the terrace walls were one mass 

 of bloom ; there is nothing more useful or striking as a vase plant than 

 well managed plants of scarlet Geraniums. On each side the different 



