276 



JOURNAL OF HORTICOLTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ AprU 2, 1874. 



too, we also obtain a distant view of the lake and the Grand 



Bridge, which forms a notable feature, the principal arch being 

 101 feet span, and upwards of .'iO feet above the water. To 

 the west of this bridge is Rosamond's Well, and to the east is 

 said to have been the site of the ancient palace of Woodstock, 

 of which, however, as already stated, not a trace remains. 



It is, however, on the west side that the grounds are seen in 

 their most picturesque aspect. There one looks from high 

 terraces down deep grass -carpeted and tree-clad slopes to the 

 broad lake beneath, and over its smooth surface to wider 

 glades betwixt great clumps of trees, by which the eye is carried 

 on till these woodland scenes are merged in dense plantations 

 in the distance. On this side of the mau6ion,to return a Uttle 

 inland, is a small flower garden, and here and there summer- 

 houses, from one of which, of rustic work covered with Iv)', 

 is seen the lodge where Rochester lived, known as Rochester's 



Castle, beyond the old Oaks and Beeches on the opposite 

 bank. Near another of these summer-houses, called the 

 Temple of Diana, which is of Ionic architecture, the ground 

 is a tableland, of which the slope down to the water is thrown 

 into winding terraces. Some fine standard Magnolias, at least 

 40 feet high, form a prominent feature near this spot, and when 

 in flower must be exquisitely beautiful. Further on we come 

 to a Rose garden which has suffered much from the attacks of 

 deer, but it is in contemplation to plant the beds in the interior 

 with dwarfs in substitution for the present standards. On- 

 wards we go past numbers of Tulip Trees, Judas Trees, Labur- 

 nums, Catalpas, and a variety of other deciduous flowering trees, 

 till we reach the Grand Cascade, which is really a very fine 

 artificial fall, formed by the overflow of the lake skilfully con- 

 ducted amidst projecting blocks of stone so as to throw the water 

 into a foaming torrent. On one bank is a celebrated Portugal 



BLENHEIM.* 



Laurel upward.t of 100 feet in diameter, said to be the largest 

 in the country, but which is in fact an assemblage of plants 

 rather than one only, the branches having, we believe, become 

 naturally layered ; stUl it cannot be considered other than a 

 grand specimen. From the other bank we look down on Cork 

 trees by the side of the water. Oaks, fine Cedars, Cypresses, 

 and an American ground of ten acres filled with Rhododen- 

 drons and Kalmias ; but the great features all about are the 

 deciduous flowering trees. We omitted to say that the water 

 is crossed by a bridge which leads into a rock garden, which is 

 formed of large masses of stone, and was designed as a fernery. 

 The entrances to this consist of large blocks of stone, which 

 turning readily on a pivot, servo as gateways. It appears to 

 be well adapted to the purpose for which it was designed ; and 

 though Ferns are stiU growing there in the niches prepared 

 for them, the extent of the place would involve an immense 

 amount of labour to keep it in order. 



Having now passed through the more important portions of 

 the pleasure grounds, of which, however, any attempt at de- 

 scription would fail to convey a just idea of the beauties, we 

 wUl proceed to the fruit and kitchen garden, which is enclosed 

 by walls 15 to 18 feet high. In its general shape it is an oblong, 

 with its longest sides running from east to west, but with semi- 

 circular recesses in the middle. The total area within the 

 



♦ From a drawing by W. DanieU, R A., enaraved by J. O. Anuytago. I 



walls, is about eight acres, and this is intersected by 12-feet 

 walks, with others of similar width all round. The extent of 

 glass seems at first view disappointing, but this is more owing 

 to the houses being scattered, and the large extent of ground 

 enclosed, than from any deficiency, for there are eight vineries, 

 some of them wide and lofty, three Peach houses, and an 

 orchard house, in all 185 feet run, besides plant houses, pits, 

 etc., of which more hereafter. 



In the second early vinery, which was the first entered, the 

 Vines were being gradually renovated by the introduction of 

 young rods, as those in other vineries have been of late years, 

 and there was a fine show of bunche?. The third vinery con- 

 tained, besides Black Hamburgh and Foster's White Seedling, 

 Golden Champion promising well for fruit. The fourth vinery 

 had been started for succession, and the fifth contained late 

 kinds, chiefly West's St. Peter's and Muscats. Next came 

 the earliest Peach house, in which was a very heavy crop 

 stoning aud being thinned ; and it is worthy of remark that 

 one of the trees had been wholly lifted, and the other half- 

 lifted inside and outside in August before the leaves had fallen, 

 and both show now stift' short-jointed wood. The suceession 

 house had been treated in the same way with equally good 

 results. 



We now pass to a range of vineries put-up about ten years 

 ago, and which is about 150 feet long, the roof entirely of 

 rough plate glass. In this are the earliest and two latest 



