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A Rose Garden Planting Scheme 



A. D. THOMPSON, F.R.H.S. 



When is a lake not a lake? The answer in this 

 instance is, " When it's a Rose garden," and it is due 

 to the courtesy of Major Sir F. H. W. Garden, Bart., 

 of ** Stargroves," near Newbury, Berks., that I am 

 able to reproduce the design of his well-known sunken 

 Rose garden. 



It may interest many to learn that this was formed 

 actually in the bed of what was once artificial water. 



Ihe supply of water, for some reason or other, 

 was unavailable, and it was decided to call in an expert 

 adviser as to its treatment, and Mr. A. D. Thompson, 

 of J I, Adam Street, Adelphi, W.C.2, was called in. 



It happened that upon the estate there was some 

 kennels w^hich were not required, so it was decided to 

 demolish these and use the lovely old red bricks for the 

 walls of the sunken Rose garden which Mr. Thompson 

 advised his client to form. 



The drawing is necessarily to a small scale, but 

 readers will notice there is a wall which is about 2^ 

 feet on all sides, with four flights of steps leading into 

 same. What pleased the designer, was, these steps 

 have treads nearly 2 feet in width, and only 4i inches 

 high, so that all walk up and down, as the case may 

 be, with the least possible exertion. 



The centre path is raised about i^ feet above the 

 level of the Rose garden. There are two reasons for 

 this, viz., that a 9-inch water-pipe is laid immediately 

 under the present York paving, and to lower this would 

 have been an expensive item, so that it was simply a 

 matter of building two small walls on either side, filling 

 in with soil and sand, and laying the paving over to 

 form the main path. Not only did this save probably 



