CHAP. X.] ROCKWORK. 273 



The plants deposited in the hollows between 

 these rocks are so admirably placed, and the 

 art with which they are cultivated is so skilfully 

 concealed, that no illusion can be more com- 

 plete; and we may fancy ourselves in a scene 

 of nature, but of nature in her greatest beautv 

 and highest luxuriance. 



Very different is the rock-garden of the late 

 Duke of Marlborough, in his private gardens 

 at Blenheim. It is, perhaps, more beautiful 

 than the rocks at Redleaf; but no one could 

 possibly mistake it for anything but a work of 

 art, and it owes its chief beauty to the plants 

 grown in it. It is formed on a scar in the 

 natural rock, which is hewn into zigzag paths ; 

 on one side of each of which are numerous 

 niches to receive the plants. These plants are 

 planted and kept with great care; and they 

 grow so luxuriantly, as almost to hide the 

 paths, and to make the rock look at a little dis- 

 tance like a bank of flowers. Mosses of dif- 

 ferent colours are interspersed, and the whole 

 has a peculiarly rich and sparkling effect. 



The rockwork at Syon has been compared to 

 the scenery of a Highland glen; but I must 

 confess there does not appear to me the 

 slightest resemblance. In fact, the Syon rock- 

 work is so overpowered by the magnificent 

 conservatory in front, with its splendid terrace, 

 and the geometric flower-garden at its base, 

 with its myriads of beautiful flowers, that it 

 becomes quite a secondary object, and its real 

 beauties are very apt to pass unnoticed. It, 

 consists of masses of granite, intermixed with 

 broken capitals of columns and other carved 



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