36 THE BOOK OF TOPIARY 



old, dogs twelve to fourteen years, and taller designs 

 from fifteen to eighteen years. Some of the finer 

 examples found in the country districts of Holland need 

 to have their root system cut around one year, so that 

 they may be safely lifted, transported to this country 

 and transplanted in the following season. 



It may very reasonably be asked, Where are to be 

 seen the signs of this modern revival of Topiary, apart 

 from horticultural exhibitions ? To that I make answer 

 by pointing to some establishments famous throughout 

 the land for their gardens. At Ascott, Mr Leopold de 

 Rothschild has a thoroughly well furnished and quite 

 modern Topiary Garden, and those who are disposed to 

 severely criticize the modern revival of an old garden 

 art must bear in mind that Mr Rothschild's gardens at 

 Gunnersbury and Ascott have been and are still being 

 referred to as fine examples of the most advanced and 

 tasteful style of natural and adapted gardening. An- 

 other example is to be found at Friar Park, Henley-on- 

 Thames, the residence of Mr Frank Crisp. This is a 

 comparatively new garden but it contains much that is 

 beautiful and a very great deal that is interesting, and 

 its collection of clipped trees is not the least interesting 

 feature of an establishment that also contains one of the 

 best collections of alpine plants in the Southern Counties. 



If these are not sufficient answer to the question, I 

 hasten to add Witley Court, Stourport, the residence of 

 Lady Dudley ; and Danesfield, Marlow, the home of Mr 

 R. W. Hudson. Besides these there are numerous other 

 gardens throughout the land where Topiary, as a modern 

 development, occupies no mean position, the extent of 

 the collections of clipped trees being determined chiefly 

 by the space at disposal. 



