NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 



formal garden which occupies the terrace in front of the house. 

 This garden, with its battlements of clipped yew capping the wall 

 which rises from the water, is filled with topiary work of all sorts, 

 and within its comparatively small space contains more varieties of 

 clipped trees than are to be found in many other places of far greater 

 area. The effect of so many unusual and eccentric forms gathered 

 together in close juxtaposition is by no means unpleasant. The 

 same French influence which dominates Melbourne Hall is to be 

 perceived at Newstead Abbey (Plates LXXXVIII. and LXXXIX.), 

 the grounds of which were possibly laid out by Le Notre. As 

 they are now they show the development of a stately plan and 

 have the expansiveness and breadth of manner which are the 

 merits of the eighteenth century French style. Fine masses of 

 trees and charming vistas give character to the place and add 

 to its impressiveness. In detail, too, it is definitely interesting ; 

 the East Garden is especially commendable for its display of 

 formality which avoids the common taint of restlessness. The beds 

 with their broad edgings are much more decoratively convincing 

 than the intricate and involved divisions which are too often 

 employed by gardeners who adopt this sort of space filling, and 

 the pattern chosen has the merit of strength and simplicity : 

 the treatment of the terrace balustrade set along the top of the 

 grass slope is exceptionally light and elegant. The picture of the 

 herbaceous border shows a combination of architectural accessories 

 with free-growing plants and larger tree forms which is quite 

 rightly balanced. 



Okeover Hall (Plates XC. and XCI.) is a place laid out on large 

 lines and with an eye to spaciousness of effect. The terrace leading 

 to a wide stretch of park land planted with fine groups of trees is 

 not robbed of its dignity by overcrowding with unnecessary details 

 and is well placed in relation to the landscape beyond, and the low 

 balustrade by which it is bounded, though not without some sug- 

 gestion of insecurity, certainly increases the sense of space. The 

 other plate, of the garden gates, has the attractiveness which always 

 attaches to a record of a pretty subject ; in this corner of the 

 garden nature and art have combined to produce a dainty arrange- 

 ment well entitled to admiration. At Osmaston Manor (Plates 

 XCII. to XCV.) there is an excellent illustration of the way in 

 which the peculiarities of the contour of the ground on which a 

 house is built can be turned to good account by the ingenious 

 designer. For the scheming of this garden Sir Joseph Paxton is 

 said to have been responsible, and the result is certainly one which 



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