NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 



to the more distant part of the grounds, and, when the creepers- 

 planted about it have reached their full growth, will frame an 

 unusually pretty vista. These gardens have recently been enlarged 

 and improved by Mr. Mawson. Another good pergola is that 

 at Wootton Wawen Hall (Plates CXXX. and CXXXL), a structure 

 which in character and general effect plainly suggests Italian 

 influence. It is, in fact, with the Italian garden of which it forms 

 part, a copy of one which actually exists in Italy. As it was built 

 within the last two or three years some little time must elapse 

 before it comes to perfection. 



Last among the places which these photographs illustrate is Wrest 

 Park (Plates CXXXII. to CXXX VI.), the wonderful garden in 

 Bedfordshire which within its enormous area includes examples 

 of most of the traditional styles of design. The grounds were first 

 laid out by the Duke of Kent in the time ot Queen Anne, and were 

 completed by Earl de Grey, who built the house and designed the 

 central Italian garden which occupies the space before it. Beyond 

 this garden is a long canal, which stretches away to a pavilion in the 

 far distance. Among the other features of this immense place are 

 the French garden, the walled garden, and the West Garden, which 

 are illustrated here, an old orchard, a grove laid out on a formal 

 plan, the " Ladies' Canal " surrounded by grass banks and a yew 

 hedge some twenty feet high, an orangery, a banqueting house, 

 and an array of fountains, statues, and lead figures and groups. 

 The yew hedges, one of which is said to be three hundred years 

 old, are especially remarkable and are kept in perfect condition. 

 Capability Brown is reputed to have taken some part in the earlier 

 planning of the gardens, but whatever he may have done has been 

 extensively revised and re-modelled by later workers. 

 Mention must be made of the coloured plates which complete the 

 series now given. Plates I. and XVIII. of Campsea Ashe, and LII. 

 of Elvaston Castle, show definitely the picturesqueness of topiary 

 work which has acquired largeness and solidity by age ; Plate 

 LXXXII. of a bit at Melbourne Hall shows not less plainly the 

 decorative value of well-proportioned masses of clipped trees ; and 

 Plate CXX. of the Dial at Raunscliffe, some amusing topiary eccen- 

 tricities. The other three, Plate XXXV. of Cleeve Prior, Plate 

 LXIX. of Haddon Hall, and Plate CIII. of Hampton-in-Arden 

 Manor, represent a less precise kind of gardening in which nature's 

 graces have been allowed to temper the formality of the design. 



A. L. BALDRY. 



xxxvn 



