Biddulph Grange. 161 



"Daffodils, 



That come before the swallow dares, and take 

 The winds of March with beauty; violets dim, 

 But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes, 

 Or Cytherea's breath ; pale primroses, 

 That die unmarried, ere they can behold 

 Bright Phoebus in his strength ; 



bold oxlips, and 



The crown-imperial ; lilies of all kinds, 

 The flower-de-luce being one. " 



The pinetum is one of the richest, and in design certainly 

 the most natural in the country, the trees being dispersed 

 in groups upon grassy or heathery knolls. This is nearly 

 the first thing seen. Afterwards we come to innumer- 

 able specialities, every one of which is a study and a sur- 

 prise. The Chinese garden, with its gaudy Joss-house ; 

 the Italian one, with its vases ; the Rhododendron walk ; 

 the fern-glen ; the avenue of Wellingtonias, stretching 

 along a path nearly a mile in length ; the exotic oaks ; 

 the masses of Liquidambars and other curious trees ; the 

 ornamental climbers ; the golden yews and hollies, that 

 in the evening sunshine seem on fire; the walks that 

 change their lines in so perfectly natural and easy a way; 

 the rare plants on every hand, with a thousand other 

 features, alike original and striking, fill the mind, as we 

 pass through, with the highest satisfaction, and make us 

 feel that we are in the midst of a masterpiece of garden- 

 ing art. 



There is yet another treat. Before entering the gar- 

 dens, the student of geology has the opportunity of see- 



