48 A BOOK OF ENGLISH GARDENS 



Abbotsbury, which is hidden away in a valley 

 between Weymouth and Bridport, lies this sub- 

 tropical Garden belonging to Mary, Countess of 

 Ilchester. Sheltered under a hill which rises 

 between it and the sea, high walls and old Ilex 

 trees protecting it even further from all cold winds, 

 so successfully is it screened that foreign plants 

 of all kinds will grow and flourish in it, such 

 as Himalayan and Sikkim Rhododendrons, 

 Bamboos, Mimosa, Eucalyptus in thirty varieties, 

 Aloes, Agaves, the New Zealand Laburnum 

 (Edwardsia Grandiflora) with its yellow Papilio- 

 metus flowers, being a tree of from twelve to fifteen 

 feet high ; also a Chilian plant, Crinodendron 

 Hookeri, which grows to a height of about seven 

 feet, and is covered with blooms of scarlet 

 pendulous flowers, and other little-known plants 

 such as Cistus, Thea Bohea (the common tea), 

 Vaccinium Ovatum), Jamesia Americana, Eucry- 

 phia. For every part of the world, Japan, China, 

 America, Australia, etc., has been called upon to 

 contribute something to this "Earthly Paradise"! 

 This is indeed a Garden in the popular sense of 

 the word, viz., a Garden filled to overflowing with 

 flowers, a Garden which rejoices at every season of 

 the year in gay blossoms. In Spring, more 

 particularly from February to May, it is a perfect 

 blaze of colour, with a rippling carpet of yellow 

 Daffodils, Narcissi, Jonquils, and Polyanthus, and 



