102 THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



dial of flowers, arranged according to the time of day at 

 which, they open and close. Here are peacocks and lions 

 in livery of Lincoln green. Here are berceaux and arbours, 

 and covered alleys, and enclosures containing the primest 

 of the carnations and cloves in set order, and miniature 

 canals that carry down a stream of pure water to the fish- 

 ponds below. Further onwards, and up the south bank, 

 verging towards the house, are espaliers and standards of 

 the choicest fruit-trees ; here are strawberry-beds raised so 

 as to be easy for gathering ; while the round gooseberry 

 and currant bushes and the arched raspberries continue 

 the formal style up the walls of the enclosed garden, whose 

 outer sides are clothed alternately with fruit and flowers, 

 so that the " stranger within the house" may be satisfied, 

 without being tantalized by the rich reserves within the gate 

 of iron tracery of which the head gardener keeps the key. 



Return to the steps of the lower terrace : what a fine 

 slope of green pasture loses itself in the thorn, hazel, and 

 holly thicket below, while the silver thread of the running 

 brook here and there sparkles in the light ; and how 

 happily the miniature prospect, framed by the gnarled 

 branches of those gigantic oaks, discloses the white spire 

 of the village church in the middle distance ! while in the 

 background the smoke, drifting athwart the base of the 

 purple hill, give evidence that the evening fires are just lit 

 in the far-off town. 



At the right-hand corner of the lower terrace the ground 

 falls more abruptly away, and the descent into the lawn, 

 which is overlooked from the high western terrace, is by 

 two or three steps at a time, cut out in the native rock of 

 red sandstone, which also forms the base of the terrace 

 itself. Rock plants of every description freely grow in the 

 crevices of the rustic battlement which flanks the path on 



