The old churchyard has its own beauty, while the church and a fine 

 group of elms are seen from the garden above the wall, and take their 

 own beneficent place in the garden landscape. 



The rectangular fountain, which, with its surrounding yew hedges, 

 and the grass walks also inclosed by thick yew hedges, divides the two 

 portions of the kitchen garden, are also parts of the old design, added to 

 by the late owner. The yew hedges beyond the fountain pool have been 

 set back to allow width enough for a handsome flower-border on either 

 side. Water Lilies grow in the pool and the flower-borders display their 

 beauties beyond, while the fruit trees of the kitchen garden show above 

 the thick green hedges as flowering masses in spring, and in later summer, 

 as the taller perennials of the border rise to their full height, as a thin 

 copse of fruit and leafage. The turf walk and flower-border swing 

 outward to suit the greater width of another fountain-basin at the end. 

 This has straight sides running the way of the main path, and a 

 segmental front. Instead of the usual rising kerb, there are two shallow 

 stone steps, the upper one even with the grass, the lower half way 

 between that and the water-level. Except that it is less of a protection 

 than something of the parapet kind, this is a most desirable means 

 of near access to the water ; welcome to the eye in all ways and allowing 

 the water-surface to be seen from a distance. It is pleasantly noticeable 

 in this pool that the water-level rises to the proper place. Nothing is 

 more frequent or more unsightly than a deep pool or basin with straight 

 sides and only a little water in the bottom. If the height of the 

 water is necessarily fluctuating it is a good plan to build the tank in 

 a succession of such steps ; they are pleasant to see both above and 

 under water, and in the case of an accident to a straying child, danger is 

 reduced to the smallest point. 



The picture shows one of the flights of steps from one level to 

 another. To the left two handsome gate-piers and a fine wrought- 

 iron gate lead to a quiet green meadow. Near by and just across it 

 is the Medway, with wooded banks and groups of fine trees. The old 

 wall is beautiful from the meadow side ; its coping a garden of wild 

 flowers. Above it is seen the clipped yew hedge with its series of rising 

 ornaments, rounded in the direction of the axis of the hedge, but flat on 



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