MYNTHURST 



At the time the picture was painted, Mynthurst was in the occupation 

 of Mrs. Wilson, to the work of whose niece. Miss RadclifFe, the garden 

 owes much of its charm. 



It Hes in the pleasant district between Reigate and Dorking, on a 

 southward sloping hill-side. The house is a modern one of Tudor 

 character, standing on a terrace that has a retaining wall and steps to a 

 lower level. The garden lies open to the south and south-westerly gales, 

 the prevalent winds of the district, but it is partly sheltered by the walls 

 of the kitchen garden, and by a yew hedge which runs parallel with one 

 of the walls ; the space so inclosed making a sheltered place for the rose 

 garden. Here Roses rise in ranks one above the other, and have a 

 delightful and most suitable carpet of Love-in-a-mist. This pretty 

 annual, so welcome in almost any region of the garden, is especially 

 pretty with Roses of tender colouring ; whites, pale yellows, and pale 

 pinks. A picture elsewhere shows it combined with Rose Viscountess 

 Folkestone. 



Beyond the rose garden, a path leads away at a right angle between 

 the orchard and the kitchen-garden wall. Here is the subject of the 

 picture. A broad border runs against the wall, as long as the length of 

 the kitchen garden. A border so wide is difficult to manage unless it has 

 a small blind alley at the back rather near the wall, to give access to 

 what is on the wall and to the taller plants in the back of the border. 

 But here it is arranged in another way. The front edge of the border is 

 not continuous, but has little paths at intervals cutting across it and 

 reaching nearly to the wall. This method of obtaining easy access also 



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