GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



famous for his skill in the work of transplanting, and remained 

 in the Earl's service until his Lordship's death, a period of 

 something like twenty years. Mr. Barron thoroughly drained 

 the ground and formed large kitchen gardens, and under his 

 direction hot-houses were built and the transplanting of old 

 trees began. Three cedars, ranging in height from 28ft. to 



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ON THE TERRACE. 



t2ft., were removed from near the vicarage to the east 

 avenue, and shortly afterwards a cedar, 43ft. high, with a 

 2ft. trunk, and spread of branches of 48ft., was removed from 

 the front of the house. Glorious old yews were brought 

 upwards of thirty miles after being raised by means of 

 remarkable tree-lilting appliances and devices which Barron 

 did much to improve. Very large pleasure grounds were also 

 laid out, at one time covering eighty acres, and the artificial 

 lake with its curious surroundings is 

 another work of the time. 



No expense was spared to perfect 

 the gardens, and the rarest and finest 

 specimens of conifers, at that time far 



less common than now, were obtained. 



As an illustration of the enthusiasm 



that inspired the creator of Elvaston, 



it is interesting to note that the first 



specimen in England of Nordmann's 



silver fir (Picea Nordmanniana) was 



planted by the Earl of Harrington, and 



that some of the yews brought from 



other places were centuries old, thus 



making Elvaston truly a link between 



the past and the present. 



The garden is particularly rich in 



splendid golden yews. Among other 



trees are the Douglas fir ; the Chili 



pine, or "Monkey Puzzle" (Araucaria 



imbricata); the Deodar (Picea 



nobilis), splendid in sombre blue-green 



colouring; the Spanish silver fir (Picea 



pinsapo), now a well-known tree; the 



black Austrian pine(Pinus austriaca) ; 



the Swiss pine (Pinus cembra) ; and 



the glorious Corsican pine (Pinus laricio). This last may be 



recommended to all who intend to plant pine woods, being of 



comparatively quick growth, tall, straight, finely-coloured in the 



trunk, very hardy, and succeeding well in almost all kinds of 



soil. 



To Describe the particular features of the gardens of 



Elvaston Castle is perhaps unnecessary. They are well 

 illustrated in our pictures, and, as an example and a contrast, 

 can scarcely fail to interest very many. Of the surroundings 

 and islands of the artificial lake, which, at least, is a landscape 

 feature, though scarcely an effective one, the Duke of 

 Wellington is said to have declared that this was "the most 

 natural artificial rock" he had ever seen. 

 It must not be supposed that the coniferous 

 growths and curious shapes of these lordly 

 gardens are dissociated from flowers. The 

 contrary is, in fact, the case, and the hot- 

 houses are stored with very choice plants. 



As a pleasant mark of the changed times, 

 and of the far larger extent to which those 

 into whose coffers the streamlets of Pactolus 

 pour admit others to participate in such 

 enjoyments as are to be derived from the 

 contemplation of beautiful gardens, it is 

 interesting to note that Elvaston was closed 

 to the public in the days of the garden-making 

 Earl. He is said to have instructed Barron 

 that, if the Queen came, she was to be shown 

 round, but that no one else was to be 

 admitted. Nowadays there are few great 

 gardens that are not open, on at least 

 one day in the week, for the pleasure and 

 profit of many. 



The fourth Earl of Harrington died in 1851, 

 and was succeeded in the title and estate by 

 his brother, Colonel Leicester Stanhope, C.B., 

 who thought it desirable to reduce the large 

 staff of eighty men then maintained. At the 

 same period trees from the reserve nursery, 

 and some others, which could be dispensed 

 with without great loss to the place, were 

 disposed of, a specimen of Picea nobilis going 

 to Osborne for the Prince Consort, while the Crystal Palace 

 grounds were embellished with not a few of the Elvaston trees. 

 Yet how many beautiful trees remain, however, in these 

 splendid Derbyshire gardens the reader will learn from our 

 numerous pictures. These have been taken specially to 

 illustrate the little-known topiary character of the place. 

 Assiduous care is necessary for the maintenance in perfec- 

 tion of such shapes as we depict, and old servants well 



" Country Life." 



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SUMMER SHELTERS. 



experienced in the work maintain the traditions of the place. 

 Perhaps we ought not to conclude this account of Elvaston 

 without a word of praise for the splendid fruit grown there. 

 Those who visit the great fruit shows have often remarked 

 that many of the richest prizes go to the grapes, peaches, and 

 other dainty productions from this garden. 



