52 



GARDENS OLD AND 



and, when Haring- 

 ton presented him- 

 self at Court, she 

 sent him away with 

 a buffet, swearing 

 loudly, "By God's 

 Son, I am no 

 queen ; this man is 

 above me." It was 

 Harington who 

 shocked the Royal 

 modesty by trans- 

 lating a licentious 

 part of "Orlando 

 Furioso," and was 

 punished for so 

 doing by being 

 made to translate 

 the rest. However, 

 the gay knight, 

 "that saucy poet, 

 my godson," was 

 Elizabeth's 

 favourite, and she 

 visited him in 

 Somersetshire in 

 1591. So much, 

 however, must 



suffice concerning the personal interests of St. Catherine's 

 Court. It afterwards passed through many hands, with 

 varying fortunes ; and our illustrations show in what a state 

 of perfection the interesting old house now stands. 



The character of the gardens is derived from the steepness 

 of the ground. Successive terraces, with grass slopes and 

 balustrades, approached by fine flights of steps, which have 

 a remarkably picturesque effect, are the leading features. 

 They are united with quaintness of design, and an unusual 

 mixture of styles, in a manner we wish to enforce here. The 





Copyright. 



THE PORCH AND TERRACE. 



" Cvuntry Life." 



trees 



strictly formal 

 is combined 

 with the freely 

 natural, and the 

 plants are arranged 

 without any very 

 fixed or precise 

 order, such as we 

 meet in the pure 

 Italian style. It 

 will be agreed that 

 the effect is ex- 

 tremely successful, 

 and that the sur- 

 roundings are an 

 appropriate setting 

 for the lovely 

 house, which, be it 

 observed, is itself 

 clad here and there 

 with creepers, but 

 nowhere to the 

 obscuring of its 

 architectural 

 character. The 

 situation is delight- 

 ful, with bold hills 

 enhancing the 

 making a beautiful 



effect of the garden work, and t 

 tracery against the sky. 



In the garden, foliage and flowers are everywhere. Here 

 stand trees and shrubs taking their natural shape ; neighbouring 

 them very remarkable clipped yews ; close by masses of 

 perennials glowing each in season from early spring until the 

 frosts of winter begin. But, again, with excellent taste, the 

 trees do not obtrude upon the house, which stands, impressing 

 us with the sense of repose, supported and enhanced in its 

 engaging beauty by all the things that surround it. Let it be 



THE HOUSE FROM THE LOWER TERRACE. 



1 (Country Life.' 1 



