106 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



vopyngni. 



THE GARDhN TERRACE. 



"Country Life." 



while waiting for supplies. The garden terrace, anJ the old 

 gate of hammered iron, hanging between two ball-capped 

 piers, leading to the orangery, with that curious and remark- 

 able sundial and the leaden vases, are features in the midst 

 of a delightful old-fashioned garden, fully appropriate to the 

 venerable house and its green surroundings. Quaintness and 

 old-world charm are everywhere. Look at the kneeling 

 slave, or at the leaden warrior 

 in the glorious park, at the old 

 chapel, at the entrance gate;, 

 and linger on the terrace. 

 It is an exceedingly attractive 

 place, with a character quite 

 its own, wherein is no sinning 

 against Nature. We miy set- 

 here how, without artificiality, 

 and even without marked 

 features, a delightful garden 

 may be created, which is 

 neither a floral wilderness nor 

 a trim parterre. In fact, it is 

 from these old gardens, 

 containing many things which 

 the artist would object to if 

 they stood alone, that we may 

 learn that most excellent lesson 

 of toleration. There are those 

 who speak evil of orangeries, 

 of vases, even of terraces when 

 they stand alone. But, at 

 Norton Conyers, the great 

 artist Time has brought Art 

 and Nature into harmony. 



The green lawns, the 

 spreading trees, the borders 

 filled with many a flower in 

 season, and certain adornments 

 of unobtrusive quaintness, are 

 enough, and Norton Conyers 

 is thus a valuable example of 

 the garden art. I he green lawns 

 creep up to the house, whose cotyntht. THE ENTRANCE. 



\valls are kissed by the rich green of climbing plants. The 

 trees spread their grateful shade, from the house there is a 

 fnir outlook over the park, and the grounds have many charms 

 pleasant to explore. The reader wiil say that there is little 

 here to describe, but will be charmed by the vision of the 

 sweet old-fashioned house and garden we depict. 



It is delightful to look out from the windows of Norton 

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Conyers over such beautiful 



surroundings. Within, the 

 grand old hall covered with 

 ancestral portraits, the broad 

 oak staircase of the legend 

 ascending to the big mullioned 

 window with its many coats of 

 arms, the oak-panelled king's 

 room, occupied by more than 

 one of the Stuart kings, the 

 white - panelled parlour, the 

 library, with its quaint window 

 corners and its Romneys and 

 Zoffanys, are all most charming 

 and beautiful. 



Many generations of 

 Grahams had come and gone 

 from the old hall at Norton 

 before the time of the last Sir 

 Belliiigham, bom 1789, and 

 died i8c6 for seventy 

 years a Baronet a reign of 

 extravagance which sadly en- 

 cumbered the extensive family 

 estates, inherited by him when 

 but sjven years old, on the 

 death of his father (another 

 Sir Bellingham), in 1796. Now 

 Sir Reginald and Lady Graham 

 have for nearly twenty years 

 resided entirely at the home 

 of his ancestors, and in no 

 more fitting hands could this 

 unique possession have 



" Country Lilt." fallen. 



