118 



GARDENS OLD AND 



A BRIDGE IN THE GARDEN. 



garden, with its fine ornamental domvay, the north- 

 west side is readied, and here many changes have taken 

 place during the past few years. On every hand are 

 beautiful effects from the 

 choice collection of trees and 

 shrubs, and streams mean- 

 dering into the moats of the 

 i Id house, pulled down in the 

 tim. of Henry VIII., where 

 now is the water garden. 

 Ti.e moats have been restored 

 according to the old plan, 

 whilst the old stew-pond is 

 now a delightful bathing-place, 

 grouped around with flowers 

 and shrubs, kxtensive altera- 

 tions, with new drives and 

 walks, have been completed 

 during quite recent times, and 

 greatly adorn the splendid 

 estate. The collection of 

 plants is rare and interesting. 

 Aldenl.am is not a garden .of 

 one season only ; it is delightful 

 to visit at all times during 

 the spring, when the flowering 

 trees are I urdened v\ ith 

 b.os^om and the marsh 

 marigolds dot the streamsides 

 with colour ; through the 

 summer month*; aid in the 

 autumn, to learn the value of 

 the changing leaf in beautifying 

 tie landscape. 



The trees and shrubs are 

 massed upon the grass, and 

 notwithstanding that the 

 alterations have been com- 

 pleted within quite recent 

 years, the impression is that 



THE KNEELING SLAVE. 



of a garden mellowed by time. Weeping and variegated 

 leaved trees are in abundance. A weeping tree is generally of 

 graceful beauty, and casts a grateful shade upon the lawn in 

 ____^___________ the hot su nmer days, but 



there must be no crowding 

 together. Every tree should 

 display its characteristic charm 

 the willows by the water- 

 si ie, the holly upon the lawn, 

 and the thorns i i the park. 

 The willow is in its drooping 

 form a thing of beauty, but 

 rarely is it planted in the 

 garden, or, for that matter, 

 any of its precious family. 

 'I hose who have bare 

 lakesides should learn 

 something of the beauty of 

 verdure from t e grounds at 

 Aldenham. 



Oaks and elms prevail, 

 and a noble group of six elms 

 stands out against the sky ; 

 but, as in the shrub masses 

 near the water gardens, 

 weeping trees are one of the 

 features, the weeping beech 

 near the house beinx unex- 

 celled in the British Isles. It 

 is a splendid specimen of its 

 kind, the branches sweeping 

 the grass and forming a 

 fountain of leafy shoots, an 

 arbour of grateful green 

 in the warm days of 

 summer. A varied garden, 

 indeed, of natural beauty, 

 with just enough of formaliiy 

 near the house is tr.at at 

 Aldenham. 



