86 



GARDENS OLD AND NEW. 



THE CHURCH TERRACE, EAST GARDEN. 



effects. The warm colour of the stone forms a 

 perfect background for the great green leaves of the 

 magnolia, the best of all floral ornaments for classic 

 fronts. The vine mingles with the ivy in the inner 

 court, while Virginia creeper, climbing berberry, 

 jessamine and roses break the hard lines of the 

 pilasters and entablatures, and give colour and tone to 

 the front. Immediately below the great east elevation 

 lies the series of elaborate formal gardens, with their 

 terraces, parapets, steps, seats, fountains and other 

 adornments of terra-cotta. The whole northern side 

 lies along the line of the escarpment. Looking over 

 the balustrade which crowns it, the park, the long 

 pools, with their chestnuts and poplars, and in the 

 middle distance the tower of Grendon Church, and 

 beyond the valley of the Nene, are seen. To the 

 right, close to the north-east corner of the castle, a 

 great cedar mingles its dark foliage in. the happiest 

 way with the lighter green of a clump of forest trees, 

 elms and ashes, which, growing on the edge of the 

 grass slope, link up the grey castle walls with the lines 

 of garden parapet. There are some five distinct but 

 adjacent terrace gardens here. The general scheme 

 of these gardens is that they are rectangular, but on 

 different levels ; that the outer lines are enclosed by 

 a high parapet, elaborately decorated ; and that the 

 inner divisions and steps for descent and ascent are 

 made either of lower terra-cotta parapets, all of the 

 same beautifully warm creamy tint, or of low hedges 

 either of box or of laurel. Laurel and box both 

 contrast extremely well with the terra-cotta work. In 

 the large garden adjacent to the east front, and imme- 

 diately under it, is a series of the most elaborate and 

 beautifully designed flower-beds, edged with thin box, 

 and laid out in flowing lines. The blended masses 

 of colour are one of the sights of Northamptonshire. 



In one of the main terraces are two extremely 

 good fountains, their basins filled with clear water, 

 and in another a large circular pool, covered with 

 water-lilies. The connecting walks are fringed with 

 formally-cut Portugal laurels, rising from squares of 

 box, which conceal the receptacles in which they 

 stand. The scent from these box hedges, which are 

 repeated on a great scale in other and more ancient 

 gardens close by, is most refreshing and agreeable. 

 The outer balustrades are entwined with vine leaves, 

 the vine going excellently with the terra-cotta, and 

 draping the sunny seats of the same material with an 

 elegant profusion which suggests Northern Italy 

 rather than the English Midlands. In the lower 

 terrace gardens, looking more to the south-east, the 

 formal divisions are largely made by thick, low hedges 

 of laurel, which grows well here, as it always does on 

 heavy land. Picture all these terraces, with their 

 carefully designed " lay out," their setting of park, 

 castle, pleasaunce, church walls, lakes and distant 

 valley scenery, fill their beds with the brightest 

 hues and the purest colours with which Nature 

 paints her favourites of the flower world, and 

 some idea of these formal gardens may perhaps be 

 gained. 



Beyond them lie two other sets of gardens of a 

 different kind, some of them much older. A vast 

 orangery, full of tree ferns and palms, gives on to 

 what was formerly called the Italian garden, but 

 which is now assuming the appearance of lawns and 

 orchard ground. To the right, coming quite up to, 

 and in places overhanging, the western border of this 

 set of gardens, is a grove of forest trees. In front is 

 a classical triumphal arch, of great size, from the 

 summit of which the gardens can be seen as if on a 

 map. 



