138 TOPIARY WORK AND AVENUES. 



alcoves, arbours, etc. The great extent of the topiary Avork at Elvastmi 

 is calculated to excite surprise rather than admiration, at the same 

 time its extreme formality is greatly relieved by the noble Conifers of 

 the Fir and Pine tribe which have been planted beside and around 

 it with no sparing hand, and by the beautiful view afforded by the 

 river Derweiit, in its winding course through the grounds. 



Avenues of Yew trees were formed as early as the Stuart period and 

 more frequently in the early Hanoverian times ; but the comparatively 

 slow growth of the trees and especially' the dark and gloomy aspect 

 produced by them when full grown and standing in close proximity to 

 rach other, caused the planting of Yew avenues to fall into disuse. 

 Among the most noteworthy still remaining are those at Cleisli Castle in 

 Kinross, Candover near Alresford, Overtoii-on-Dee near Ellesmere, and 

 Aberglasney in Carnarvonshire.* In Ireland where the humidity of the 

 climate induces a more rapid growth and a more verdant aspect of the 

 foliage, Yew avenues are scarcely so sombre as in Great Britain; mention 

 may be made of those at (Hencormas near Bray, < )ldcastle in Co. Meatli, 

 Clonfert in King's County and in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin. 

 At Ihmganstown in Co. AVicklow is a row or colonnade of Yew trees 

 remarkable for uniformity of growth so unusual in the Yew and the 

 consequent impressive effect produced by it. The trees, fifteen in number, 

 have straight undivided trunks to the greater part of their height which 

 exceeds forty feet and have an average girth of eight feet at three feet 

 from the ground; the distance between them varies from eight to sixteen 

 feet ; the branching begins at about eight feet from the ground and 

 continues regularly upwards forming a close mass of dark foliage to the 

 summit, f 



For the formation of hedges, the Yew has long been recognised as one, 

 of the best plants that can be selected, especially where space can be 

 allowed for it to attain the width necessary to render it an efficient 

 protective screen. A Yew hedge is also an ornamental adjunct to the 

 flower garden and pleasure grounds for which it not only forms an 

 efficient screen but it often produces a picturesque effect. Very old and 

 massive Yew hedges are to lie seen at Pewsey in Wiltshire, Melbourne 

 in Derbyshire, Holme Lacey near Hereford, Hadham in Hertfordshire, 

 Albury Park near Ouildford, and other places. 



The Yew sports into many varieties and sub- varieties, of which those 

 described in the preceding pages are distinct and ornamental, and 

 include some valuable additions to the resources of the gardener and 

 landscape planter, notably the varieties adprcssa, Dovastoni and 

 faxtiyiata (The Irish Yew).J 



The following account of the origin of the variety wl^rt^^a was 

 communicated to "The Garden" by the late Mr. Francis Dickson of 

 Chester: "This Yew was discovered by. my father Mr. Francis Dickson 

 about the year 1838 growing in a bed of seedlings of the common Yew. 

 Being of slow growth it was necessarily slow of propagation, and it took 



* Others are mentioned by Dr. Lowe in "The Yew Trees of Great Britain," pp. 1416. 



t For au opportunity of inspecting this singular arboreal phenomenon I am indebted to 

 the kindness of Mr. Thomas Acton, the genial proprietor of Kilmacurragh. 



t It is worthy of note that the most striking deviations from the common type are fruit- 

 bearing (female) plants, for such are culpressa, Dovastoni, f<txtigint. and fructu lutco. The 

 vars. dui-i'ii. (jlnucii (Blue John) and oVn>/V/^ are said to 'be males. 



