NOTES ON THE ILLUSTRATIONS 



is in every way creditable even to a man of his reputation. The 

 terraced slope in front of the house is generously proportioned and 

 is planted with evergreen shrubs which are ample in form and yet 

 do not rise high enough to obstruct the view from above. The 

 rose garden at the side of the house is on the level formed by the 

 upper terrace, and, as befits its situation, is treated with more 

 minuteness of detail and with more definite formality, but it is not 

 overcrowded, and the pyramidal shrubs set round the fountain in 

 the centre are not of sufficient size to dwarf the flower beds, which 

 are the essential facts of the design. Throughout the whole of the 

 grounds this consideration for correct proportion is apparent, and to 

 it is due the air of completeness which distinguishes the place. 

 At Packwood, in Warwickshire (Plate XCVI.), a remarkable 

 example of topiary work exists — it is supposed to represent the 

 Sermon on the Mount. On the mount stands a large yew tree, 

 generally called " the pinnacle of the temple," and this symbolises 

 Christ preaching ; and below are four tall yews, and two rows of 

 six other yews, which represent the four Evangelists and the twelve 

 Apostles, while other trees again stand for the multitude listening 

 to the sermon. The group is a curious instance of the fancy which 

 the old formal gardeners at times brought into their work. The 

 subject at Packwcod which has been selected for reproduction is 

 practical rather than fanciful, an excellently designed flight or 

 terrace steps which is all the more interesting because its beauty 

 comes from simple and unpretending fitness rather than from 

 dependence upon special architectural graces. The gardens at 

 Rangemore (Plates XCVII. and XCVIII.) have been formed 

 during recent years and owe most of their attractiveness of effect 

 to the invention and direction of the head gardener, Mr. W. 

 Bennett. For the most part they have a naturalistic character, 

 but a certain amount of formal work finds place in them, and the 

 circular rose garden, in particular, is a very telling example of 

 ordered arrangement. Against the dark yew hedge by which it is 

 encircled the wreaths and festoons of roses are brilliantly relieved 

 and their brightness of colour is accentuated by the deep tones of 

 the background of foliage. The study of the end of the formal 

 garden shows a rather unusual mingling of formality and wild nature, 

 but this departure from the usual gardening convention is quite 

 permissible and justifies itself by its fortunate result. 

 The view of the south front of Renishaw (Plate XCIX.) shows a 

 rather uncommon treatment of the ground immediately round the 

 house. Below the grass terrace which runs along the front is a 

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