HISTORICAL GARDENS 309 



cutting down his trees, then some thirty-five years old. 

 Strype, however, protests that he only cut down " two 

 or three of the decayed ones." That there should be 

 a controversy on the subject only shows how much 

 was thought of Grindal's planting. The same thing 

 happened after the death of Compton, the next great 

 planter, as Robinson, who followed him, let the gar- 

 dener sell and cut down as much as he liked. In our 

 own day, even, some of Compton's elms have been 

 removed, to make the alterations in the Bishop's Park 

 when it was opened to the public. The Bishop's Park 

 is the long, narrow strip of land between the moat and 

 the river. Flowering shrubs on the bank of the moat, 

 and rows of cut plane trees by the river, have been 

 planted. There are two long asphalt paths, and some 

 bedding out and rock gardening between the grass 

 lawns. It is now kept in order by the Borough of 

 Fulham, which reminds the public of the fact by the 

 notices stuck up : " Ratepayers, protect your property." 

 The Elm Avenue was part of Compton's design, and 

 many very fine trees known to be his remain to this 

 day. During the long duration of his episcopate — 1675 

 to 1 7 14 — he had time to see his plants grow and flourish. 

 His gardening achievements were much appreciated in his 

 own day. John Evelyn, a great authority on horticul- 

 tural matters, was often at Fulham. He notes in his 

 Diary on Oct. 11, 1681 : "To Fulham to visit the 

 Bishop of London, in whose garden I first saw the Sedum 

 arborescens in flower, which was exceedingly beautiful." 

 Richard Bradley, a well-known gardener, in his book 

 published in 17 17, quotes many of the plants at Ful- 

 ham as examples in his pages. With regard to the 

 passion flower, his notice is interesting, as it gives the 



