342 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 



called " Dalea " by Linnasus, after Dr. Samuel Dale, who 

 died in 1739, a well-known botanist and friend of Ray. 

 The dahlia was named long after in honour of the 

 Swedish botanist Dahl. 



The so-called "Japanese garden" was made by the 

 late Lord Ilchester. It is extremely pretty, but is 

 entirely an English idea of what a Japanese garden is 

 like, and, however pleasing it may be to the uninitiated, 

 would probably shock the Japanese gardener, who is 

 guided by as precise rules in his garden, as the painter 

 in his art. In Japan the rules governing the laying-out 

 of a garden are so exact that, apparently, it requires 

 years of study to acquire the rudiments. The Japanese 

 garden at Holland House, which is pleasing to the 

 English eye, consists of a little stream descending 

 through grassy lawns, with groups of plants, a stone 

 lantern, and rustic bridges, and water plants at each 

 little pond. The delightful Iris ktempferi flowers well, 

 and yuccas, which, by the way, come from America, 

 and not Japan ; neither do Aralia spinosa or Saxifraga 

 peltata^ which together form charming groups, with 

 auratum lilies in the summer and other Japanese plants. 

 The French hybrid water-lilies, of varying shades of 

 pink, red, and yellow, here too make a picture, with 

 their brilliant blossoms floating on the miniature pools 

 — while bamboos, maples, and eulalias, true natives of 

 Japan, make a soft and feathery background. Above 

 the Japanese garden there is a well-furnished rock 

 garden, and between that and the roses, which make 

 such a grand display on the north of the house, green 

 walks through rhododendrons and flowering shrubs 

 unite the gardens. There are some really fine trees, 

 as well as all the charming flowers, in the grounds. 



