[42 



GARDEN CRAFT IN EUROPE 



verdure formed a pleasing enclosure to the alley. In 1699 the property was 

 sold to the Due de Maine. The park and a few alleys still remain, but the 

 chateau and gardens have been much changed. The Pavilion de V Aurore 

 still exists and is a delightful specimen of the seventeenth century garden- 

 house at its best. 



An immense sum of money was spent upon the gardens of Saint Ger- 

 main. At one time Louis XIV thought of rebuilding the whole palace 

 upon a much more magnificent scale ; as it was, he added five pavilions 

 and employed Le Notre to re-design the gardens. The parterres were 



THE PARTERRE OF THE TUILERIES IN 1 73©. 



entirely transformed, chiefly to please the spirituelle Henriette d'Orleans. 

 A large bowling alley was laid out and three small terraces thrown into one 

 great lime-planted promenade, one of the finest walks in Europe, extending 

 nearly a mile and a half with a beautiful view overlooking the valley of 

 the Seine. James II in his exile used to take his daily walks here, and often 

 declared that the view from the terrace of Saint Germain was only equalled 

 by that from Richmond Hill. The length of the terrace is most impressive, 

 and the effect of distance is rendered even greater by a slight change of angle 

 towards the middle. 



Le Notre made considerable alterations to the gardens at Fontaine- 



