KOTAL oAnDExs.] PRACTICE OF IIORTICULTUllE. 



[at WINDSOtt. 



nutl a part of the soutli, fruiit. Duiiiifj the Britain. Tho Great Park lias a circumference 

 reign of William and Mary, the Litllo Park of eif^hteun mili's ; and both it and tlio Littlo 



was enclosed by a brick wall, ami avenues of 

 elms and clumps of forest trei's planled. This 

 was continueil to bo done by Queen Anne ; 

 but not one of these autjust personaj^es seema 

 to have thought anything about a garden. 

 Although plans seem to have been suggested 

 for furnishing tho caallo with gardens and 

 plea^^ure-groumls, they do not ap[)ear to have 

 borne fruit. Wiiately, the author of Obaei-va- 

 tioris on Modern Gardening, wrote, in 1772, a 

 paper upon the subject, which he left in manu- 

 script, and which, many years afterwards, 

 came to light in the Gardener s Magazine. In 

 this paper he says — " A more magnificent and 

 deliglitful royal residence can hardly be 

 imagined than that of "Windsor Castle. Tiie 

 eminence on which the castle stauds is de- 

 tached from every other, and advanced into 



Park aro studded with largo treea, mostly 

 arranged in avenues. It is observed by 

 Whately, that the space which these avenues 

 enclose might be divided into three parts. 

 "Tho declivities of the hill towards Trog- 

 moro and Datcliet aro comprehended within 

 one of these divisions ; tho level from the foot 

 of tho hill towards Datchct, constitutes tho 

 second ; and all tho plain which borders on 

 tlio Thames, from Datchct to Eton bridge, is 

 included in tho third." ]\Ir. Loudon observes, 

 that, in the first of these divisions, the ground 

 varies considerably. Ancient oaks and lofty 

 elms are scattered about, sometimes crowning 

 tltc brow of the descent, and at others giving 

 richness to tho valleys. Among these trees 

 appear diflercnt views of the towers of the 

 castle ; and, from some points, two fronts may 



the plain which it commands ; it falls in a ' at once be seen in perspective. The beauties 

 bold slope on one side, wiiile it is easy of i in the second division are of a tamer character, 

 access on the other ; and, as the palace occu- The castle is entirely hid ; and the principal 

 pies almost all the brow, the whole liill seems ' point of importance is a little water-course, 

 but a base to the building. It rises in the which might easily be converted into a rivulet, 

 midst of an enchanting country, and it is Tiie plain between the castle and the Thames 

 there the most distinguished spot; but though is remarkably rich; and it is on this side that 

 the situation is singular, it is not extravagant ; the slopes are situated, which, in the latter part 

 it is great, but not wild. It is in itself noble, of the reign of George III., were turned into 

 and all around it is beautiful. The view from a garden. On the other side of the Great 



the terrace is not the most picturesque, but it 

 is the ga^'est that can be conceived. The 

 Thames uilTuses a cheerfulness throuirli all the 



Park stretches "Windsor Forest — a vast tract, 

 which exhibits almost every possible variety 

 of scenery. The slopes, which form the 



counties where it flows; and this is, in itself, declivity of the hill, making the north ter 



peculiarly cheerful. It is luxuriantly fertile ; 

 it is highly cultivated ; it is full of villas and 



race, were first enclosed in the reign of George 

 III.; but about eighteen acres of pleasure- 



villages, and they are scattered all over it — grounds adjoining them were subsequently 



laid out. 



not crowded together. No hurry of business 

 appears, and iio dreary waste is in sight. 

 Country churches and gentlemen's seats are 



In the reign of George IV., a grant was 

 obtained for making improvements in "Windsor 

 everywhere intermixed with the fields and Castle ; and a suite oi apartments was built, 

 the trees. E\ery spot seems improved, but under tho direction of tSir Jelfery Wyatville, 

 improved for the purposes of pleasure. All are a new terrace being formed in front of them, 

 rural, none are solitary : and the amenity of 1 which was carried round a small flower-garden, 

 the plain is, at the same time, contrasted with ' This garden coniprises between three and 

 the rich woods in the Great Park — their height, four acres; and is twelve or fifteen feet below 



their shade, and their verdure." 



the level of the new terrace, which is on the 



This enthusiasm of Whately is by no means same level as the old terraces. The descent 

 undeserving his theme ; for, in reality, the to the garden is by two flights of stone steps, 

 whole domain which encircles the castle of Tiie orangery is formed under part of the ter- 

 AVindsor, is, perhaps, not only the most beau- race, and has an opaque roof. It is lighted by 

 tiful, but the moat maguiliccut in Great upright windows, after the manner of the old 



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