LARGE COUNTRY VILLAS. 317 



and a plan of the roof in fig. 200. In the ground plan (fig. 199.), a is the entrance 



from the veranda ; b b, shelf for plants ; c, stage for plants ; d d d, veranda ; and e, the 



drawing-room. 

 d (h\fiy- 19<:.), Drawing-room window, which looks on the flower-garden, 

 e, Geranium liouse ; the communication between which and the camellia-house is by the 



veranda rf, in fig. 199. 

 /, Flower-garden, the view of which, from the dra\ving-room window, is shown in fig. 201. 

 g g, The rockwork surrounding the flower-garden. 

 h, Walk midway up the rockwork, but concealed from the eye below by the rocks between 



it and the flower-beds. 

 i. Stable. j, Stable-yard. k. Kitchen-garden. /, Reserve-garden. 



m, Grass field. «. Gardener's oflice and green-house. 



0, Under gardener's room. p, Back entrance to the stable-yard. 



q. Soil yard. r r. Back shed and other conveniences. s. Coal-house. 



t. Icehouse. u. Pond. v. Bee-house. 



w w, Flower-baskets on the lawn. a;, Road to Chester. 



y. Entrance-gate to the approach-road. s, Back approach. 



1, Back approach to the garden. 



2, Archway between the rock and the stables. 



3, Back entrance to the flower-garden. 4, Pavement under the veranda. 

 5, Back door to the rockwork and flower-garden. 6, Cow-house. 



7 7, Coach houses. S, Harness room. 9, Shrubbery. 



Fig. 202. is a view of the highest part of the rockwork, from the centre of 

 the flower-garden. The highest point is in the south-east angle, where it is 

 34 ft. above the level of the lawn. 



Fig. 203. is a view of the rockwork, the lawn, and the camellia-house, from 

 the rock-walk in the north-east angle. 



393. Remarks.— The striking effect produced by the flower-garden at 

 Ploole depends on the contrast between the smooth flat surface of the lawn, 

 with the uniformity of the circular beds, and the great irregularity of the 

 surrounding rockwork. The length of the flower-garden, within the rocky 

 boundary, is 60 yards, and the breadth 34 yards. The baskets, twenty-seven 

 in number, are in five straight rows, and each basket is a circle of 9 ft. 5 in. 

 in diameter. They are made of wire, worked on an iron rod, the rod being 

 placed upon small pegs, to keep the basket to the level of the grass; and they 

 are painted a yellow stone colour, to harmonise with the rocks and the veranda. 

 They stand 8 in. above the ground, the grass coming close to the iron rod. 

 The distance between each, across the garden, is 4 ft., and down the garden, 

 8 ft. 10 in. They are planted with spring, summer, and autumn flowers 

 mingled together ; and the spaces left, when those are over, are filled with 

 green- house plants, viz. geraniums, verbenas, &c., German stocks, and tender 

 annuals, which keep up the colour until the frosts destroy them : the hardy 

 perennials remain for the next season. 



394. The design of the rockwork was taken from a small model representing 

 the mountains of Savoy, with the valley of Chamouni : it has been the work 

 of many years to complete it, the difficulty being to make it stand against 

 the weather. Rain washed away the soil, and frost swelled the stones : 

 several times the mahi wall failed from the weight put upon it. The walls 

 and the foundation are built of the red sandstone of the country ; and the 

 other materials have been collected from various quarters, chiefly from Wales ; 

 but it is now so generally covered with creeping and alpine plants, that it all 

 mingles together in one mass. The outline, however, is carefully preserved ; 



