EXAMPLES OF GARDEN DESIGN. 



A HIGHLAND GARDEN. 



The seat of Major MacRae-Gilstrap is a charming domain on Loch Fyne, a good A Highland 

 view of the mansion being obtained from the steamers to and from Inveraray, at a point garden. 

 near the Beacon or Otter, the new pier at Otter Ferry being on the estate. This pier 

 is now the principal point of debarkation, but during certain months of the year the 

 pier at Tighnabruaich has to be used, and, as this is some twelve miles distant, it was 

 considered advisable (on account of this isolation) to make the mansion and grounds in 

 themselves as complete and interesting as possible. At the time I was called in to 

 advise, it had been decided to add considerably to the main building and to bring the 

 old portions, which possessed little architectural merit, into character with the new work, 

 additions and improvements which were most successfully carried out by W. Lieper, 

 Esq., R.S.A., of Glasgow. 



Except for a fine walled-in kitchen garden, the main carriage drives shown on the 

 plan, which have only been slightly altered, and a little stretch of lawn on the Eastern 

 side of the house, it could not be said that " grounds," in the usual acceptance of the 

 term, existed. The idea presented by the site was, that it had formerly been a bluff or 

 hill which had been levelled down to form a base on which to place the residence, the 

 material excavated being thrown over the edge of the already steep embankment leading 

 down to the stream, which latter, as it then was, flowing between ugly, irregular, mortar 

 built walls, could not be said to be a natural feature. 



The estate as a whole is splendidly wooded, especially near the house, where certain 

 ornamental trees, including conifers apparently of fifty or sixty years' growth, are dotted 

 about the lawn, the positions of these and also of some very old hollies being indicated 

 on the plan. Almost all the hills on the estate are planted, and, as seen from the man- 

 sion, form numerous pleasing glades and vistas, and the ground below the carriage court 

 falls in sloping undulations to the shore of the Loch. The drive to the right of the 

 plan is used as an approach from Tighnabruaich, and also leads by a branch drive to 

 the stables, while that to the left passes for about a mile and a half along the shore 

 to Otter Ferry. It may be added that the home-park, which of course is divided 

 into a series of fields and plantations on which considerable improvements have been 

 effected, extends to about one thousand acres. 



These conditions have had a marked influence on the arrangement of the plan of 

 the house. Both dining and drawing rooms have, for the purpose of gaining a view 

 of the loch, a window overlooking the carriage court, while the principal window of the 

 drawing-room overlooks the terraces. The large hall is lighted by the mullioned bay 

 window shown on the section at the foot of the plan (111. No. 402), the billiard and 

 smoke rooms being in the tower ; both the hall and billiard-room overlook the sundial 

 garden and the summer-house walk. 



The plan just referred to does not however include the whole of the pleasure 

 grounds, as to have done so would have reduced the details too minutely. It may 

 however be noted that, amongst other things, a fine cricket crease has been laid down, 

 and that, adjoining the grounds, there is a cottage, which in Scotland is generally known 

 as the Dower house. This has its own gardens, and also a separate drive leading to it, 

 all laid out from the writer's designs. 



In execution, the plan has been modified in one or two details, such as by the 

 omission of the bridge across the ravine, and a slight alteration to the terraces. It 

 will be noticed that the scheme as a whole includes almost every type of garden plan- 

 ning, from the formal terraces to the freest possible treatment of the stream (111. No. 404). 

 Perhaps the most noticeable features are the long straight lines of walk, especially the one 

 leading to the summer-house, and in the opposite direction the one which is carried over 

 the bridge and on to the opposite side of the valley. There are also the long terrace walls, 



357 



