EXAMPLES OF GARDEN DESIGN. 



From this it will be seen that the entertaining rooms and hall occupy three sides of 

 the house. The site upon which the whole has been erected, and for a considerable 

 distance round it, is practically flat ; but the ground floor of the house had been very 

 wisely raised some four feet above the general level, thus allowing of a terrace which is 

 carried round the South and East fronts. In addition to the four feet gained by rais- 

 ing the mansion, the ground falls about five feet to both West and East ; the level 

 of the kitchen gardens and of the lower step into the rose garden being almost the same. 

 On account of this rise in floor level, and of the fall to the park and kitchen garden, 

 the Hall looks much more elevated than it did before the commencement of these im- 

 provements. To gain a clear idea of this change of level, two sections are here given ; 

 section A.B. showing the terrace to the South, the drive and the rose garden, and 

 section C.D. the terraces and flower garden to the East side of house. 



Only two portions of the present scheme existed prior to my being consulted. 

 These are the kitchen garden, and the moat or pond, both of which, as shown on the 

 plan, are slightly altered. The moat seems at one time to have surrounded monastic or 



Gardens on 

 a flat site, 



FIG. 406. SECTIONS THROUGH GROUNDS AT LITTLE ONN HALL. 



other important buildings, and to have been stocked with fish. The old fish stews, 

 divided into five compartments, still remain, and are being carefully preserved. 



Before this work was carried out, the house had the appearance of growing out of 

 the ground, without any architectural supports or base. In a hilly and rocky country, 

 this may occasionally be a proper way for it to be arranged, especially when it reposes 

 on a cliff or rocks ; but in a level country the arrangement is apt to give the building 

 a depressed appearance, and suggest dampness. 



It will thus be seen that in designing these gardens, the improvements to be aimed 

 at were, first, and most important, to give elevation and base to the house, secured, as 

 has been suggested, by an arrangement of terraces ; secondly, to impart plenty of colour, 

 which is provided by the rose gardens, flower gardens, and borders arranged for herba- 

 ceous flowering plants ; finally, to unite the old kitchen garden and moat with the other 

 portion of the pleasure grounds. The total area remodelled, including the kitchen 

 garden, is eight and a half acres, and within this area considerable variety has been 

 obtained, while the compactness of the gardens allows of their being kept in good order 

 with the minimum of labour. 



361 



