ISO LONDON TREES 



these gardens, especially when used alone or with 

 few other lower growing kinds as underwood. For 

 small areas, such as some of the squares, the Plane, 

 being of gigantic growth and one of our noblest forest 

 trees, seems rather out of place. In comparing 

 Berkeley and Hanover Squares, where nothing but Plane 

 trees have been planted, with, say, Bedford, Russell, 

 or Gordon Squares, with their neatly kept turf and well- 

 grown specimens of the Weeping Ash, Thorns of 

 various kinds, the beautiful Cut-leaved Pyrus, Ailanthus, 

 Laburnum, and Holly, which latter adds quite a cheery 

 and furnished aspect to the grounds during winter, 

 the difference is very pronounced. In Russell Square, 

 where the Plane is largely planted, the Holly is 20 feet 

 high, while the beautiful flowering Laburnums have 

 attained to a large size, some of the stems being 

 18 inches in diameter. Two large Acacia trees, with 

 a quantity of dead wood and rough diseased stems, 

 are evidently amongst the oldest of their kind in 

 London. This square, which is one of the largest in 

 London, was laid out in 1810 by Repton, the famous 

 landscape gardener. 



The Planes in Berkeley Square, some two dozen 

 in number, though of giant proportions, can hardly 

 be classed as ornamental owing to the curiously 

 buttressed or bottle-shaped trunks ; and in St. James's 

 Square only a few Ailanthus, Thorns, and two solitary 

 Elms relieve the monotony caused by the Planes, 

 which in this instance are rather poor and weedy. 

 The nineteen Plane trees in Trafalgar Square are other 

 examples of the too free use of a single species. The 

 Holly hedge and big Ash tree in Cavendish Square are 

 quite features of the garden. While Soho Square, from 

 its smoky and dusty surroundings, would hardly be 



