172 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



water has, however, a good effect. Along the south side of 

 the garden, at a- very short distance from the palace, a profu- 

 sion of shrubs and exotic plants begin to appear ; and here, 

 also, there is a small flower garden of a very creditable char- 

 acter. Walks, winding among masses of shrubs, bring us 

 occasionally to the margin of the lawn, affording a variety of 

 pleasing views across it to the lake ; and they sometimes carry 

 us along the side of the wall next Constitution Hill, where 

 the boundary has rather happily been disguised by dense 

 plantations of shrubs and trees ; the branches of the former 

 now extending out on the lawn, with a nice fringy line, So 

 as to show no dug ground or border. There is a good deal 

 of the same kind of treatment throughout the garden, and it 

 has a very pleasing effect in such a place as this, where 

 flower borders are not desired. The masses of rhododendrons 

 and other evergreens are in excellent condition. 



The walk adjoining Constitution Hill gives exit from the 

 garden near the Triumphal Arch opposite Hyde Park corner. 

 Another walk is continued around in the direction of Gros- 

 venor Place, and a branch walk also crosses the lake by the 

 bridge. Both these walks conduct to the foot of the large 

 mound on the western side of the garden, where another path 

 is carried over the mound so as to afford many different 

 glimpses of the garden, through the opening in the screen of 

 shrubs. The face of this mound is planted chiefly with li- 

 lacs, and other deciduous flowering plants, which must be 

 exceedingly gay in the spring of the year, but are rather dull 

 in autumn and winter. They are for the most part growing 

 on a grassy slope. 



About midway along the top of the bank is a charming 

 little Italian temple, called the (Queen's summer-house, which 

 is most admirably placed for commanding views of the lake 

 and garden, and has a broad terrace in front of it, to afford 

 space for enjoying them. In regard to both its position and 

 character, it is quite the leading feature of the place. But its 

 interior is still more worthy of attention, as containing eight 

 frescoes illustrative of Milton's Comus, executed by Eastlake, 

 Maclise, E. Landseer, Dyce, Stanfield, Uwins, Leslie, and 



