MAY. 217 



on each side, and is finished by a large rustic summer-house 

 at the Bayswater end. An elegant church spire also forms a 

 conspicuous object behind the summer-house. 



Of individual features, if we enter the gardens near the 

 bridge over the Serpentine and keep on the east side of the 

 water, some noble old Spanish chestnut trees, which are Avell 

 worthy of notice, will be found on the right, just within the 

 gates. From this point to the head of the Serpentine, the 

 walk beneath the fine old trees, with glimpses of the water 

 and of the lawn and trees on the opposite bank, is one of the 

 best parts of the gardens, the trees being more mature and 

 more picturesquely disposed, and the ground less flat and 

 tame, and the whole scene forming better and more varied 

 combinations than will be found anywhere else throughout 

 the gardens. The new masses of shrubs on the western 

 margin of the Serpentine, overrun with common laurel to an 

 extent which almost conceals the rhododendrons, of which 

 they appear destined ultimately to be composed, are nearly 

 the only deformities in this portion of the gardens. 



After rounding the head of the water, the border of rarer 

 plants, including a great number of good thorns, is seen on 

 the right, and contiimes for some distance along the Uxbridge 

 road. The greater part of these plants are well labelled. On 

 the left, a kind of wilderness stretches far and wide, composed 

 of tall trees alone, with no shrubs or undergrowth, but car- 

 peted with grass, over any part of which the visitor may walk 

 as he pleases, and none but pedestrians are allowed in these 

 gardens. Nothing could be better adapted than all this park 

 for a pleasant stroll in hot weather ; although variety, or any 

 artistic arrangement, is by no means to be found here. 



A little distance from the Serpentine, along by the northern 

 boundary of the gardens, is a large mass of Scotch firs, some 

 of which are interesting and picturesque, and their existence 

 in this place forms a pleasant change from the comparatively 

 monotonous foliage of deciduous trees. Considerably further 

 on, and near the western boundary, there is a great number 

 of evergreens of large size, being chiefly hollies, cedars of 

 Lebanon, and yews, often thrown together in groups of 



VOL. XXII. — NO. v. 28 



