262 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



fectly unaccountable to me in this country, where are to be 

 found the best landscape gardeners in the world, and in such 

 a park as this, wheie one would naturally suppose the best 

 talent would be employed. 



In this park the comparatively recent principle of allowing 

 the aristocracy to build villas and enclose grounds has been 

 adopted, and several fine villas have been erected, with am- 

 ple pleasure grounds surrounding them ; and, so far as scenic 

 effect is concerned, they may be considered quite an addition 

 to the park. 



Around the park is a belt of villas and terraces, (which 

 here means a block or range of splendid residences,) occupy- 

 ing three quarters of the distance, and furnishing many fine 

 views. The remainder of the belt is occupied by the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens, which are most decidedly the finest of their 

 kind I ever saw. 



The order and keeping of the trees, turf, walks, &c., are 

 as good as could be expected on a wet, heavy, undrained 

 clay subsoil. 



The worst faults I find here are the long, straight walk 

 running over undulating ground — the groups of trees are too 

 small and too few, and there is an almost total want of shrub- 

 bery. 



VICTORIA PARK. 



This park lies on the northeast side of London, near Hack- 

 ney. It was commenced in 1842, and opened in about three 

 years from that time. It contains nearly 300 acres, and is 

 chiefly for the use of the large and crowded districts of 

 Bethnal Green, White Chapel, and Shoreditch. The site is 

 in no way an inviting one, being perfectly flat, and moreover 

 it is severed into two parts by a public road. 



The original design for the improvements was very defect- 

 ive, and all the works were executed in the worst and cheap- 

 est manner. 



A few years since, Mr. Gibson was appointed to the charge 

 of the park, since which a gradual remodelling of it has been 

 going on, which will ultimately make it a very interesting 

 park. 



