THE LURE OF THE GARDEN 



gave birth to Inigo Jones and to Le Notre. Jones de- 

 signed many of the splendid gates in wrought-iron that 

 first came into use in the time of the Stuarts, besides 

 the cottages and summer-houses, the pavilions and ter- 

 races with their flights of steps that remain a joy to this 

 day. Le Notre's influence on English gardens of this 

 period is marked, and it is supposed that he accepted 

 Charles II's invitation to come to London, though there 

 is no direct proof of this. 



Such places as Hampton Court, Hatfield, Packwood, 

 and Kew are full of fine examples of the best seven- 

 teenth-century taste. The famous flower-pot gates at 

 Hampton Court make one of the most magnificent en- 

 trances to a great place that can be imagined. The 

 high brick walls with their stone copings curve up to 

 the immense sculptured stone pillars, surmounted by 

 cupids holding carved baskets overflowing with fruit 

 and flowers; between these are the great wooden 

 doors studded with iron, and over the wall hang many 

 varieties of vines, now completely hiding it, now re- 

 vealing the pink bricks or gray-white pilasters. An- 

 other beautiful gate belonging to the same place is of 

 wrought-iron in a design full of grace and strength, 

 attained by a semi-circular flight of stone steps and 

 hung between two brick pillars topped with stone balls. 

 Even more perfect is Drayton, with its pleached alleys, 

 its brick walls infinitely varied and yet harmonious, 

 its grills and gates of wrought-iron, its niches, busts, 



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