HOLLAND HOUSE AND GARDENS 



impression they made on me when I turned the corner of the house 

 from the north side, and came upon them suddenly. This garden, 

 which lies to the west of the house, is a vast parterre that slopes 

 gently downwards from the mansion, till it is shut in at the lower 

 end by the high, creeper-covered arcade just mentioned. My 

 drawing is taken looking east, in order to introduce the fine old 

 house itself as a background. The parterre is intersected by the 

 little, lozenge-shaped beds, known as " knots." These are separated 

 from each other by very narrow walks, edged with high box as 

 we have seen them in the Bishop's rose-garden at Fulham but 

 in this larger area the dividing borders are lost sight of, and the 

 effect in sunshine, is of a lake of scarlet flame. 



It is the fashion one which I have deprecated elsewhere to 

 brand the geranium as vulgar, and crude. It is undoubtedly 

 vulgar, in opposition to certain strongly-contrasting yellows and 

 blues ; or when used in " ribbon-borders," or, as commonly 

 planted, in beds, in the garden plots of suburban villas. But as 

 seen at Holland House it is a truly regal flower, and its splendour 

 under such conditions is undeniable. 



Quite as striking and surprising as the effect of this blazing 

 parterre, was the profound quiet and seclusion of the place. For 

 all that it is within a few minutes' walk of one of the liveliest of 

 London's thoroughfares, the sunny stillness was unbroken. 



' I might be fifty miles in the country," I said to myself, " instead 

 of well within the four-mile radius." 



True, the season was over ; the great house shut up ; society 

 had fled to the sea or the moor ; or had crossed the Channel, to the 

 Continent, for as yet no war. or rumours of war, had disturbed the 

 tranquility of Europe. But even in normal years, though fashion 

 is out of town there is an influx from the country to take its place ; 

 and the great arteries of London are thronged, and of these the 

 gayest and busiest is that which passes the handsome gates of 

 Holland House. 



Eighty years ago it was not so peaceful ; then the Whigs were in 

 power, and the house was the ministerial social headquarters. 

 Dinner-parties and crowded receptions were the order of the day. 

 Lady Holland, sardonic but brilliant, ill-tempered and kindly, 

 imperious, and gracious by turns, " received her subjects," says one 

 of them, " on her throne, a pony-chaise on the lawn "a much 



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