70 Gardening and Botany of Spain. 



To the north of the Prado, and at no great distance from 

 it, between Colmenar Viejo and Fuencarzal, there is another 

 palace called La Quinta del Principe Pio, because this 

 prince made a present of it to the king. It is situated in a 

 narrow valley, whose southern side is planted with vines of 

 muscadine grapes ; a delightful orchard embowers the bottom 

 of the dale, and the northern side, facing the south, is laid out 

 with flowers and shrubs, the slopes being disposed in terraces, 

 and decorated with fountains and statues ; and lastly, over the 

 summit of the northern hill, is a magnificent semicircular basin, 

 the greater part is roofed in the shape of a shell ; the roof 

 and basin representing in some measure an oyster half open. 



Among the gardens near the capital, belonging to private 

 individuals, those found in the two Carabancheles, not quite a 

 league from it, deserve attention ; particularly those belonging 

 to the Count Miranda and Countess Chinchon, the one belong- 

 ing to the same Countess at Bobadilla, those possessed by the 

 Duke del Infantado in Chamartin, and above all the one kept by 

 the. Duchess of Venevente (known by the name of the 

 Alameda). It is but justice to Her Grace, to state that she 

 has more spirit and taste in botany and gardening, than all 

 the other grandees of Spain put together. Almeda is embel- 

 lished with fountains, basins, cascades, canals, statues, temples, 

 &c., and well provided with glass frames, in which many 

 curious exotic plants are kept. 



Within the walls of Madrid, the most remarkable garden 

 is that of the Buen Retiro, which contains a menagerie. 

 Before the war of independence, it was the most delightful 

 promenade in the environs of Madrid ; but nearly the whole 

 of it, with the superb china manufactory it contained, was de- 

 stroyed at that period ; subsequently, however, the king has 

 laid out a great deal of money in repairs, and in giving it a new 

 form, adorning it with fountains and basins, which are new 

 features, and sinking a well to provide a sufficient supply of 

 water, of which it was rather destitute before. The king has 

 also caused a small dock-yard to be constructed, close to the 

 large basin belonging to the place where the barges and royal 

 yachts are built. 



The public enjoy the privilege of walking in the greater 

 part of these gardens, (which appear to exceed the Regent's 

 Park in extent,) the remainder being exclusively for the 

 recreation of the royal family : this latter portion is enclosed 

 by a wall, and is laid out in pleasure-ground, orchards, and 

 kitchen-gardens ; the pleasure-ground has a feature called a 

 Russian mountain. 



