Gardens and Country Residences in Leicestershire. 421 



We intended to touch on some other topics, and especially 

 on plantations, roads, and cemeteries ; but we defer these for 

 the present, thinking that we may employ ourselves more to 

 the advantage of our readers by proceeding on our journey. 

 No. 1. St. Peter's Place, Peterloo, Manchester, 



June 30. .1831. J. C. L. 



Art. II. Remarks on some Gardens and Country Residences in 

 Leicestershire. By Mr. Alexander Gordon. 



Sir, 



I GENERALLY avail myself of every favourable opportunity 

 to visit as many gardens as I possibly can, being well aware 

 that by acute observation much is to be learned in this manner 

 in a very short period. It enables a gardener to become 

 acquainted with the practice and improvements of others ; it 

 convinces him of his own imperfections, and proves a stimulus 

 to activity and perseverance. In conformity with this rule, I 

 have lately visited, with a few exceptions, the principal gardens 

 in this county (Leicestershire), and I now send you a brief 

 account of what came under my observation worthy of notice. 

 I shall here remark, as a hint to others, that I do not confine 

 my researches entirely to the gardens : where practicable, 

 I make a point of seeing and learning every circumstance 

 worthy of observation. Our knowledge cannot be too great, 

 nor the channels too various from which we obtain it. 



Belvoir Castle claims the priority of every other seat in this 

 county ; it is the princely residence of the Duke of Rutland, 

 and a magnificent castellated structure on the summit of a 

 lofty hill. On the southern slope are enclosed terraces, on 

 which there are several flower-gardens, tastefully laid out, the 

 beds on gravel, and well stocked with choice old herbaceous 

 plants ; the whole surrounded by extensive shrubberies. The 

 kitchen-gardens, &c., within the walls are extensive (eight 

 acres). The entrance to the garden is good, built in the cas- 

 tellated style, to correspond with the mansion. The walls 

 are excellent, and now well covered with fruit trees, well 

 trained, and in good condition. There are several good 

 ranges of hot-houses for growing pines, grapes, peaches, 

 &c. ; in all of which the crops were excellent, with the ex- 

 ception of the pines. In front of the houses there is a very 

 extensive flower-garden ; the beds on gravel : but, although 

 the plan is good, the whole suffers materially from inju- 

 diciously filling several of the beds with strawberries and 



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