Crown Imi Gaj-den, Stoke Place. 525 



out as examples of inn gardens, to innkeepers in every part of 

 the kingdom. 



Sio/ce Place, Col. Vyse. — July 30. The surface is not much 

 varied, but the situation is elevated ; commanding the vale of 

 Windsor, the towers of the castle, and St. Leonard's Hill. 

 The house is a plain old English structure of brick, and we 

 were informed that it can be traced back to the possession of 

 one of the cooks of Queen Elizabeth. Its present possessor 

 is the author of several important works on military tactics. 

 Great improvements have lately been made in the grounds, 

 by the present gardener, Mr. Patrick, who has enlarged the 

 piece of water ; and, with the excavated soil, has beautifully 

 undulated the surrounding surface. In doing this, it became 

 necessary to earth up elms and cedars, to the height of from 

 4 ft. to 8 ft., and it is quite remarkable how little the trees 

 have suffered by this severe and dangerous operation. The 

 red cedar trees, when thus treated, are found to root into the 

 new soil, and to grow with fresh vigour. The elms spread 

 their roots to a great distance, and as the earthing up does 

 not extend far from their trunks, they may be considered as 

 saved by that circumstance. There are some fine old Caro- 

 lina poplars here, abounding with mistletoe, which Mr. Pa- 

 trick propagates freely, by rubbing the berries into the crevices 

 of the rough bark. Under the surface there is a substratum, 

 never thicker than 2 ft., of what is here called ragstone, a 

 conglomerate of flinty gravel, generally known as plumpud- 

 ding stone, with which Mr. Patrick has judiciously bordered 

 the water in some places, and formed rockwork, for plants, and 

 for the issue of water in the form of springs, in others. The 

 most ornamental parts of these grounds display rustic pedestals 

 and plant-vases of very tasteful design, by Mr. Patrick, sketches 

 of some of which he has promised to send us. There is a 

 circular flower-garden here, surrounded by festooned trellis- 

 work, with an open trellis bower in the centre, in Repton's 

 manner ; and a great many figures on the lawn (perhaps 

 rather too many), designed by Mr. Patrick. Numerous 

 green-house plants are sunk in the turf, as at Dropraore, and 

 one of the finest plants for making a small flowery tuft on 

 grass is found to be the Petunia phoenicea. But by far the 

 most interesting feature at Stoke Place is the kitchen-garden, 

 formed about four years ago by Mr. Patrick. The soil is of 

 a soapy loamy nature, particularly suitable for fruit trees; 

 and the consequence is, that the trees now on the walls, though 

 only in their fifth summer from being planted maiden plants, 

 cover the walls (which are 12 ft. high), and are loaded with 

 fruit. We could hardly have credited this, if we had not seen 



