116 Notes on Gardens and Country Seats: — ■ 



such sacrilege will be perpetrated. We would rather recommend 

 recourse being had to the original plans for the palace and its 

 accompaniments ; and, as the site is elevated, and commands 

 extensive prospects on at least three sides, we would realise all 

 the accompaniments, such as terraces and gardens, and build 

 walls representing the general outline of the house. We would 

 raise these walls to the intended height of the basement floor, 

 and on this level platform, we would form a flower-garden, or 

 even a plain area of smooth turf, from which the views of the 

 surrounding country might be enjoyed. We would even go a 

 step farther, and carry up the walls so as to terminate them a few 

 feet higher than the platform, irregularly, distinctly indicating the 

 openings for the windows, &c, and varying the whole with vege- 

 tation, so as to make it appear like a ruin. The situation is well 

 adapted for a magnificent house, from its dry gravelly soil, as well as 

 from its elevated surface ; and we only wonder that any one should 

 reside, even for a month or two, in such a low, dull, damp situation 

 as Coombe Abbey, who had an opportunity of building here. The 

 kitchen-garden intended for the palace contains seven acres, and 

 the walks, which are of turf, were originally of such a width as 

 to admit of a carriage driving all round and through the garden. 

 The kitchen-garden in those days, it must be recollected, formed 

 a part of the pleasure-ground, and, in correspondence with this 

 idea, the terrace above mentioned is on that side of it which is 

 opposite to the house. This magnificent terrace is now used as 

 a rabbit warren. The walls of the kitchen-garden are most 

 substantial, being built of sound brick, and well protected with 

 stone copings. Against one of them the original fig trees still con- 

 tinue to bear excellent crops. There is a commodious gardener's 

 house, with large lofty rooms; and some new hot-houses have 

 been commenced. One of these, a peach-house, is heated by 

 steam, by Messrs. Bailey of Holborn, the iron pipes being cast 

 so as to imitate cables, in allusion to the late earl's fondness for 

 maritime pursuits. The present residence of Hampstead Park 

 is more than half a mile from this ancient garden, on a declivity 

 in the lower part of the grounds. It is very pleasingly situated, 

 and, though it was originally nothing more than a keeper's lodge, 

 it is now enlarged, and has been rendered fit for the residence 

 of a wealthy family. As both the additions to the house and to 

 the grounds have been made by degrees, and without any pre- 

 viously concerted plan, with a view to unity of system and effect, 

 it is not to be expected that much instruction can be derived 

 from studying the general arrangement of this residence; but 

 there is a great deal of variety in the details, and nothing can 

 exceed the excellence of the culture of the flowers and shrubs. 



There are several separate flower-gardens, each laid out 

 with taste, and planted with the choicest species and varieties. 



