6 Notes on Gardens and Country Seats : — 



piece of lawn at the commencement of the avenue near the 

 lodge, some patches of ^Eiica vulgaris, which, perhaps, to many 

 might appear to look out of place ; there could be no objection, 

 however, to this plant being introduced as a skirting at each side 

 of the avenue, close to the bottom of the branches of the trees. 



Tajplow House. — I was highly delighted with the grounds at 

 Taplow House, the seat of Pascoe Grenfell, Esq. ; and I know 

 of no place of equal extent that could afford me greater satis- 

 faction ; but, as you have given in detail most of the beauties of 

 this place (Vol. IX. p. 658.), I shall refrain, and only notice a 

 few things which may be interesting to some of your readers. 

 Mr. Springall is still here, and, I believe, enjoys the respect of 

 all who know him. He is a good gardener, and indefatigable in 

 his pursuits to bring to, and keep in, perfection all that comes 

 under his management. The cones of pelargoniums noticed by 

 you are more splendid than ever, and form very delightful objects 

 on the lawn; but, as they are taken up every autumn, it is almost 

 wonderful how they are so well kept, as to be brought out every 

 spring, with little or no injury. I think Mr. Springall told me 

 that now one or two of them were 7 ft. high, and S^ ft. in di- 

 ameter. Mr. Springall, in common with many of his profession, 

 is a lover of dahlias ; but, perhaps, not so much in the way of a 

 florist as some others ; as he retains a prime dahlia, if a good bor- 

 der flower, as answering his purpose equally with any new variety 

 that may turn up. Hence, he has many excellent varieties which, 

 as show flowers, would be thought little of. His mode of en- 

 livening the clumps of evergreens on the lawn, as well as the 

 shrubberies which may chance to fall on the sides of the walks, 

 may be worthy of notice, as being not generally adopted. He 

 allows about 4j ft. space of border round the clumps, and along 

 the shrubberies ; which, during the summer, is well supplied with 

 a portion of every thing that is showy and beautiful ; and it is 

 astonishing what effect he produces by this means. On one side 

 of the lawn is a small oval flower-garden, quite in seclusion : the 

 beds ai-e on grass, and most of them filled with masses of the 

 most choice flowering plants of the present day. This is a very 

 pleasing retreat, in which there is a small recess with a seat, 

 overhung with foliage. There was a beautiful cone of trained 

 purple petunias on the lawn, which, with the cones of geraniums, 

 and other tasteful devices, rendered the whole most delightful. 



In walking round the kitchen-garden, I was arrested by the 

 appearance of a fine and full crop of raspberries just coming in 

 for gathering : this, on the first day of September, I thought a 

 rare thing, particularly as I saw that they were not of the old 

 double-bearing kind. Mr. Springall told me they were a distinct 

 variety from any other, and that he received them, some years 

 ago, from the north ; but, nevertheless, that a different kind of 



