562 Gay-dens, remarJmhle Trees, SfC, 



likewise, were very good ; and some of the grapes, especially the 

 Black Prince and black Frontignan, were very superior. 

 Amusi 18. 1836. 



Art. II. Notices of Gardens, remarkable Trees, <^c., in the Enviro7is 

 of Lichfield, Staffordshire. By Mr. J, Grigor, Lichfield. 



Elford Park, the Seat of Colonel Howard. — This garden is 

 situated close to the village of Elford; and its good effects in 

 stimulating the villagers to adorn their cottages with various 

 beautiful creepers is very striking, and illustrative of the im- 

 provement that might be effected by having free gardens esta- 

 lished throughout the country. The proprietor and his lady 

 both delight in gardening ; and to this circumstance may be 

 attributed the high state of cultivation and refinement which 

 the pleasure-grounds and garden exhibit. The range of green- 

 houses, hot-houses, &c., is very extensive, and contains many 

 novelties. Mr. Buck, the gardener, has discovered a plan of 

 fruiting the vine which he thinks will be approved of, and which 

 he has promised to make known. Among the remarkable trees 

 in this place is an oak, the trunk of which is 8 ft. 9 in. in 

 diameter; and a common hawthorn, diameter of the trunk, 3 ft. 



2 in., and that of the space covered by the branches 45 ft. In 

 the shrubbery there is a Pavfa flava of considerable size, being 

 the only specimen of this tree I have seen in this quarter. In 

 the garden of the Rev. Mr. Paget, adjoining this place, there is 

 a remarkable hazel, apparently very old, the trunk of which is 



3 ft. 10 in. in diameter. 



About a mile from Elford Park are the remains o^ FisherimcJc, 

 the seat of the late Marquess of Donegal, now the property of 

 Colonel Howard. By all that is now told of this place, it would 

 appear that, in former times, it was kept up on a scale of extra- 

 ordinary magnificence, resembling rather the pomp and pro- 

 fusion of an ancient eastern princedom, than any display of 

 grandeur that is to be witnessed in the present day. The lodge 

 still remains ; but His Lordship's mansion, with some other 

 buildings, containing stalls for a hundred horses, were removed 

 by the present proprietor of the estate about twenty years ago ; 

 and this place, which was once the scene of so much gaiety and 

 splendour, -is now occupied by a farmer. The garden has "long- 

 run wild," and the shrubbery has become almost impenetrable. 

 It contains two very large and handsome plants of the i^hodo- 

 dendron ponticum: one is 13 ft. high, and the space covered by 

 its bi-anches is 27 yards in circumference; the other is 14ft. 

 high, and covers a space of 33 yards in circumference. There 

 is a fine specimen of the Pmus sylvestris here, with a smooth 



