554) Gardens in Inverness- shire : — 



Bane, the gardener, we proceeded with him to see the garden ; 

 and were struck, on first entering it, by the bright and super- 

 lative beauty of some long rows of hollyhocks at the back part 

 of the flower-borders, which run along the principal walks ; the 

 front of the borders being stocked with herbaceous plants, and 

 the most showy kinds of annuals. The wall which surrounds 

 the garden is of stone, lined inside with brick ; it is wavy, or ser- 

 pentine ; but Mr. Bane says it is not so good as a straight wall, 

 as it causes currents of air. On the wall were some handsome 

 young peach trees, the crop rather short ; but an abundant crop 

 of apricots : a vine against the wall had a few bunches, and some 

 of them, which were covered with hand-glasses, were swelling 

 freely. We noticed two very handsome cedars of Lebanon ; 

 and there are some very large standard white-heart cherry trees, 

 which bear abundantly. The ground enclosed by the wall being 

 more than is necessary for supplying the family with vegetables, 

 a portion of it is planted with fruit trees, and sown with grass. 

 In a dung-pit, originally intended for growing pines, were the 

 remains of an abundant crop of melons : this pit is built on stone 

 piers, with a covered space outside for dung linings. Mr. Bane 

 showed us a bee-hive, consisting of three boxes on the same level, 

 which communicate with each other by openings in the adjacent 

 sides, furnished with fir sliders to exclude the bees at pleasure ; 

 the object is to get the honey without destroying the bees, by 

 opening the communication with an empty box, and, when the 

 bees have left a full one, to shut the opening, and remove the 

 box. We next went to see the pleasure-grounds, which are of 

 great extent. The house occupies a most enviable situation, 

 overlooking the river Beauly, and commanding most interesting 

 views of hill and vale for many miles on every side. The house 

 itself is quite unworthy of so fine a situation ; but we understood 

 that it is intended soon to substitute for it one more suitable to 

 the place. We peeped along the terrace front, and saw there 

 was a rich display of dahlias, and other showy flowers ; and in a 

 flower-garden adjoining were clumps, or beds, of (Salvia fulgens, 

 involucrata, and splendens, Fuchsm microphylla and globosa, 

 iSenecio elegans flore pleno, and several sorts of pelargoniums, 

 in fine flower. In one part of the pleasure-ground is a phea- 

 santry, in which we saw some beautiful gold and silver pheasants. 

 We were highly pleased with the laying out of the grounds, 

 which, we believe, was chiefly from the suggestions of the Hon. 

 Mr. Fraser of Lovat. Nature has given great variety of sur- 

 face ; and we think the masses and shrubs, and the direction 

 of the walks, are well adapted to the natural outlines. One 

 defect, which may yet be remedied, was, however, very appa- 

 rent ; and that is, that this fine place, which contains sufficient 

 space for every kind of ornamental tree and shrub that will en- 

 dure the open air in Britain, is entirely planted with a few species. 



