and in its NeighbourJiood. 353 



and blending into one another at their boundaries. The masses 

 of lavender, rosemary, rue, red valerian, wallflower, rocket, 

 columbine, and other plants which thrive well on chalk, look 

 remarkably well ; and among the shrubs Coronilla E'merus was 

 conspicuous, being then in full bloom. 



Park Villa, Thomas Attree, Esq., is situated in the upper 

 part of the surrounding belt, and occupies about c 2\ acres. The 

 house, which is in the Italian style, was designed by Mr. Barry, 

 and built under his superintendence. Mr. Barry also designed 

 the architectural garden, terrace walls, and open garden buildings, 

 which form conspicuous ornaments to this villa, whether seen at 

 a distance or from the windows of the house, as a foreground to 

 the park and the sea. The interior of the house is admirably 

 arranged, and the principal apartments are finished in a style of 

 great simplicity and beauty. There is a loggia in the centre of 

 the principal front, with which the smaller drawingroom com- 

 municates ; and the larger drawingi'oom looks into a small con- 

 servatory or plant cabinet, from which a flight of steps descends 

 to the garden. In consequence of the steepness of the ground, 

 the ascent to the entrance front is only by a few steps, but the 

 garden front, which looks on the architectural flower-garden, is 

 so much lower than the other as to exhibit the windows of the 

 basement story. It is this steepness of the surface which has 

 given rise to so much architectural beauty and variety in this 

 villa and its accompaniments. 



The architectural gardens are on three levels. The first, de- 

 scended to by a flight of steps from the conservatory, has the beds 

 edged with stone, and a handsome basin and fountain in the centre: 

 some pedestals and vases, a handsome open temple or pavilion 

 at one angle, and a massive stone seat at the other. The garden, 

 on two sides, is bounded by a high retaining wall, which has a 

 formidable appearance from below, and is terminated above 

 the level of the garden by a rich parapet surmounted by vases ; 

 and this parapet is also continued on one side of the house so far 

 as to connect this central garden with one above it, in which 

 there is a bowling-green, and one below, in which the flower- 

 beds are on turf, and in which there are a number of low 

 ornamental trees and shrubs, besides numerous creepers and 

 roses on the terrace walls. The contrast between the open 

 aerial effect of the upper elevated garden, which has no other 

 boundary than the low parapet on two sides, and overlooks 

 the park with the sea in the distance, and the lower garden, 

 which is surrounded by high architectural walls, and in which 

 the eye is confined to the garden itself and the architectural orna- 

 ments which terminate the walls, is excellent ; while the bowling- 

 green garden forms a third character, quite distinct from the 

 other two. Besides these three gardens, there are a large arti- 



3d Ser.— 1842. VII. a a 



