534* Notices of some Gardens and Country Seats 



land of Picea cephalonica, of which the history has been given 

 J>y Sir Charles Napier in our Arboretum Britannicum, and in a 

 former volume of this Magazine. The finest place to be met 

 with has some fault ; and that of Luscombe is, that there is not 

 room enough about the house. It does not stand on a suffi- 

 ciently large platform ; nor did there appear to us an obvious 

 and all-powerful reason why it should be set down precisely 

 where it is, rather than any where else. When this all-sufficient 

 reason is not furnished by nature, art should supply the de- 

 ficiency ; and, therefore, Luscombe Castle ought to have been 

 supported by terraces. Such was our general impression on 

 the spot; but all first impressions ought to be corrected by 

 a second inspection, and by reflection, so as to support them by 

 reasoning. Among the trees of which we took notes were : 

 in the kitchen-garden, an olive 12 ft. high and 8 ft. wide, after 

 being twelve years planted; another, 13 ft. high and 10 ft. wide; 

 both these plants have ripened fruit ; Callistemon salignus, 

 12ft. high and 6ft. wide; lemons, citrons, and limes, 12ft. 

 high. In the pleasure-ground, Magnol/a grandiflora, 36 ft. high ; 

 M. fuscata, 12 ft. high; and Eriobotrya, 12 ft. high. Two trees 

 of Edwardsm were from 20 ft. to 30ft. high, but are now cut 

 down ; there are also many plants of Magnolia grandiflora, 30 ft. 

 high; Picea cephalonica, two plants, each 12ft. high; fed r us 

 Deoddra, 12 ft. high; Pi mis insignis, 8 ft. high; P. australis 

 syn. palustris, 15 ft. high; many hydrangeas 6 ft. high and from 

 10 ft. to 20 ft. in diameter, all with red and blue flowers at the 

 same time, which we observed to be generally the case through- 

 out Devonshire; Araucaria imbricata, large fuchsias and myrtles, 

 camellias, coronillas, cedar of Goa, Judas trees, catalpas, chi- 

 monanthus, and many other fine things. In the kitchen-garden, 

 a splendid row of the belladonna lily, now in full flower through- 

 out Devonshire. 



Babbicombe ; the Lord Bishop of Exeter. A very hand- 

 some Italian villa is just completed in the upper part of a small 

 valley between two hills, with terraced gardens and suitable 

 appendages, all in the same style; the architect, Mr. Gribble of 

 Torquay. We have seldom seen any thing so complete ; there 

 is one walk which descends through the grounds to a secluded 

 bay on the rocky shore, and another which ascends to a hill or 

 piece of high open table land or downs covered with short 

 turf, where the fresh breeze may be enjoyed, and from which 

 extensive views are obtained. Before the entrance front of the 

 house there is a mass of rock, which might be exposed in such 

 a manner as to form a feature appropriate to the situation ; but 

 it has been earthed up and turfed over. Some broad margins of 

 turf are wanted along the terrace-walls and parapets, to har- 

 monise them with the exterior scenery; but these and other 



