THE 



GARDENER'S MAGAZINE, 



OCTOBER, 1838. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. Descriptive Notice of the Country House of Dr. Renton, in 

 Madeira, called Quinta de la Valle ( Villa oj" the Valley), situated 

 near Funchal. By Dr. Lippold, Author of the " Wohlstandige 

 Gartner," &c., Natural History Collector in Madeira and the 

 Canaries. 



I HAVE seen many parks and many gardens, says Dr. Lippold, 

 much larger, more ornamented, and richer in plants ; but I 



View qf the Qmnta. 

 The plant in the foreground, protected by a cone of bamboo rods, is a species of Cook.in. 



have never seen a garden better situated with respect to prospect, 

 or more luxuriant in vegetation. Imagine a succession of terraces, 

 almost in the centre of an amphitheatre of mountains sur- 

 rounding the city and bay of Funchal, nearly 500 ft. above the 

 sea, with the most diversified view of the mountains, ravines, 

 forests, vineyards, the city, and the sea; and all these terraces 

 planted as pleasure-grounds, and surrounding one of the most 

 convenient of houses, although it is very irregular in its plan. 

 The luxuriance of the vegetation more particularly calls forth 

 Vol. XIV. — No. 103. g g 



