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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



I November 00, 1370. 



vols. Svo. In the first volume of thern is contained his essay 

 entitled " The Garden of Epicurus ; or of Gardening in the 

 Year 1685." This essay is devoted chiefly to inculcate that 

 taste for formal design in gardening which was the prevailing 

 one of his lime. When we compare it with the plan given by 

 Lord Bacon in a preceding age, for a similar construction, we 

 find but this difference, that if both plans were reduced to 

 practice, Sir William's would be rather the most mathematical 

 and undeviatingly formal. Sir William Temple's beau ideal of 

 a garden is that of a flat or gently eloping plot of an oblong 

 shape stretching away from the front of the house, with the 

 descent to it from a terrace running the whole length of 

 the house, by means of a flight of steps. Such a garden, 

 he says, existed at Moor Park in Hertfordshire, formed by the 

 celebrated Lucy, Countess of Bedford, one of the chief wits of 

 her time. It was on the slope of a hill, with two terraces 

 rising one over tho other, and united by a magnificent flight 



were " most exquisitely nailed and trained." This excellence 

 of practice we attribute to his gardener, for though he notes 

 with approbation Epicurus living in his garden, yet it is with 

 the addition that such a life promotes " tranquillity of mind 

 and indolenco of body." 



Tig. 70.— Sir William Temple. 



of steps. A parterre, wilderness, highly ornamental fountains, 

 Btatues, alcoves, and cloisters, were its prominent parts and 

 ornaments. 



When he descends to more practical speculations he is 

 seldom in error, among which we may specify his observations 

 upon planting Peaches in the north of Britain, which experi- 

 ence has demonstrated to be correct. Sir William improved 

 his knowledge of gardening during his stay at the Hague. 

 He introduced several new fruits, especially of Grapes. His 

 name still attaches to a variety of the Nectarine, and every- 

 one knows the Moor Park Apricot. He had a garden at his 

 seat at Sheen in Surrey, to the good cultivation of which 

 Evelyn bears this testimony — " The most remarkable things 

 are his orangery and garden, where the wall-fruit trees are 

 exquisitely nailed and trained." Nothing can demonstrate 

 more fully the delight Sir William took in gardening than this 

 direction in his will, that his heart Ehould be buried beneath 

 the sun dial of his garden at Moor Park, near Farnham in 

 Surrey, affording another instance of the ruling passion un- 

 weakened even in death. Nor was this an unphilosophioal 

 clinging to that which it was impossible to retain, but rather 

 a grateful feeling common to our nature. In his garden Sir 

 William Temple had spent the calmest hours of a well-spent 

 life, and where his heart had been most peaceful he wished its 

 dust to mingle, and thus at the same time offering his last 

 testimony to the sentiment that in a garden 



" Bepose is secured and life unnoted slides away." 



Temple's love of gardening peeps out in all his letters. 

 Writing in 1688, Evelyn sajs he went to see Sir William's 

 orangery and gardens at Sheen, and that he observed the trees 



ALFKETON HALL. 



THE RESIDENCE OF C. E. PALMER MOREWOOD, Esq. 



Deebyshiee is noted for its hills and dales — in fact, there 

 are few counties in England which present such an irregular 

 surface. The northern and southern parts of the county are 

 in striking contrast with each other. The southern is not par- 

 ticularly remarkable for its undulating scenery, for south of 

 Derby we meet with long tracts of tableland, while the northern 

 part of the county is distinguished in an eminent degree by 

 its long and continued succession of bold hills, romantic dales, 

 and beautiful valleys. Stretching northwards from Alfreton 

 Park the landscape rises before the vision in rugged and ma- 

 jestic grandeur. Ln this district it begins to gently rise into 

 hills, which in their progress to the north swell gradually into 

 mountains. These extend in one great chain, usually terms d 

 " The Backbone of England," to the southern extremity of 

 Scotland. They first divide Yorkshire and Lancashire, then 

 entering Westmoreland they spread over the whole face of that 

 county and a part of Cumberland and Northumberland ; after 

 this they contract again in a ridge or chain, and form the 

 limits between Cumberland and Northumberland; continuing 

 their direction northward they enter Scotland. The south and 

 east parts of Derbyshire are pleasant and fertile, producing 

 most kinds of grain, particularly Barley. The north-west part, 

 so well known by the name of " The Peak," is a hilly tract 

 abundantly rich in minerals, and the intermediate valleys are 

 clothed with grass. The mineral productions of Derbyshire 

 embrace nearly every specias of subterranean W6alth, but coal, 

 lead, iron, and marble are those which chiefly engage the in- 

 dustry and enterprise of the inhabitants. Ironstone is found 

 in the coal stratum, except at Chinley Hills. The ironstone 

 beds near Alfreton and Chesterfield are the most valuable. 

 The celebrated Alfreton or Butterly ironworks are very exten- 

 sive ; the massive castings executed here have rendered the 

 ironworks of Derbyshire universally celebrated. 



The town of Alfreton is pleasantly situated on the brow of 

 a hill. On the western side of the town there is a beautiful 

 and well-wooded park, which has been the seat of the More- 

 wood family for more than a century. The site of the man- 

 sion is well chosen, being on a gentle eminence, which is seen 

 to great advantage from the Derby road. It is in the Grecian 

 style of architecture, and presents a noble and imposing cp- 

 p8arance. We enter the grounds by a comfortable lodge just 

 on the outskirts of the town, snugly ensconced amid many- 

 tinted trees. Passing through an avenue of fine old Beeches 

 we reach a large open space of lawn on the north front of the 

 mansion. Many handsome deciduous and evergreen trees are 

 dotted in different positions on the grass. In one place we 

 pause to admire the gigantic proportions of a Purple Beech, 

 then the symmetrical outline of a variegated Holly, of which 

 there are many fine specimens; next a noble Sycamore, fine 

 Cedars of Lebanon, and towering Oaks and Elms. The park 

 is separated from the pleasure grounds by a j udiciously arranged 

 sunk fence, which completely conceals the point of junction. 

 Here we obtain some fine views of the Derbyshire hills. To 

 the right is the scattered village of Shirland, and in the circle 

 of the horizon are the hills of Ashover, Ogston Hall, Crich, 

 and Crich Cliff. The latter place is said to be the highest hill 

 in the county with the exception of the High Feak. On its 

 summit there is an observatory called Crich Stand, which was 

 erected in 1788, and rebuilt of stone in 1851 by the late Francis 

 Hart, Esq. It is 955 feet above the sea level, and from the 

 top the eye is gratified by wandering over several counties and 

 into the Principality. 



We noticed in passing along the various walks that Mr. B. 

 Marks, the gardener, devotes special care to the filling and 

 arranging of the plants in the various vases. These were 

 broad and shallow, fringed round the margin with plants of 

 drooping habit, while those of more upright growth occupied 

 the centre. The flower garden is on the east side of the man- 

 sion, and was laid out in geometric style. All the beds were 

 filled to overflowing, and presented a glorious floral blaze. 

 The single plants of Ricinus elegantissimus in the round beds 

 had a striking effect, and took away the sameness. Subjoined 

 is a plan of the beds and the style of planting. This flower 



