August 22, 1872. 1 



JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



151 



stance of the King of the French having -visited Holland House 

 and grounds at the time it was made. The ground rises on 

 all sides to a beautiful knoll in the park, crowned with an old 

 and picturesque Cedar of Lebanon. Fine old Cedar and other 

 trees creep up the slopes, and form groves around the base 

 and along the valley — not thick groves of gloom, but groves in 

 which the forms of the trees are fully developed, and, being 

 planted at various distances apart, producing glades of pleasing 

 landscape scenery. 



Before the west front of the house (of which the accompany- 

 ing is a representation), is a flower garden, a rich parterre and 

 beautiful pattern, the walks brimful of gravel, and the beds 

 overflowing with all the most choice and best sorts of flowers. 



It is arranged in the best manner to give the pleasing variety, 

 the contrast, and the distinctness of colours which are clearly 

 and expressly defined throughout the composition, and is seen 

 to advantage when the whole is overlooked from the terrace, 

 surrounded by balustrades, on the top of the banqueting room. 

 It is protected on the north side by a wall, and on the west by 

 the ruins of what had originally been a stable, which is now 

 made, by the stables having been arched with masonry and 

 covered with Ivy, to resemble a ruined aqueduct. An Italian 

 garden runs parallel with it, and terminates in front of the 

 conservatory. 



The part of the flower garden nearest the west front of ths 

 house is composed of eight very large beds of Boses pegged 





Holland House — Vy est Front. 



down, a fine mass of bloom, edged in pairs with an (Enothera, 

 Prince of Orange Calceolarias in splendid bloom, Saponaria 

 calabrica, and yellow Calceolarias, with a large fountain in 

 the centre surrounded with Maltese vases filled with plants 

 in flower. Then there is a square piece composed of six 

 .long triangular-shaped beds, with a sun-dial in the centre from 

 which the beds radiate. The outside rows in the beds are 

 planted with the variegated Geranium Flower of Spring, and 

 the inside rows with scarlet Geranium. Small round beds in the 

 centre are planted with Cloth of Gold and scarlet and variegated 

 Geraniums, with a broad margin of dwarf Ivy around the whole. ] 

 A chain border of 50 yards long is composed of fifty-four beds 

 planted in pairs, with Madame Vaucher Geranium, Coleuses ; 

 Annie, Flower of Spring, Flower of the Day, Gloire de Corbeny, ] 

 Excellent, Clipper, Princess Mary of Cambridge, Vesuvius and ! 

 other Geraniums, bordered with blue Lobelia at the back, with 

 Christine Geranium and a standard Bose beautifully in flower 

 in the centre of each bed. 



Having passed the leafy corridor of young Lime trees I 

 entered the Lily Pond garden. The pond from which it takes 

 its name is encircled by four beds, which are planted in corre- 

 sponding pairs, with a border of dwarf creeping Ivy ; then 

 dwarf Ageratum, Cloth of Gold and scarlet Geraniums. The 

 oblong beds are planted with Golden-leaved Feverfew, blue 

 Lobelia, Flower of Spring Geranium, Stella Geranium, and 

 yellow Calceolarias. 



Against the north wall of the conservatory is a high bank 

 planted in rows with Echeveria, Golden-leaved Feverfew, Seni- 

 pervivurn glaucum, Ageratum Imperial Dwarf, Baron Hugel 



Geranium, Prince of Orange Calceolarias, yellow Calceolarias^ 

 Orange Lily, with Ferns and the Ivy-clad wall at the back. 



Close by is the Italian garden, on terraces bounded by low 

 walls adorned with vases of flowers. The beds and borders 

 are planted with Mrs. Pollock Geranium and other good sorts 

 of bedding-out plants. 



The conservatory is 60 feet long, furnished with some speci- 

 mens of Camellias planted in the border; scarlet Geraniums, 

 Fuchsias, &c, in full bloom trained on trelliswork to the pillars 

 20 feet high ; and in winter season with the large Orange trees 

 that now adorn the square before the south front of house. 

 Attached to the conservatory on the north side is a banqueting 

 room of handsome proportions, and furnished in the best style 

 of art and ornamentation. Close to it on the east side is a tower, 

 which is approached by a flight of steps ; and from the south 

 side of the conservatory is a colonnade 66 yards long, running 

 east, which is continued to the front of HoDand House. By 

 this means a communication under cover is opened fiom the 

 house to the conservatory, then to the banqueting room, then 

 to the loggio, then to the tower, and home by the flower garden, 

 by the pleasure ground, or by the terrace walk along the whole 

 length on the top of the colonnade. 



Passing from the square where Orange trees and other green- 

 house plants stand during the summer months, we enter the 

 orchard house, 30 yards long. It contains Peach and Nec- 

 tarine trees planted against the back wall and in pots, besides 

 Plum and Cherry trees in pots bearing good crops, also Fuchsias, 

 Hydrangeas, and Lilies of the best sorts. 



Having crossed the green drive embosomed in a grove, we 



