36 THE BOOK OF TOPIARY 
old, dogs twelve to fourteen years, and taller designs 
from fifteen to eighteen years. Some of the finer 
examples found in the country districts of Holland need 
to have their root system cut around one year, so that 
they may be safely lifted, transported to this country 
and transplanted in the following season. 
It may very reasonably be asked, Where are to be 
seen the signs of this modern revival of Topiary, apart 
from horticultural exhibitions ? To that I make answer 
by pointing to some establishments famous throughout 
the land for their gardens. At Ascott, Mr Leopold de 
Rothschild has a thoroughly well furnished and quite 
modern Topiary Garden, and those who are disposed to 
severely criticize the modern revival of an old garden 
art must bear in mind that Mr Rothschild’s gardens at 
Gunnersbury and Ascott have been and are still being 
referred to as fine examples of the most advanced and 
tasteful style of natural and adapted gardening. An- 
other example is to be found at Friar Park, Henley-on- 
Thames, the residence of Mr Frank Crisp. This is a 
comparatively new garden but it contains much that is 
beautiful and a very great deal that is interesting, and 
its collection of clipped trees is not the least interesting 
feature of an establishment that also contains one of the 
best collections of alpine plants in the Southern Counties. 
If these are not sufficient answer to the question, I. 
hasten to add Witley Court, Stourport, the residence of 
Lady Dudley; and Danesfield, Marlow, the home of Mr 
R. W. Hudson. Besides these there are numerous other 
gardens throughout the land where Topiary, as a modern 
development, occupies no mean position, the extent of 
the collections of clipped trees being determined chiefly 
by the space at disposal. 
