groups of other ornamental plants. Towards one end of the 

 colonnade that leads to the entrance, fruit, the admu'ation of 

 the spectator and the pride of the gardener, was piled in 

 skilfuUy-arranged confusion. On the other side of the Garden, 

 under the corresponding colonnade, stood an extraordinary and 

 very brihiant assemblage of flowers and fruit prepared for table 

 decoration. 



Soon after one o'clock, military bands made their appearance 

 at their allotted stations, and the grounds rapidly filled. At 

 four o'clock the main doors of the entrance-haU were closed to 

 the public ; the gentlemen intended to take part in the formal 

 ceremony of opening the Garden collected at their respective 

 stations preparatory to forming a procession ; their Eoyal High- 

 nesses the Princess Mary and the Duke of Cambridge arrived ; 

 and punctually at half-past four His Eoyal Highness the Prince 

 Consort, with all the junior members of the Eoyal Family, the 

 Count of Flanders, Prince Louis of Hesse, and their respective 

 suites, entered the hall. Immediately afterwards the procession 

 formed and moved into the Garden, along a line kept by 

 the 1st Middlesex Volunteer Engmeers. The procession was 

 composed of the Coimcil, the Commissioners of the Exhibition 

 of 1851, the Contractors and others who had been interested in 

 the execution, or occupied in the construction, of the Garden, 

 and closed by His Eoyal Highness the Prince Consort and the 

 Eoyal Family, the Duchess of Cambridge, with the Duke and 

 Princess Mary, His Eoyal Highness the Comte de Flandres, 

 and His Eoyal Highness Prince Louis of Hesse, and their 

 respective suites. 



On the appearance of His Eoyal Highness in front of the 



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