198 Account of some remarkable Holly Hedges, §c. 



shrubbery gardens, which are situated between the pleasure 

 grounds surrounding the Mansion-house and the kitchen 

 garden. One of these gardens is divided by a sunk fence 

 on its north side from the pleasure grounds ; the other is 

 separated from the kitchen garden by a wall ; the remaining 

 three sides of each are bounded by Holly hedges. The 

 hedges, which are to the north of one garden and to the 

 south of the other, are separated from each other by a broad 

 grass walk ten feet wide. They are supposed to have been 

 planted some time between the years 1670 and 1680, or there- 

 abouts, but certainly not later than the latter year. The soil 

 on which they grow is light and dry, with a gravelly substratum. 

 They are in very vigorous health. Formerly they were kept 

 much lower than at present. When Colinton House, twenty 

 seven years ago, became the property of Sir William Forbes, 

 they had been neglected, and suffered to become irregular 

 and unsightly. Proper attention having been subsequently 

 paid to them, they are now in good order, and are kept so by 

 clipping and judicious priming once in every two or three 

 years. The extent of the hedges altogether is 1120 feet; 

 those on the sides of the grass walk being 200 feet each ; the 

 eastern and western hedges of the garden nearest to the 

 house are each 170 feet ; the eastern and western hedges of 

 the farthest garden are each 190 feet. Their breadth at the 

 bottom is fifteen feet, which diminishes to two feet at the top. 

 The height varies from twenty-five to twenty-eight feet, but 

 appears from below to be very even, notwithstanding the dif- 

 ference. They form a beautiful and secure protection to the 

 gardens, of which that next the pleasure grounds is planted 

 with American and Evergreen shrubs, and the other with 

 Deciduous shrubs. 



