GARDENS OF THE LOUVRE AND THE TUILERIES. 13 



of the private garden is enjoyed by all. In it they 

 simply plant good evergreens and plenty of deciduous 

 flowering skrubs^ while the grass plots are belted by borders^ 

 one of which runs right along under the palace windows with 

 the usual round bushes of lilac ; but these borders are kept 

 pretty gay all the year round. The private garden of the 

 Emperor is quite open to the public when he is not at the 

 Tuileries. It is well worth visiting should an opportunity 

 occur, if only to see the way the ivy edgings are used. 

 There are no beds, only borders — these touching the gravel 

 walk_, and being edged with box. Then on the bright gravel 

 itself, or apparently so, they lay down a beautiful dark 

 green band of ivy, of course allowing in the laying down of 

 the walk for the space thus occupied. The effect of the 

 rich green band adds much to the beauty of the borders. 

 The mode of making them is elsewhere described. The 

 flowers are kept a good deal subdued, and some trouble is 

 taken to develope the shrubs and stronger vegetation dis- 

 tinctly and well. The effect is very good from the windows 

 and the interior. Cannas are used to produce a very 

 charming effect in mixed borders, and altogether this por- 

 tion is tastefully and inexpensively planted. It is noticeable 

 that hardy shrubs and trees predominate — I believe, by the 

 Emperor^s wish — and that, instead of the usual crowding, 

 care is taken to give even the commonest kinds room to 

 grow and become respectable specimens. 



A very wide walk crosses the garden just outside the 

 private division ; at about its centre are a large basin and 

 fountain, from which another wide walk goes straight to- 

 wards the Place de la Concorde, and by looking in that 

 direction we see the whole length of the magnificent Avenue 

 des Champs Elysees, terminated on the crest of the hill by 

 the Arc de Triomphe. This walk cuts the garden into two 

 portions chiefly planted with chestnuts and other forest 

 trees, which have not been sufficiently thinned, but are 

 allowed to run up very tall, and thus afford a high arched 

 shade in summer, the ground being gravelled underneath, 

 so that it is comfortable to walk or play upon. There is a 

 slight narrow terrace on both sides, an orangery, the con- 



