BAGSHOT PARK 35 



orchard, to the kitchen garden. This is enclosed by high 

 brick walls well clothed with trained fruit-trees of many best 

 kinds, contains a splendid range of glass-houses, the residence 

 of the head gardener, and other buildings. It is about six 

 acres in extent, and is bounded on one side by the London 

 road between the two entrance lodges first mentioned. Cross- 

 ing each other at its centre are two long paths between 

 double mixed borders, with rose arches overhead about every 

 ten yards. The spot where the walks meet is marked by an 

 interesting and beautifully designed well, which is encircled by 

 a path with seats facing inwards placed upon its outer edge. 

 The seats are backed and sheltered by clipped yew hedges. 



Returning to the place where the two paths leave the 

 drive ; that on the west is the entrance to the pleasure 

 grounds and garden. Almost at once the walk enters a most 

 beautiful curving pergola. It is rather less than a hundred 

 yards in length, and is exceptionally well covered with num- 

 berless climbing plants, especially wistaria, and many varieties 

 of clematis and rose. Alongside this pergola on the right is 

 a lovely herbaceous border, whose flowers are seen to great 

 advantage by reason of a background of clipped yew, with 

 flowering shrubs and trees still further behind. On the left 

 are more flowers, then shrubs in groups ; and between them 

 lovely glimpses of the distant park under outspread branches 

 of nearer trees. At the west end of the long pergola, a strik- 

 ingly handsome iron gate admits to the garden proper. Two 

 paths diverge from this point. One leads indirectly to the 

 mansion. The other crosses a lawn under magnificent beech 

 trees, passes through a circular Blue Garden, and joins the 

 drive to the south of the house. 



Before describing these paths and what they lead to in 

 detail, it will be well to see what lies to the right of the 

 pergola gate, and attempt to give some impression of one of 

 the garden's most charming set of features. Through a 

 narrow gap in a bank, or wall, of rhododendrons a short 

 grass path leads to an open glade. In its turf carpet, placed 

 quite irregularly, are several splendid specimen shrubs. 



