40 



ROYAL GARDENS 



The main entrance to the mansion is in its north front. 

 And the forecourt is embeUished with a gracefully designed 

 well-fountain, and is encircled by borders of beautiful flowers, 

 with shrubs and trees behind them for shelter and protection. 

 The wild garden approaches this side of the house more 

 nearly than any other. Opposite the entrance portico a long 

 and rather narrow lawn slopes upwards from the house. 

 Fringed on both sides with exquisite flowers and shrubs and 

 many most varied trees, it affords fine vistas both to and from 

 the mansion. The further end of this lawn opens into one 

 of three avenue-like grass paths. They are planted respec- 

 tively with azaleas, rhododendrons and evergreen trees, and 

 converge to the top of a slight eminence. At the further 

 side of a small sloping lawn there stands a charming old 

 summer or garden house, to the walls and roof of which 

 cling wistaria and clematis. Fine Scotch firs and other 

 trees of the wild woodland beyond are its background. One 

 of the three avenue paths leads back to the American Garden, 

 thus completing the circuit of this large and yet most exquisite 

 garden. 



In walking through the grounds of Bagshot Park it is 

 impossible not to be immensely impressed by the wonderful 

 variety of the interests they excite. The garden as a whole 

 has been laid out to make the utmost use of all its many 

 natural advantages. It is full of surprise and mystery. No 

 sooner is one feature left behind and the thought arises that 

 nothing more can remain to be seen, than a new and totally 

 different aspect is presented. It is impossible to speak too 

 highly, for instance, of the charming variety there is in the 

 series of four or five small * pocket ' gardens. They are 

 quite distinct from one another ; each has a character of its 

 own ; there is just enough formality in some of them and just 

 enough irregularity in others to make the effect of the series 

 well-nigh perfect in charm and beauty. They are cut off 

 from each other and from the rest of the garden by high and 

 thick banks of rhododendrons, but, being entered by at least 

 three different paths, they still belong to the general scheme. 



