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ROYAL GARDENS 



by tall elms overtopping them, the garden obtains a great 

 amount of sun and very little cold wind. It is divided into 

 three nearly equal portions by cross walls running north-west 

 and south-east. That part nearest the mansion is again 

 divided by a short longitudinal wall. On the north-west of 

 this, entered by a path from the house through a doorway 

 in the outer wall, is the square plot called Princess Charlotte's 

 Garden. In its centre there is a large round fountain-basin. 

 This was formerly encircled with ground-ivy, but recently 

 a flower border has been made and planted with Dorothy 

 Perkins roses on short iron pillars and chains. At equal 

 distances on the circumference stand eight vases for flowers, 

 and in the lawn beyond, opposite each vase, there is a cir- 

 cular rose bed. They are planted with eight different kinds 

 of bush roses, one variety to each bed, and ground planted 

 with violas. Out of the lawn rise several splendid specimen 

 trees, most of which have been planted by very illustrious 

 personages. One of the finest is a magnificent deciduous 

 cypress. Embracing the lawn is a wide gravel path in horse- 

 shoe shape. The north-west wall is almost hidden by the 

 splendid old wistaria already mentioned as indicating the age 

 of the garden. Under the cross wall which bounds this 

 charming retreat on the north-east a wide border for annuals 

 completes the delightful and secluded pleasance. 



In addition to the one from the house, two more paths 

 lead out of Princess Charlotte's Garden, one near its north 

 and the other in its east corner. The latter is the centre 

 walk of the whole garden, and has a superb herbaceous 

 border on both sides. The glorious colour of the flowers 

 is splendidly set off by the beauty and variety of trees and 

 old walls acting as backgrounds. All along these lovely 

 borders, behind the herbaceous plants, are festoons of roses 

 on wooden posts, whose tops support a thick cable of 

 hemp, on which the ramblers are trained. Many gardeners, 

 nowadays, seem to prefer ropes, instead of iron chains or 

 wires, as less likely to cause damage to the tender rose-shoots 

 in frosty weather, and this substitution has only recently been 



