8o 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
A LOVELY HOME IN ENGLAND. 
In some of my former notes I have referred to 
the Isle of Wight, England, and besides that I am 
about to do so again now, it is likely that it will 
occur again later on, for besides that it is endeared 
ST. CLARE CASTLE, ISLE OF WIGHT, ENGLAND. 
to the English because of containing Osborne, one 
of the residences of the Queen, it is most certainly 
entitled to the name it bears, which is the garden 
of England. 
One of the prettiest and well planned grounds 
of the many that I saw was that of St. Clare, about 
I miles from Ryde, on the northern shores of the 
island. While not able to obtain photographs of 
the grounds, to s'how their tasteful arrangement, I 
was fortunate in getting one of the castle, as the 
mansion is termed, showing the front entrance, a 
view of which is herewith presented. And I wish 
your readers could see the tower which the tree on 
the right obscures, and could see the stars and 
stripes floating from the flag staff, which sight 
greeted me two years ago. I found that the pres- 
ent owner had but little use for this one of several 
homes and had rented it for the summer to an 
American family, and they were keeping their flag 
afloat. 
It will be observed how prettily vines have 
been guided about the walls of the dwelling, and 
how the planting of shrubbery close to the walls 
gives to the dwelling the appearance of springing 
from them naturally. I think a dwelling never so 
pretty as when low growing shrubs are close to its 
walls as they are here. And, is not the building 
perfectly embowered? Not too much shade, but 
just enough to make of the whole a lovely picture. 
It suggests what it should be and what it is, an 
ideal home. The large trees on the right are En- 
glish elms, and for many years crows built in them 
regularly and were not to be disturbed. The large 
evergreen on the left I failed to observe closely at 
the time of my visit, but I think it is our red cedar, 
Juniperus Virginiana. The clustering shrubs at its 
base are chiefly of laurels, bays and other broad 
leaved evergreens which, unfortunately, 
we can do but little with here, but some 
are rhododendrons and other of our na- 
tive plants. 
The grounds surrounding the castle 
are not as extensive as those of many 
others, but by careful planting, and the 
preservation of many of the fine old En- 
, glish oaks native to the place, it gives 
the impression of being much larger. 
£ The castle stands on an eminence, 
perhaps 300 yards from the sea, and from 
it to the shore one is led by winding 
paths through groves of trees and past 
beds of flowers. 
I found here as elsewhere in En- 
gland much use made of our Magnolia 
grandiflora. It flowers freely, but there 
is not heat enough to ripen its seeds. 
Among other American trees I observed 
the Red Oak, Abies Menziesii, Amelanchier Cana- 
densis, Pinusponderosa, Ulmus fulva, Pinus insignis, 
Cupressus Lambertiana, Sequoia gigantea, Garrya 
elliptica and rhododendrons, Yucca gloriosa and 
others. 
The climate of the Island suits our Pacific Coast 
evergreens nicely, and it was a treat to see the 
GATEWAY AND WALL IN KITCHEN GARDEN. 
beauty and vigor of such sorts as the Pinus insig- 
nis and the Cupressus. 
As in most all English places the vegetable gar- 
den is quite apart, though not far from the garden 
and lawn. At St. Clare it is divided by an eight 
feet high wall. But this vegetable garden is a 
treat to see. It is laid off in squares for convenience 
