HISTORICAL GARDENS 309 
cutting down his trees, then some thirty-five years old. 
Strype, however, protests that he only cut down “ two 
or three of the decayed ones.” That there should be 
a controversy on the subject only shows how much 
was thought of Grindal’s planting. The same thing 
happened after the death of Compton, the next great 
planter, as Robinson, who followed him, let the gar¬ 
dener sell and cut down as much as he liked. In our 
own day, even, some of Compton’s elms have been 
removed, to make the alterations in the Bishop’s Park 
when it was opened to the public. The Bishop’s Park 
is the long, narrow strip of land between the moat and 
the river. Flowering shrubs on the bank of the moat, 
and rows of cut plane trees by the river, have been 
planted. There are two long asphalt paths, and some 
bedding out and rock gardening between the grass 
lawns. It is now kept in order by the Borough of 
Fulham, which reminds the public of the fact by the 
notices stuck up: “ Ratepayers, protect your property.” 
The Elm Avenue was part of Compton’s design, and 
many very fine trees known to be his remain to this 
day. During the long duration of his episcopate—1675 
to 1714—he had time to see his plants grow and flourish. 
His gardening achievements were much appreciated in his 
own day. John Evelyn, a great authority on horticul¬ 
tural matters, was often at Fulham. He notes in his 
Diary on Oct. 11, 1681 : “To Fulham to visit the 
Bishop of London, in whose garden I first saw the Sedum 
arborescens in flower, which was exceedingly beautiful.” 
Richard Bradley, a well-known gardener, in his book 
published in 1717, quotes many of the plants at Ful¬ 
ham as examples in his pages. With regard to the 
passion flower, his notice is interesting, as it gives the 
