350 LONDON PARKS © GARDENS 
fruit-trees, which rendered v/alking so agreeable that one 
could never be tired.” 
The garden of Bridgewater House was a little slice 
taken off Green Park. On the advice of Fordyce, the 
Crown in 1795 granted a lease, on certain conditions, to 
the Duke of Bridgewater and other proprietors near 
their respective houses, on the ground that it would 
improve rather than injure the Park. In 1850 the 
question arose whether the plans Barry had just made 
for the garden of Bridgewater House infringed the terms 
of the lease, and Pennethorne, architect to the Office of 
Works, had to report on the question. It being finally 
settled that the proposed wall and terrace would not 
hurt the Park, the alterations were allowed. 
Last, but by no means least, either in size or import¬ 
ance, the gardens of Buckingham Palace must be glanced 
at. The Palace is so modern, when compared with the 
older Royal residences, that it is easy to forget the 
history of the forty acres enclosed in the King’s private 
garden, yet they have much historical interest. In the 
time of James I. a portion of the ground was covered 
by a mulberry garden, which the King had planted, 
in pursuance of his scheme to encourage the culture 
of silkworms, in 1609. That year he spent ^935 in 
levelling the four acres of ground and building a wall 
round it for the protection of the trees. A few years 
later most of the enclosure became a tea-garden, while 
part was occupied by Goring House. There are many 
references to these famous tea-gardens, called the 
44 Mulberry Garden,” in plays and writings of the seven¬ 
teenth century. Evelyn notes in his 44 Diary,” on 10th 
April 1654 : 44 My Lady Gerrard treated us at Mulberry 
Garden, now the only place of refreshment about the 
