47 
THE GARDENS OF WARLEY PLACE. 
and timber gate-house, serves as orchard and as a vegetable and 
herb garden, and also as nursery for shrubs, whilst against the 
long south wall is a collection of Fig-trees, illustrating the com¬ 
parative value of the different varieties which thrive and bear 
fruit in Essex. Different varieties of dessert-grapes are also 
grown here, such as Chassellas de Fontainebleau, Madeline Royal 
Norillon hatif, Malingris precoce, Charles Vibert and others. 
Although the crop is not so plentiful, and the grapes have not the 
fine flavour of those grown under a Continental sun, they are, 
nevertheless, good, whilst some varieties, such as Grenache, are 
very beautiful in the autumn, when the foliage becomes brilliantly 
scarlet. 
As a rule the “ Herb Garden ” now exists in England upon 
sufferance, for our modern cooks prefer the flavouring essences 
prepared from chemicals. On the Continent the culinary herb 
still holds an important place in the “ jardin potager ” and are 
cultivated with care. A large number of herbs were cultivated 
at Warley, and many still remain, such as Sorrel, Wormwood (or 
Dian’s blood of “ Midsummer Night’s Dream”), Rue, which 
Pliny tells us grows best if filched from a neighbour’s garden, 
and which was formerly planted near to Sage, to counteract the 
poisonous effects of toads, whose favourite resting place was in 
a bed of Sage. Tarragon, Pimpernel, Purslane, Clary, Camomile, 
and many other culinary and medicinal herbs are to be found in 
the garden. Nor are the sweet-scented herbs, used in olden times 
for strawing floors, and also for keeping insects away from 
linen, overlooked. Amongst these we find Bergamot, Hyssop, 
Balm, “ Old Man,” Basil, Tansy, Woodroffe, and many others. 
A notable feature is a double hedge of Lavender, with a foot-path 
between, two hundred and ten feet in length ; a similar one of 
Rosemary may be seen in another part of the garden. The land 
slopes to the south-east, thus rejoicing in the early morning 
sunshine, and below are a few acres of wild land divided from the 
Well-Mead Garden by a valley (a natural depression) and a pool 
of water. On this land a large part of our British flora has 
been naturalized, to which has been added many interesting 
plants collected from the Continent by Miss Willmott. These 
have been planted in a natural way, so that, in wending along the 
little tracks, one could imagine oneself upon a botanical expedi¬ 
tion, findng surprises at every turn, and coming suddenly upon a 
