LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
457 
waving balls of snow j the laburnums, like stately trees hung with 
“golden chains/’ are only equalled by the frequent tufts of the match¬ 
less rose profusely scattered around. 
Turning from these beauties as you pass onward, your roving eye will 
shoot across the ha ! ha ! to scan the objects in the park. Everywhere 
on the brow on the right there is a “prodigality of shade,” with here 
and there glimpses down into the western valley, with the ripple on its 
lake glistening through the trees, but only exciting to have a more 
uninterrupted view. 
Anon you are again environed among shrubs and trees, and, arriving 
at an opening on the brink of the ha! ha ! the walk encircles a venerable 
elm, having a fixed seat round the base. This appulse of the walk 
towards the fence in this place is necessary, not only in order to give 
space for the drying ground and plantations which conceal it on the left, 
but also for enjoying a most enchanting prospect from the seat just 
mentioned. From this station the greater part of the west valley, with 
its lake, the richly-wooded brow beyond, and a retiring dell, through 
which the stream steals away after its escape from the lake, are all seen 
to great advantage. It is a scene of unmixed beauty ; the softly waving 
undulations of the surface of the higher ground forming gently swelling 
knolls and easy falls,—the tufted groups of deciduous trees crowning 
the heights or running down the slopes, with the holly and common 
juniper creeping out from under them,—the single trees irregularly, but 
not too lavishly dispersed,—the lake, with its varied margin fringed 
here and there with trees, shrubs, and reeds, its islets, its boat-house 
and swans, — and the whole of the intervening lawn besprinkled and 
relieved by deer and sheep and other kinds of cattle, redoubled by their 
shadows on the smooth turf,—forms altogether a picture of the most 
attractive description. Here you would be disposed to linger ; but we 
must proceed. Falling again into the leading walk, we are now 
approaching the west side of the house, and in our way pass through 
the orangery. This is almost an entirely glazed building, bespanning 
the walk, and just wide enough to admit on each side a row of orange 
trees in square boxes. In the centre there is a circular space, matted, 
with table and chairs, and when the weather and season admit, is used 
as a reading-room. This building is rather shady, a few acacia trees 
being allowed to rise from among the shrubs on the west side: orange 
trees delighting in a w r arm shade, a fire flue is carried round within, 
but only employed in times of hard frost. 
We step out of this building upon the terrace, and find that its south 
end has a facade corresponding with that of the treillage on the east 
side of the house. 
3 E 
VOL. IV. —NO. LIV. 
