Novemiser 25- 
THE COTTAGE GAEDENER. 
143 
though living comparatively in retirement, as many 
gardeners do, and perhaps not free from self-opinion- 
atcdness, the usual concomitant of such circumstances, 
we should, through the pages of our Cottage Gar¬ 
dener, possess many of the advantages alike of the 
class-room and of congenial society, where thought is 
met by thought, opinion is tested hy opinion, and mind 
is directly brought into contact with mind. 
Azalea Japonica (see p. 82).—Our friend, Mr. Beaton, 
hoped I might fish out something about this interesting 
plant. I am at times half-inclined to envy him his 
present privileges, of being able to see everything that 
is wonderful, beautiful, and new. In the present case I 
am fairly upsides with him. I saw the plant before the 
branch was cut in the evening pre])aratory to its being 
taken to London the following morning. I can fully 
confirm the fact, that the huge panicle was only one of 
many; and so generally fine were they, that the select¬ 
ing of the one to be sent was almost a matter of hap¬ 
hazard. Even Mr. Snow could not fix upon one that 
was markedly superior. The plant seemed about seven 
feet high, and the top nearly as much in diameter. Now 
for the position, as that is the most important matter 
as to the plant flourishing so well. Imagine you are 
standing on the east side of a high ornamental wall 
that runs from north to south. At the south end, a 
dwarfer wall goes at right angles to the west, for the 
length of somewhere about twenty feet, and then it 
takes off, at right angles, to the south again for a good 
distance, constituting, in fact, the eastern boundary of 
the fruit and kitchen garden. In front of this wall 
there is a border for shrubs—the exact width of the 
short wall above referred to—so that the front of the 
border ranges in a line with the ornamental wall. At 
the extreme north end of this border, and hence on tlie 
south side of the short wall, protected, therefore, from 
the north and the west, rather freely exposed to the east, 
but a little shaded by higher things from the south, 
stands this beautiful plant. The border consists of ^ 
deep sandy loam; but it is very likely that Mr. Snow 1 
gave his favourites a little assistance from leaf mould 
■ and peat when young. There are many fine specimens 1 
on this border besides, such as Spiraea Lindleijana, I 
Cupressus torulosa, C. thurifera, &c. Whether the ' 
plant will thrive equally well in exposed situations, I j 
am unable to say. It was the first time I had seen it I 
in bloom ; and I was rather surprised at the colour j 
being whitish, as most descriptions had spoken of it 
being green. Even though it should be proved hardy j 
eTiough for exposed places, yet the conservative wall (of 
which more anon) would be its proper position, as, } 
unless it bloomed earlier, it would be apt to be destroyed i 
by frost before the bloom expanded. No doubt we shall 1 
hear more about it. | 
I have mentioned all this the more, because, though i 
ITrest Park Gardens lie rather low, they are protected 
in every direction. A description of the place would at 
once show this; but this would require considerable | 
space, and I have not got one note on the subject. To i 
give our friends such a slight idea as might incite them 
to a pilgrim’s survey for themselves, I will present them 
with a few pencil-marks from memory—sucli as I fre¬ 
quently give, in lieu of a chart, by a few strokes of the 
pen, to strangers who are going farther, and who com¬ 
plain of a double diificulty: first, that when at a stand¬ 
still they can find no one to exercise the inquisitive 
hump on ; and, secondly, that when they do find a 
rustic, they have to stare at each other, like the respec¬ 
tive parties in the last recorded miracle ; and from the 
same cause, their respective pialois being Greek to each 
other. 
The nearest approach to Wrest Park, by rail, is 
Ilitchon, on the Great Northern ; and from thence it is 
distant somewhere about eight miles. Erom Luton it is 
nine miles; and I forget how far from Ampthill and 
Bedford. The road between these respective places 
passes the village of Tilsoe, where tho main entrance is. 
Here, however, you enter,—I would advise you to go; 
and this shall be our first pencil dot. The gates are 
beautifully artistic ; but what an avenue, or rather triple 
avenue within—formed of Elms and Sweet Cbesnuts! 
'J’he central, or carriage one is very unique. Had the 
Gothic style “ loomed in the future" the first architect 
of taste that had a glance at that avenue would have 
made it a matter of the present. The huge arms of the 
large trees, mostly naturally, but perhaps a little assisted, 
span and meet far above your heads, resembling a splen¬ 
did Gothic cathedral. Ere long, as you go eastward, 
you soon descry tho walls of the garden; Mr. Snow’s 
house at the west corner of the north wall, house and 
wall being of an ornamental character; and tho latter 
passing eastward until it joins the mansion and offices. 
The mansion offices, kitchen, fruit, and flower-gardens, 
are new: tho ijark and main features of the pleasure- 
ground are I do not know or recollect how old, though 
constantly being improved. T’he mansion is in the 
Louis Quatorze style ; and as everything connected with 
it was made from the designs of Earl cle Grey himself, 
some conception may be formed of the chaste beauty 
everywhere apparent, and all impressed with one uniform 
character, within and without. The wliole place may be 
said to be “self-contained,” that is, though it forms a 
fine feature in the landscape, when seen from high 
grounds, to the south-east, south, and south-west, you 
can, when there, see nothing beyond its boundaries. 
There is only one exception. Standing on or near the 
noble stone terrace, on the south side of the mansion, 
ornamented with statues and vases, you glance along a 
beautiful glade. First, there is a noble walk, thirty feet in 
width, proceeding right on, near to a large long parallelo¬ 
gram of water, where the walk parts right and left, and 
passes along both banks of the water, backed on cither 
side with woods and pleasure-grounds. A pretty temple 
in the centre terminates the home view; hut over its top 
you see bare and rugged and barren heights in the 
distance, which some might consider an agreeable relief, 
but which many more would feel to bo a Paul Pry in¬ 
trusion upon the soft, mellow beauty and rich luxuri¬ 
ance everywhere around. If such bare heights could be 
covered with wood, with a tower or cottage peeping 
through it, the effect would be harmonious and enchant¬ 
ing. In the woods and ])leasure-grounds, on either side 
of the piece of water, are many walks, in which hours 
may be agreeably sjieiE, more especially if accompanied 
by one versed in local traditionary, and legendary lore. 
Turning again your back upon the water, and approach¬ 
ing the mansion, you are struck now, if not before, with 
the vast extent of lawn. A considerable distance to the 
westward, you will notice a beautiful building, at one 
time used as a pavilion, or banquet hall. Anon, right 
and left, you stand o^jposito another avenue, terminated 
at either end by commemorative obelisks. Presently, 
another walk branches off right and left; that to the 
west leading you to the centre of a beautiful buildiug, 
standing on the highest of a series of grass terraces. 
This building is filled with splendid orange trees, im¬ 
ported from the Continent last season, and now encased 
in Beck’s beautiful slate tubs. As an architectural fabric, 
this house presents a line eft'ect; but as a habitation lor 
plants, the back wall being opaque, tho front is decidedly 
too massive and heavy. This is more apparent when, 
on entering, you perceive tho roof is cliielly opaque, 
relieved only by upright S(juare lanthorn-liko bo.xes, 
glazed with glass all round, but from which the rays of 
light are too diffused before they reach tlie plants. Tlie 
whole of the roof might easily, and more economically, 
have been of glass, without interfering in the least with 
the architectural effect. This is only one instance added 
