October 9, 1886 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
89 
out in countless pure white star-like forms, and shed¬ 
ding the most delicious fragrance imaginable .—Albert 
G. Hall, Forest Gate, Essex, October 5th, 1880. 
-- 
HACKWOOD PARK. 
Lying some two miles from the railway station at 
Basingstoke, and in an easterly direction, is Hackwood 
Park—one of those fine places of which Hampshire 
has so many, although, perhaps, few finer or more 
noteworthy. It is the property of Lord Bolton, who, 
however, resides at his Yorkshire place, Bolton Hall; 
and it is now tenanted by one of our London bankers, 
Mr. Charles Hoare, who evidently purposes making 
many desirable and valuable improvements, as he is 
spending'money with judgment and liberality on the 
garden and mansion. Enclosed, planted, and laid out 
by a Duke of Bolton, somewhere about Queen Anne’s 
time, the extensive ornamental woods or really pleasure 
grounds, which border the mansion and are of great 
flower-beds can offer. Everything, from the mansion, 
which seems to be of the Italian style of architecture, 
to the expanses of turf, and the trees, seems large; even 
the main walks through the enclosed woodlands are all 
broad, some as wide as a road, and all mown close, so 
that every foot seems to be traversed over short and 
deliciously soft mossy turf. From the western side of 
the mansion there runs for the third of a mile in length 
a broad, grassy glade, bordered on either side by a 
noble line of Yews, happily left untrimmed. Just in 
the centre of this drive or glade is a square or circus, 
from which radiate, in all, eight of these broad walks, 
some of which are 'bordered by the Rhododendrons, 
which thrive here luxuriantly ; whilst in other direc¬ 
tions other shrubs are found in rich profusion, and 
showing grand growth. Overhead rise gigantic silver 
Spruce, common Spruce, and Larch Firs ; with Beech 
in great quantity, and exhibiting beautiful stems and 
noble over-hanging heads, resembling some primeval 
forest, so dense and luxuriant is the growth. In one 
the temperament of the melancholy Jacques, whom 
Shakespeare has immortalised in “As You Like It.” 
But Hackwood has other and more practical attractions 
than these, and we present our readers to-day with 
a view of the centre broad-walk of 
The Fine Kitchen Garden, 
Some six acres in extent, which will show that the 
useful as well as the enjoyable is kept in view. The 
garden is surrounded by a high wall, is of the usual 
oblong form, and runs north and south. The view 
presented now is taken from the pleasure-ground end 
of the garden, and gives in the distance the glasshouses, 
with an Orangery and the roof of Mr. Bowerman’s 
house beyond. The walk, which is very broad, is of 
turf—as, indeed, is every "path in the garden, for there 
is not an inch of gravel apparently within the enclosure. 
These walks are simply perfect, solid, smooth and clean, 
and are kept so by the mower with the most trifling 
amount of labour. We have never seen better in any 
garden, and by an admirable arrangement of doors in 
The Kitchen Garden at Hackwood Park. 
extent, show evidence of the Dutch taste of the da}', 
in the formation of the vast shrubberies and inter¬ 
secting roads, as well as in some other associations 
which present themselves here and there. 
The Park and Gardens 
comprise an area of some 11,COO acres, and may be 
said to be a place of vast expanses and illimitable 
solitudes ; whilst, away in the grandly-wooded park, 
where Beech especially seems to thrive so admirably, 
the grass area, over which the herds of beautiful deer, as 
well as the more domesticated cattle browse, seems very 
extensive. Within the fence which encloses the 
woods and pleasure grounds, mile after mile of grassy 
walk or glade may be traversed without meeting 
any living thing more important than a white-tailed 
rodent, a fleeting squirrel, or perhaps a piping bird. 
The mansion itself occupies an open and commanding 
site, with before it an extensive and open lawn 
without tree or other obstacle to the look-out across 
the park in a northerly direction ; but on either hand 
there stretches away noble belts of trees, which alone 
present objects of beauty far more sublime than any mere 
ornamental specimen or even groups of shrubs or 
direction a circuitous path leads to an enclosed area of 
turf literally walled in all round by shrubs—where 
stand some fine specimen Conifers. 
At one end there formerly stood a large conservatory, 
but that has been removed ; and also have the old 
flower beds been filled up. This is indeed 
A Retired and Peaceful Spot, 
which might have satisfied even the recluse poet 
Cowper, when he hankered after a lodge in some vast 
wilderness, some boundless contiguity of shade, which 
these noble woods indeed present. In another direction 
is found the remains of an imitation Greek temple ; its 
pillars roofless, some standing, and others fallen upon 
the sward, offering material for cynical reflection upon 
the grandeur which has departed, and of the scene of 
gaiety and pastoral acting once witnessed there. In 
yet another direction a fine avenue of Beeches leads up 
to an elevated circular plateau, also bounded by trees 
which might, in former days, have been the scenes of 
festivity, or other pleasant occupations. Quaint and 
interesting objects of this kind crop up here and there, 
for to the stranger these woods, glades, and pleasaunces 
are a perfect maze, which might have admirably suited 
the garden walls, manure can be wheeled oil to the 
quarters with the aid of planks without injuring the 
turf in the least. For tidiness and pleasure of walking no 
paths of any kind can excel these, and being firm, a little 
rounded, and the grass kept short, they are always dry. 
Returning to the illustration, we must mention that 
on either side of this broad centre walk is a border 
devoted to flowers of all kinds, giving a wondrously 
useful supply for cutting from throughout the greater 
portion of the year. At the Orangery, and beyond the 
houses, there is a capital piece of ribbon bordering on 
either side, and very noteworthy at either end of these 
borders are grand tree Pseonies, such as are rarely seen. 
The Vegetable Quarters. 
In these quarters all kinds of vegetables are admirably 
done ; indeed, better crops and cleaner ground could 
hardly be found anywhere. Carrots of kinds, Onions, 
Parsnips, Peas, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Autumn 
Giant Cauliflower, Potatos ; indeed, all are first-rate, 
and merit the warmest praise. The soil is stiff, and no 
doubt affects the form of the deep roots to some extent, 
but Onions are very fine and handsome also. Potatos 
come out clean and good, and all things exhibit 
