House^Garden 
Vol. II JULY, 1902 No. 7 
AN ENGLISH MARINE GARDEN AND RESIDENCE 
IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION 
BY THOMAS H. MAWSON. 
T HAI' the revival of interest in our old 
English gardens, so well portrayed by 
photographs in the pages of many publica¬ 
tions, has led to a keener appreciation of the 
possibilities of garden design, will be readily 
conceded by all who have given the matter 
any consideration. So it has come about 
that we Englishmen look upon these old 
examples of garden-craft 
with pardonable pride, at 
times almost approaching 
reverence, and esteem 
them as not the least of 
our national possessions. 
This appreciation does 
not, however, rest upon 
the one sentiment which 
too often warps the judg¬ 
ment of the collector of 
furniture and curios, viz : 
the question of age. That 
time does lend a charm 
to a garden all must 
admit; nay more, the 
most perfect of garden 
designs only reaches full 
expression when time, 
ever kind, has mellowed 
the colours, softened the 
angularities and thrown 
its harmonizing touch 
over the brick, stone, or other necessary 
architectural adjuncts. What, however, 
pleases most in these old gardens, is the clear 
expression of style, and the pronounced all- 
pervading character, generally bold in con¬ 
ception, and yet refined in detail; but withal 
possessing that quality of repose which is 
absolutely essential in every successful garden 
scheme. No doubt it is the presence of this 
quality in the older work, and its absence in 
most of the modern or landscape work, 
which is responsible for the revulsion of feel¬ 
ing in respect to the latter,—a revulsion, by 
the way, which is not always governed by 
true artistic perception, or even common 
sense ; for, if garden design is to make any 
real progress, garden 
designers must be willing 
to take a wider view of 
their art than could be 
possible under a scrupu¬ 
lous adherence to pre¬ 
scribed rules. In a craft 
which is seconded by 
accident, there must 
always be something to 
learn and new motifs to 
glean for the expression 
of new ideas. 
The foregoing is given 
by way of preface to a 
description of a marine 
garden, now in course of 
construction for Albert 
Ochs, Esq., at Walmer 
Eodge, Deal, England, 
an estate of some fifteen 
acres in extent, which 
runs lengthwise for a 
distance of about half a mile along the 
Walmer beach. The shore forms the 
eastern boundary, whilst to the south, 
and for a short distance along the western 
boundary, the property has for a neighbor 
the beautiful park of Walmer Castle, one of 
the cinque port residences, now in the occu¬ 
pation of Lord Salisbury. The previous 
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