SEPTEMBER t, 1902. 
THE AUSTRALIAN. GARDENER, 
$e 
~ HOSE who are familiar with this view of 
Sydney Government Housewill immedia- 
tely recognise the fact that ourillustration does 
not represent the garden as it nowis, The 
picture, however, being taken some years 
ago, gives a pretty landscape view, showing 
some of the trees of historical interest which 
have since been removed, and for this reason 
is acceptable, as well as being artistic. The 
distance covering the foreground admits of 
only the lower terrace being shown, while 
the flower borders and lawas near the 
House are hidden from view. Thereis also 
a flower garden on the left-side not shown 
as approached from Macquarie-street. 
The pleasure gardens of the estate consist 
of about four acres, the inner domain, or 
park, belonging to Government House being 
under forty acres in extent. The property 
contains many fine trees, some indigenous, 
and several of considerable age. 
The Government House dates back into 
the thirties, with the original garden of the 
same age. But the whole estate was re- 
modelled by Mr. Charles Moore during the 
past half century, while Mr. J. H. Maiden 
has made a number of alterations, conse- 
quent on additions to the House which have 
been completed during the last few years. 
In addition to the landscape gardening 
GOVERNMENT ++ HOUSE, ++ SYDNEY. 
there are two hot houses, and the usual 
appurtenances of a gentleman’s garden. 
Partly owing to the very genial climate, 
and also to the skill of the head gardener, 
Mr. Helps, who takes a keen interest in the 
garden, an agreeable variety of flowers is 
maintained all the year round. 
Approaching the House by the walk as 
shown in the picture attention is arrested 
by the circular flower plot with its dense 
edging and Souvenir de Malmaison Roses 
in bloom, set off with a fine Camellia tree 
in the centre. Walking round this to the 
left and up the path to the steps, flanked on 
both sides by a dwarf stone wall, the visitor’s 
eye catches a good effect of mixed her- 
baceous borders on both sides. The large 
umbrageous tree on the left is a Ficus 
Macrophylla (Moreton Bay Fig), a very fine 
specimen, only partly shown. Ascending 
the steps and proceeding to the lawns and 
flower borders near the House, not shown 
in the picture, and looking to the right is 
seen a tree, hiding part of the picture of the 
House. This is a fine specimen of Mag- 
nolia Grandiflora (named after Professor 
Magnol), which was planted by Lady Young 
in 1861. ‘This tree is now removed. Still 
looking to the right, two finely grown trees 
(Araucaria exelsa, from Araucanos, the name 
‘macrophylla, 
of the people in whose district Araucaria 
imbricata grows in Chili; natural order, 
Conifers) sixty years old stand up promi- 
nently as a background to the landscape. 
Immediately in front of them, showing dense 
foliage in the picture, are specimens of 
Erythrina insignis —scarlet (Coral tree, from 
erythros, red, the colour of the flowers; 
natural order, Leguminos) and Crypto- 
meria japonica—Japan Cedar (from kriptos, 
hidden, and meris, part ; the structure of all 
the parts of the flower being hidden, or not 
easily perceived ; natural order, .Coniferze), 
Also a Bauhinia purpurea, purple—mountain 
ebony (named after the brothers John and 
Caspar Bauhin, botanists of the sixteenth 
century ; . natural order, Leguminosz), and 
other trees of interest. Passing along to the 
immediate front of the House in the picture, 
a tree is shown on the left of the footpath. 
This is one of a pair which originally stood 
(now. removed) on each side of the stone 
steps. They are specimens of Meryta 
and belong to the natural 
order Araliaceze, but the derivation of the 
name is unknown. It is suggested that it 
comes from meruo, to wind or roll up, but 
just why it is so suggested does not appear 
from the tree itself. They are natives of the 
Pacific Islands, 
