IGO 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  22,  1900. 
ASHTEAD  PARK. 
Year  after  year  the  complaints  becolne  more  numerous  and  more 
emphatic  that  owing  to  the  deleterious  elements  in  the  atmosphere 
gardening  in  the  noighhourhood  of  the  metropolis  is  rapidly  becoming 
an  impossibility.  It  is,  however,  a  fact  that  within,  say,  a  fifteen 
mile  radius  of  Charing  Cross  there  are  some  of  the  best  appointed 
gardens,  containing  the  most  excellent  products  of  the  gardener’s 
skill  that  are  to  be  found  in  the  Country.  One  establishment  may  be 
celebrated  for  this  product  or  for  that  plant,  and  the  aggregate  brings 
one  almost  to  the  ideal  of  perfection  in  every  phase  of  the  art.  We 
look,  and  not  in  vain,  to  the  specialists  to  maintain  the  prestige  of 
metropolitan  gardens  and  gardening.  There  may  be  fogs  and  there 
may  be  smoke,  but  to  overcome  them,  or  rather  their  baneful  effects, 
we  have  the  determination  of  the  enthusiastic  cultivator,  and  so  far  the 
latter  has  scored.  The  troubles  and  trials  may  grow  in  numbers  yearly, 
but  with  few  exceptions  they  succumb  to  concentrated  skill  Even 
within  the  four-mile  circle  of  Charing  Cross  the  interested  searcher 
can  find  places  where  excellent  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables  are 
produced,  and  it  will  imobibly  be  many  a  year  ere  this  ceases  to  be  a  fact. 
Of  the  estates  where  one  can  find  many  features  of  high 
of  vehicular  traffic,  and  which  the  deer  cross  and  recross  at  will,  as 
there  are  no  flanking  fences  to  the  roadway.  The  whole  area  of  the 
park  land  is  handsomely  wooded  with  various  kinds  of  forest  trees, 
the  major  portion  which  thrive  wonderfully  well.  Some  of  these 
are  of  considerable  age,  while  others  are  of  a  comparatively  modern 
date  of  planting.  This  variation  creates  the  impression  at  one 
moment  that  the  estate  is  young,  and  at  another  that  it  is  old.  As  a 
matter  of  fact  the  latter  would  be  the  more  correct  description. 
Successive  owners  have  done  much  not  only  to  enhance  its  value  (if 
such  were  desired)  from  a  timber  producing  point  of  view,  but  also'to 
add  to  its  arboricultural  beauties,  and  it  is  now  rich  in  interest  and  in 
continuously  pleasing  features. 
The  Terrace  Garden. 
In  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  the  mansion  there  is  no, 
except  what  is  known  as  the  Terrace  Garden,  appreciable  quantity 
of  formal  bedding,  the  more  natural  beauty  of  sweeping  lawn  and 
handsome  trees  being  relied  upon  for  affording  suitable  attractions. 
In  the  photographic  reproduction  (fig.  41),  tnis  particular  garden 
may  be  seen,  and  its  formal  design  is  quite  in  consonance  with  the 
balustraded  terrace  upon  which  it  stands  and  the  mansion  near  by. 
Photo  by  Parrett,  Lpo  herhead. 
Fig.  40. -ASHTEAD  PARK 
average  quality  as  well  as  a  decided  specialty  there  are  many,  and 
amongst  them  must  be  included  Ashtead  Park,  the  residence  of 
Pantia  Ralli,  Esq.,  at  Ashtead  in  Surrey.  This,  though  comparatively 
close  to  London  and  within  a  very  short  distance  of  Epsom,  is  most 
charming  in  its  delightful  paik,  pleasure  grounds,  and  gardens.  In 
no  section  of  the  estate  can  there  be  found  evidence  of  smallness  ;  on 
the  contrary,  the  broad  acres  of  y>ark  with  the  herds  of  deer  seem  to 
speak  of  the  size  of  an  estate  in  the  deepest  recesses  of  rural  England. 
The  presiding  genius  is  Mr.  G.  J.  Hunt,  whose  fame  as  a  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  grower  is  great,  and  in  these  plants  of  course  we  have  the 
sjiecialty  of  Ashtead  Park. 
The  Park  and  its  Occupants. 
There  are  entrances  to  the  park  from  various  points,  including 
Ashtead  and  Epsom,  and  its  wide  expanse  with  clumps  of  trees  in 
suitable  positions  and  numeroas  individual  specimens  provide  a 
spacious  roaming  space  for  the  deer,  which  add  materially  to  the 
jiicturesqueness  of  the  scene.  Bracken  waving  in  the  breeze  in 
different  parts  of  the  undulating  surface  affords  the  protection  that  is 
demanded  by  these  attractively  graceful  creatures.  A  curious  fact, 
-  nd  one  that  cannot  be  very  common,  is  found'in  this  deer  park,  being 
bisected  by  a  public  road,  which  is  used  by  a  considerable  amount 
Needless  to  say  the  several  beds,  large  and  small,  receive  the  plants 
customarily  relegated  to  such  positions,  and  which  it  is  totally 
unnecessary  to  enumerate.  From  this  garden  may  be  had  a  most 
charming  view  of  the  park,  the  beauty  of  which  is  increased  by  the 
fact  that  the  main  vista  is  down  a  long  avenue,  but  through  the 
trees  on  either  hand  may  be  had  some  peculiarly  attractive  peeps. 
Occasionally  from  here  the  road  crossing  the  park  is  observed  shining 
white  between  the  green,  but  in  the  main  it  is  quite  obscured. 
The  Pleasure  Gardens. 
There  are  two  distinct  portions  of  the  estate  that  are  kept  within 
.the  customary  fence,  and  which  are  designated  pleasure  gardens.  One 
of  these  is  naturally  quite  close  to  the  house,  while  the  other  is  some 
little  distance  across  the  park.  The  former  finds  in  its  trees  its 
greatest  charm,  and  very  beautiful  they  are  in  their  diversity  of  form 
and  the  different  shapes  and  shades  of  their  leafage.  There  are,  too, 
both  shrubs  and  trees,  which  add  to  the  picture  by  the  aid  of  flowers, 
and  these  having  been  judiciously  placed,  are  distinctly  adjuncts  that 
elicit  admiration.  In  one  position  another  feature  has  been  recently 
added  in  the  form  of  a  Rose  garden,  and  this,  when  the  plants  have 
become  thoroughly  established,  will  prove  to  be  a  constant  source  of 
I  fragrant  beauty  and  interest.  Pleasure  garden  number  two  is  of  a 
