June  7,  1900 
JOURNAL  OF  IJORFr  I  CULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
485 
Thojwater  in  the"]  valley,  the  terraces  beyond,  crowned  on  the  highest 
ground  by  the  mansion  of  St.  Fagan’s — as  a  matter  of  fact,  and  digressing 
for  a  moment  from  our  immediate  topic,  it  is  from  this  position  that  the 
only  semblance  of  a  castle  can  be  seen  in  the  form  of  one  tower — 
make  a  most  charming  picture,  which  receives  the  admiration  of  every 
visitor.  The  Lilacs  diffused  a  refreshing  perfume,  and  the  Daisy- 
speckled  turf  seemed  to  invigorate  the  muscles  of  the  wanderer  within 
the  gates.  As  the  length  of  the  walk  is  traversed  we  see  at  intervals 
the  boundaries  of  the  maze  (in  which  the  hapless  stranger,  as  was  the 
writer,  may  be  escorted  and  left  to  fathom  its  mysteries  as  best  he  can), 
an  Azalea  garden,  occasional  groups  of  Rhododendrons,  handsome  Mag¬ 
nolias,  with  their  chalice-shaped  flowers,  and  the  Snowdrop  Tree  (Ltalesia 
tetraptera),  with,  as  the  ground  again  falls,  Apple  trees  in  numbers, 
and  more  beautiful  still,  Quinces  in  the  lower  grounds.  We  canno: 
(Oolchioum  autumnale),  with  thousands  of  Narcissi,  of  which  only 
N.  poeticus  recurvus  remained  to  tell  the  story  of  past  glories.  Did 
we  descend  to  the  narrow  stream  which  winds  slowly  through  the 
valley,  we  should  have  to  discourse  of  Marsh  Marigolds,  Iris  Ksempferi 
and  scores  of  other  plants  grown  either  for  their  flowers  or  their  hand¬ 
some  leafage,  but  to  separate  which  from  their  picturesque  confusion 
would  be  to  obtain  precision  at  the  expense  of  art. 
The  Terraces. 
As  may  readily  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  illustration  (fig.  128, 
page  477),  the  ground  on  the  opposite  side  to  the  pleasaunce  rises  from 
the  lake  in  a  series  of  terraces,  supported  by  walls  and  balustrades  of 
stone  with  flights  of  steps.  To  some  of  these  there  are  grass  banks 
with  shrubs  of  various  kinds,  and  on  the  upper  one  a  broad  border  with 
I'holo  hy  Mr.  O.  R.  King,  Cardiff, 
Fig.  1.30.— ST.  FAGAN’S  CASTLE. 
make  a  pretence  of  indicating  the  evergreen  and  deciduous  trees  or 
these  notes  would  become  literally  a  list  of  names  which  could  not 
prove  very  entertaining'reading. 
Grass  Gardening 
Though  to  all  intents  andjpurposes  this  forms  an  essential  portion  of 
the  pleasaunce,  it  is  *sutKciently  attractive  to  warrant  a  separate 
paragraph.  It  is  a'phase  of  gardening  that  must  be  encouraged,  and  it 
is  a  pleasure  to  see  the  intelligent  interest  that  is  taken  in  it  at  St. 
Fagan’s.  Mr.  Hugh  Pettigrew,  the  gardener  in  chief,  does  not  enter 
upon  his  work  in  anj'indisoriminate  manner  as  is  demonstrated  by  the 
admirable  way  in  which  'positions  have  been  chosen  for  the  various 
plants.  For  example,  in  one  place  we  found  ourselves  in  a  veritable 
Primrose  garden  (though  only  a  solitary  flower  was  then  visible) ;  while 
in  another  position  equally  appropriate  rose  the  tall  spikes  of  Camassia 
esculenta.  Again,’  there]  were  Snowdrops,'  Soillas,  autumn  Crocuses 
a  row  extending  the  whole  length  of  splendid  Lavender  plants.  These 
must  make  a  most  beautiful  picture  when,  later  in  the  year,  they  are  in 
full  bloom,  and  one  can  imagine  the  delicious  fragrance  that  will  rise 
from  them  to  the  mansion,  the  Dutch  garden,  and  the  Mulberry  grove 
above.  On  some  of  the  spaces  on  the  banks  plants  of  the'Florentine  Iris 
are  flowering  ;  while  in  other  positions  the  lovely  RosaliWichuriana  has 
been  judiciously  planted.  This  Rose  has  an  enviable  reputation  in 
America,  and  one  may  reasonably  suppose  that  it  will  luxuriate  in  the 
positions  selected  for  it  at  St.  Fagan’s.  Rosa  rugosa,  handsome  alike  in 
foliage,  flower,  and  fruit,  has  been  similarly  employed,  and  in  still 
another  place  on  the  slopes  it  is  proposed  to  plant  a  Sweet  Brier  hedge. 
One  observes  here  and  there,  both  in  the  pleasaunce  and  in  other  portions 
of  the  grounds,  comfortable  seats  on  which  visitors  may  'rest,  and 
appreciate  at  their  leisure  the  beauty  and  fragrance  with  which  they 
are  surrounded.  In  the  lakes,  which  it  will  be  observed  are]formal  in 
design.  Water  Lilies  flourish,  and  these  again  add  interest  to  the  whole. 
