August  18.  1898. 
129 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND 
COTTA GE  GARDENER . 
in  the  border  is  putting  forth  its  beautiiul  flowers,  the  banks  of  Laurels 
are  apt  to  be  overlooked.  Not  so  after  the  sweltering  heat  of  the  dusty 
roads,  then  one  can  and  does  look  upon  them  and  feel  as  if  some  of  their 
freshness  and  coolness  had  been  reflected  upon  oneself.  In  the  winter, 
too,  they  are  sure  ot  appreciation,  for  then  there  are  by  no  means  too 
many  plants,  shrubs  and  trees  that  retain  their  leafage  to  cheer  us 
thiough  the  dull  and  dreary  days.  Their  extent  is  enormous,  and  the 
amount  of  care  requisite  to  maintain  them  in  such  au  excellent  state  must 
be  very  great.  Certainly  they  could  scarcely  be  smoother,  even  if  it 
were  possible  to  pass  a  mowing  machine  over  the  whole  of  them.  There 
were  apparently  several  varieties,  but  we  particularly  noted  caucasica  and 
rotundifolia. 
K3|| 
All  the  admiration  of  the  visitor  must  not  be  expended  on  the 
mansion  and  the  statuary,  for  there  is  much  beside  that  will  enforce 
attention  as  the  grounds  and  gardens  are  traversed.  For  examples, 
certain  amount  of  reflection  on  to  the  garden,  which  is  formal  too,  and 
so  skilfully  has  it  been  laid  out  that  it  is  in  perfect  keeping  and  harmony 
with  its  surroundings.  The  stone  edgings  have  an  old-time  look  about 
them,  and  the  simple  plants  with  which  the  beds  are  filled  are  admirably 
chosen  for  the  purpose.  Standard  Roses  are  very  numerous,  and  add 
to  the  general  charm.  These  beds  are  on  the  south  front  of  the 
mansion,  as  shown  in  the  photographic  illustration  (fig.  24),  which  was 
taken  from  the  cricket  ground  in  the  immediate  foreground  of  the 
picture,  and  also  on  the  left-hand  side,  and  many  hundreds  of  plants  are 
required  to  stock  them.  To  the  right  as  one  faces  the  mansion  lie  the 
vegetable  gardens,  while  the  left  leads  to  charming  pleasure  grounds  and 
delightlul  wa  ks.  At  the  end  of  the  terrace  walk,  and  dividing,  as  it 
were,  the  formal  from  the  informal  grounds,  stands  a  magnificent 
Sycamore  with  a  seat  beneath.  It  is  one  of  the  handsomest  trees  of  its 
kind  that  it  has  been  my  lot  to  see.  The  main  entrance  gates,  on  the 
north  side,  are  singularly  handsome,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  reproduction. 
the  arboricultural  beauties  are  numerous,  coniferous  trees  being  grand 
and  very  diverse  in  form  and  stature.  It  was  not  proposed  to  give 
a  list  of  them,  so  no  notes  were  made  ;  but  the  handsome  specimens 
of  Cupressus  Lawsoniana,  Cryptomeria  japonica,  Piceas  in  variety, 
with  several  others,  as  well  as  Scotch  Firs,  Corsican  Pines,  Oaks, 
Sycamores,  Beeches,  ancient  Thorns,  Acers,  and  Copper  Beeches  must 
be  specified.  The  latter  form  one  of  the  features  of  the  estate, 
for  they  are  exceptionally  rich  in  colour,  and  many  of  them  of 
noble  dimensions.  In  some  positions,  where  there  has  been  room 
for  development,  the  specimens  are  superb.  Near  to  the  mansion,  and 
flanking  the  Emperor  s  Walk,  the  belts  of  trees  are  excellent,  and  it  is 
here  £that  the  Copper  Beeches  are  seen  to  the  best  advantage.  On 
the  boles  of  some  of  the  older  trees,  especially  the  Firs,  Ivy  was 
luxuriating,  and  this  alone  added  interest  and  variety  where  there  was 
already  so  much  to  demand  more  than  a  cursory  notice. 
Reverting  to  the  garden  adjoining  the  mansion  we  are  able  now  to 
give  it  more  than  a  passing  word,  for  it  is  worthy  of  attention.  As 
mightl  be  expected,  the  Italian  formality  of  the  mansion  has  thrown  a 
fig.  23.  Broad  sweeps  of  grass  flank  the  drive  up  to  the  mansion, 
but  there  are  no  beds.  The  view  from  this  side  of  the  mansion  over 
the  meadows  below  is  of  great  beauty,  and  exceedingly  interesting  to 
those  who  admire  pastoral  scenery. 
To  say  that  borders  of  herbaceous  flowers  are  extensive,  that  bulbs 
are  planted  by  thousands  in  the  grass,  that  shrubberies  abtund  where 
clumps  of  Solomon’s  Seal  and  other  plants  luxuriate,  and  that  flowering 
shrubs  are  appreciated,  will  be  superfluous.  No  garden  such  as  that  at 
Grimston  could  be  complete  without  them,  and  needless  to  say  these,  like 
all  the  other  most  prominent  features,  are  thoroughly  good.  The  broad 
borders  of  herbaceous  plants  are  not  allowed  to  become  wild,  but  are  by 
timely  attention  kept  in  the  best  possible  condition,  both  for  looking  well 
and  for  providing  bushels  of  flowers  for  cutting.  The  selection  of  plants 
is  choice,  and  it  is  easy  to  see  that  they  have  been  chosen  by  one  who 
knows  and  acknowledges  the  charms  of  herbaceous  and  shrubby  biennials 
and  perennials.  In  the  belts  of  shrubberies  there  are  Rhododendrons, 
Lilacs,  Laburnums,  Viburnums,  Thoms,  rambling  Roses,  and  Phila- 
delphus,  besides  others,  while  the  Narcissi  in  the  grass  must  be  lovely 
