168 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  1,  1898. 
BYRAM  HALL. 
Acting  on  the  advice  of  a  gardening  friend,  Byram  Hall  was 
included  in  a  little  tour  made  amongst  Yorkshire  seats,  and  excellently 
was  the  visit  repaid,  lor  the  estate  is  a  grand  one  in  all  respects.  The 
owner  of  the  domain  is  Sir  John  Ramsden,  Bart.,  whose  interests  are 
mainly  arboricultural,  as  is  proven  by  the  splendid  trees  with  which  the 
park  and  pleasure  grounds  are  adorned.  When  trees  are  spoken  of  in 
this  manner  it  is  usually  taken  for  granted  that  they  must  all  have 
attained  to  considerable  age  and  stature.  At  Byram  such  is  not  wholly 
the  case.  True  there  are  Limes,  Elms,  Sycamores,  Oaks,  Copper  Beeches, 
and  others  that  have  breasted  many  a  storm  (and  not  always  come  out 
opinion  of  the  writer,  cannot  compare  with  the  shades  of  tender  green 
that  are  given  to  us  in  every  plant,  bush,  and  tree  in  the  earlier  months 
of  the  year.  I  admire  arboricultural  pictures  at  all  times,  but  never 
more  than  when  everything  is  showing  promise  of  the  beauty  and  th< 
bounty  that  are  still  to  come. 
The  gardener-in-chief  is  Mr.  George  Taylor,  and  it  was  he  who  actet. 
as  guide  in  the  wander  round  the  pleasure  grounds  and  the  deer  park.  It 
is  difficult  to  say  what  is  the  finest  feature,  but  the  most  charming  and 
interesting  is  what  is  termed  the  radiating  points,  whence  broad  grass 
roads,  some  approaching,  and  at  least  one  reaching  a  length  of  two 
miles,  lead  in  six  directions.  As  a  Londoner,  I  am  perforce  reminded  of 
the  radiating  points  of 
Seven  Dials,  which  are 
unquestionably  more 
notorious  than  those 
of  Byram,  but  infi¬ 
nitely  less  salubrious. 
In  London  we  have  a 
fair  amount  of  dirt 
and  darkness,  while 
in  Yorkshire  we  find 
cleanliness  and  light. 
This  was  an  admir¬ 
able  idea,  whoever  was 
the  originator  ;  but 
had  he  looked  a  little 
farther  into  the  future 
the  too  common  serious 
error  of  close  planting 
could  have  been  easily 
avoided.  Now,  the 
shrubs  and  trees  are 
so  packed  that  it  is 
only  occasionally  one 
shows  its  full  beauty. 
Here  a  fine  Scottish 
Laburnum  has  found 
a  way  through,  and 
is  nothing  short  of 
superb  ;  while  yonder 
is  another  tree,  pre¬ 
sumably  planted  at 
the  same  time,  but 
which  is  about  50  per 
cent,  less  effective, 
simply  because  deve¬ 
lopment  was  an  im¬ 
possibility. 
Fig.  SO.— BYRAM  HALL. 
scatheless)  ;  but  there  also  are  others,  young  and  strong,  that  have 
scarcely  reached  manhood,  and  which  will  be  there  in  memory  of  Sir 
John  when  his  successor’s  successors  are  the  proprietors  of  Byram. 
Even  now,  in  their  youth,,  they  adorn  their  positions,  for  they  have  been 
planted  by  no  unskilful  hand.  Where  a  clump  would  be  most  effective 
there  a  clump  is  found,  while  if  the  position  were  better  suited  to  one 
tree  there  is  a  single  individual  placed. 
No  spirit  could  be  more  commendable  than  is  this,  and  it  justifies 
unstinted  praise.  Byram  is  not  a  modern  estate — on  the  contrary,  it  is 
an  ancient  one,  and  from  all  appearances  the  spirit  that  imbues  the 
present  owner  was  common  to  his  predecessors,  for  the  tree  planting 
has  been  successional,  as  a  glance  will  tell.  Let  us  trust  the  coming 
generations  will  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  their  forefathers,  and  then 
will  this  remain,  as  it  is  to-day,  one  of  the  most  charming  homes  in 
Yorkshire.  For  the  two  photos  that  accompany  these  notes  we  are 
indebted  to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  E.  I.  Walker,  Carlton  Street,  Castle- 
ford,  Yorks,  tor  whom  they  were  taken  by  Mr.  J.  Baxter.  The  one 
showing  the  mansion  is  very  typical,  having  been  taken  across  a  rock- 
surrounded  lake,  while  the  other  portrays  one  of  the  gateways  in  the 
garden  ;  but  to  these  we  shall  revert  a  little  later.  Several  other 
excellent  photos  were  offered,  but,  unfortuuately,  space  did  not  permit  of 
their  utilisation,  charming  as  the  whole  of  them  were. 
As  has  been  said  in  the  notes  of  other  demesnes,  the  month  in  which 
these  journeys  were  made  was  June,  and  probably  no  better  time  could 
be  chosen  than  this  for  seeing  Byram  at  its  best.  Then  the  trees  had 
not  lost  the  garb  of  spring,  the  Laburnums  were  a  sheen  of  gold 
beneath  their  canopy  of  green,  the  air  was  fragrant  with  the  odour 
of  flowers,  indeed  everything  was  fresh  and  bright.  There  is  another 
season  of  the  year  that  many  people’s  estimation  would  place  equal,  if 
not  superior  to  late  spring,  and  that  is  the  autumn.  Then  the  tones 
of  colour  in  '  the  trees  must  be  most  handsome,  as  the  diversity  is 
exceedingly  great.  There  ought  to  be  endless  tints,  but  these,  in  the 
it  is,  ol  course,  easy 
to  see  that  in  the 
original  formation 
there  has  been  strain¬ 
ing  for  immediate 
effect,  and  little  or  no 
thought  has  been  given  to  ultimate  results.  The  consequence  of  this  is 
the  mutilation,  or  perhaps  malformation  is  the  better  word,  of  the  plants 
utilised.  In  the  instance  to  which  we  would  draw  particular  attention 
there  has  obviously  been  an  abundance  of  material  at  command,  and 
a  considerable  amount  of  taste  has  been  displayed  in  the  placing,  so  that 
the  various  shades  of  green  blend  admirably  for  the  production  of  effect. 
It  is  regrettable  that  a  conception  of  such  excellence  should  have  been 
so  marred.  Now  it  will  be  necessary  to  thin  out  vigorously,  so  as  to  give 
room  for  those  that  are  allowed  to  remain  to  attain  to  proper  propor¬ 
tions.  Unfortunately  an  operation  such  as  this  always  entails  worry, 
as  where  there  are  so  many  choice  plants  to  be  dealt  with  it  is  difficult 
to  know  which  to  dispense  with  and  which  to  allow  to  remain.  Standing 
at  the  junction  of  the  six  radiating  points,  and  turning  first  in  one 
direction  and  then  in  another,  a  series  of  views  is  had  that  everyone  must 
admire.  There  is  no  sameness,  nothing  that  could  fatigue  the  eye,  while 
locomotion  over  the  thick  green  carpet  of  grass  is  more  than  comfortable, 
for  it  is  quite  luxurious.  _ 
Passing  along  one  of  the  avenues  and  through  a  field  of  hay,  we  enter 
upon  an  avenue  of  Limes  that  have  reached  patriarchal  age  and  dimensions, 
and  look  very  beautiful  These  form  a  very  delightful  shade  for  a  walk 
on  the  hottest  of  days,  the  coolness  being  most  refreshing.  Emerging 
from  this  brings  us  on  to  the  northern  terrace  of  the  lake,  which  stretches 
for  a  considerable  distance  through  the  grounds.  On  the  southern  side 
the  walk  approaches  quite  close  to  the  margins  of  the  lake,  and 
here  again  a  new  avenue  has  been  formed,  but  has  not  yet  got  of  any 
material  size.  As  a  water  scene  the  most  beautiful  is  from  the  north 
terrace,  looking  towards  the  east.  This  gives  an  expanse  of  water 
with  occasional  islets  through  the  verdure-clad  banks  on  each  side 
beyond  a  rustic  bridge  that  spans  the  water  and  is  lost  at  the  meeting 
of  the  verges  in  the  distance.  No  prettier  picture  than  this  could  be 
desired,  for  the  trees  are  diversified,  and  consequently  the  shades  and 
tones  of  green  are  very  numerous.  Copper  Beeches,  too,  add  materially 
to  the  panorama,  as  do  the  Sycamores  with  their  large  shining  leaves  and 
the  evergreens  with  fine  foliage  of  blueish  grey,  green,  and  yellow. 
