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JOURNAL  OF  HOHTTGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Febiuary  12,  19C3. 
early  death  laid  him  aside,  for  his  pride  was  manifested  in 
beautifying  his  home  smroundings  and  the  betterment  of 
his  tenants  and  workpeople. 
The  laying  out  of  the  earlier  formed  pleasure  grounds 
was  the  work  of  the  celebrated  “  Capabilitj'  Brown,”  who 
has  also  left  living  monuments  of  his  skill  as  a  landscape 
artist  at  other  places  in  Wiltshire,  notably  at  Hartham  and 
Corsham  Court.  ...  ' 
The  present  owner,  the  Right  Hon.  W.  H.  Long.  Presi¬ 
dent  of  the  Local  Government  Board,  has  long  since  proved 
himself  a  worthy  successor  of  such  historic  lineage  by  his 
brilliant  attainments  in  Parliamentary  and  Cabinet  rank-. 
He  proudly  held  the  position  of  being  the  late  Queen’s 
youngest  Minister;  but  he  has  outgrown  this  for  some 
time  past,  though  still  a  comparatively  young  man.  - 
The  house  itself  is  a  stately  edifice,  viewed  from  almost 
any  point,  and  during  the  summer  and  autumn  months  it  pre¬ 
sents  a  magnificent  picture  by  the  great  depth  of  colour 
nnparted  by  the  Virginian  Creepers,  Ampelopsis  Veitchi, 
Mr.  W.  5trugnell. 
which  now  almost  completely  cover  the  walls.  The  nature 
of  the  soil,  elevation,  and  open  surroundings  combine  to 
present  these  Creepers  to  a  degree  of  perfection  almost 
dazzling  in  leaf  colour,  invoking  both  envy  and  admiration 
from  the  many  who  survey  it. 
The  residence  is  approached  by  a  well-kept  carriage  road, 
a  distance  of  two  miles  through  beautifully  undulating  and 
varied  landscape  of  both  wood  and  park.  At  the  entrance 
from  the  town  of  Trowbridge  a  fine  avenue  of  double  lines 
of  Firs  of  the  Scotch  type  afford  a  stately  picture,  and  by 
the  generosity  of  the  squire  the  townsfolk  have  the  free 
use  of  this  shady  retreat  on  foot  or  wheel.  A  distance  of 
a  mile  brings  one  to  the  handsome  Castle  lodge,  which 
guards  the  entiance  to  the  home  park,  but  whose  gates 
ai’e  closed  to  the  public  only  but  one  brief  period  of  the 
year.  A  feature  of  the  park,  which  extends  to  between 
three  and  four  hundred  acres,  is  the  wealth  of  timber  trees 
and  common  Thorn.  The  latter  in  their  season  of  blossom, 
by  reason  of  their  numbers,  give  quite  a  snowlike  aspect  to 
the  scene.  The  sharply  undulating  nature  of  the  surface 
brings  into  view  fresh  glimpses  at  every  turn  of  the  road, 
which  is  made  circuitous  on  this  account.  The  church  and 
village  schools  are  within  the  park  boundary.  The  house 
has  a  commanding  position,  looking  down  upon  Trowbridge 
with  its  lofty  church  spire  and  chimney  stacks  from  the 
factories  which  were  once  famous  for  its  cloth.  Bradford- 
on-Avon  rises  beyond  ;  and  to  the  right  is  seen  Lansdowne 
and  adjacent  hills  miles  away  when  the  air  is  clear  and  the 
sun  bright. 
The  lake  nestling  at  the  foot  of  Sturton,  a  high  and  com¬ 
manding  eminence,  with  a  wealth  of  timber  skirting  its 
crest,  extends  to  some,  sixteen  acres.  The  home  wood,  with 
a  delightful  shady  walk,  leads  the  visitor  to  the  lake  for 
summer  boating  or  winter  skating,  and  at  either  season 
there  is  a  scene  of  panoramic  beauty. 
The  pleasure  grounds,  whicL,  like  the  park,  present  the 
same  undulating  surface,  in  its  early  history  was  the  scene 
of  much  activity  from  the  spade  and  barrow  in  order  to 
provide  a  sufficiently  level  space  for  croquet  and  tennis.  A 
grand  specimen  Lime  stands  on  an  eminence,  showing  the 
extent  of  depression  made  by  levelling  necessary  for  these 
summer  pastimes.  The  tree  itself  is  noteworthy,  not  so 
much  for  its  own  proportions  as  for  the  great  wealth  of 
Mistletoe  which  furnish  its  branches  from  the  ground  to  its 
highest  point.  It  was  so  well  furnished  with  the  parasite 
a  few  years  since  that  not  a  single  branch  could  be  found 
that  did  not  own  a  Mistletoe,  either  in  a  seedling  state 
or  a  fully  matured  one. 
Other  trees  near  by  afford  Mistletoe,  though  to  a  lesser 
extent  to  this  giant.  Abies  Smithiana,  Cedrus  atlantica, 
Finns  Cembra,  Sequoias  sempervirens  and  gigantea,  Finns 
excelsa,  and  Cryptomeria  japonica,  considering  the  length 
of  time  they  have  been  planted,  have  made  rapid  progress, 
and  assumed  fine  proportions.  Abies  Finsapo,  planted  by 
H.R.H.  Duchess  of  Albany  about  twelve  years  since,  shows 
that  its  environment  is  distinctly  agreeable.  Catalpas  and 
the  Judas  tree,  Cercis  Siliquastrum,  give  appreciative 
touches  of  colour  in  their  flowering  season.  Cupressus 
Nootkatensis  are  of  great  breadth  and  height.  There  are 
other  fine  specimen  Cupressus  and  Thuias,  Evergreen  Oaks, 
Hornbeam,  and  Maidenhair  tree.  Ginkgo  biloba,  in  the 
grounds,  which  lend  an  air  of  dignity  to  the  sloping  lawns. 
Shrubs  generally,  grow  vigorously,  both  deciduous  and  ever¬ 
green  ;  but  Roses  in  years  past  have  proved  a  signal  failure. 
Fresent  day  needs,  however,  require  no  relaxation  of  effort 
to  provide  these  favourite  flowers,  and  each  year  finds 
extensions  in  selected  spots. 
The  flower  garden  occupies  a  position  facing  the  west 
front  of  the  house,  and  in  summer  is  filled  with  plants 
calculated  to  give  masses  of  colour ;  flatness  being  relieved 
by  “  dot  ”  plants  of  a  sub-tropical  nature.  An  indifferent 
water  supply,  and  the  shallow  depth  of  soil,  makes  this 
work  laborious  in  periods  of  summer  drought.  At  every 
available  point  colour  is  provided  by  herbaceous  plants 
and  annuals,  with  a  view  to  relieve  the  sombreness  of  the 
surroundings  conveyed  by  the  extent  of  tree  and  lawn 
surfaces. 
What  was  once  a  forest  of  timber  trees  is  now  a  new 
feature  of  the  grounds,  planted  with  shrubs  and  trees  of 
varied  order,  and  interspersed  with  flowers,  herbaceous  and 
otherwise.  Daffodils,  Tulips,  and  Folyanthus  light  up  the 
lawn  and  borders  by  their  wealth  of  varied  colour ;  the 
Daffodils  in  particular  growing  with  wonderful  luxuidance. 
Arches,  planted  here  and  there  with  Ivies,  Rambler  Roses, 
and  Clematis,  do  good  service,  as  also  do  the  many  and 
varied  flowering  shrubs. 
The  kitchen  garden  and  glass  department  are  situated 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  house,  and  which  has  been, 
like  the  lawns,  subject  to  renovation  in  order  to  biing  them 
more  within  the  means  of  present  day  demands  ;  the  glass 
being  somewhat  extensive,  though  not  of  modern  type.  The 
heavy  demands  made  on  these  departments  render  it 
imperative  that  every  available  inch  of  space  be  utilised, 
and  Mr.  Strugnell,  the  present  gardener,  has  proved  that 
even  in  a  limited  capacity  much  may  be  provided  during  the 
course  of  a  year. 
