r
vogue to clipped yCAvs, with magnificent gates and rails of iron, not unfreqnent in
Holland, and about this time (see Huetiana) introduced into France, and, in reference
to the opaque stoiic-walls which they supplanted, called there clairs-voyees. TIic most
extensive iron screens of this sort in England, next to those of Hampton Court, were
formed by Switzer, at Lecswold, in Flintshire, laid out by that artist in a mixed style,
or Avhat is called Bridgeman’s fii'st manner. Hampton Court being at this time the
actual residence of the royal family, the gardens underwent considerable improvement.
An elegant alcoA'e and arched trellis were added at the end of one of the alleys, and
four urns placed before the princijial part of the house, supposed by Daines Banington
(Archce.oloqia) to be the first that were thus used iu England. Towards the end of this
century, vegetable sculptures and embroidered parteiTcs were probably in their highest
vogue; a conjecture confirmed by the Avorks of Le Blond, James, Switzer, &c. published
during this and the following reign. Longleat, the magnificent seat of the Marquess of
Bath (fig. 179.), belongs to this period.
568. Notes were made on some o f the gardens round London by J . Gibson, in the year
1691, which haA’e been subsequently published in the Archæologia. (vol. xii.). Many of
those mentioned by Evelyn arc included, and spoken of in nearly the same terms by
Gibson. Ten*ace-walks, hedges of CA'-ergi-eens, shorn shnibs in boxes, and orange and
myrtle trees are mentioned as their chief excellences. The parterre at Hampton Court
is said to resemble a set of lace patterns. Evelyn himself is said to have a “ pleasant
villa at Deptford, a fine garden for walks and hedges, and a pretty little gi-eenhousc
with an indifferent stock in it. He has four large round philJyi-eas, smooth-clipped,
raised on a single stalk from the ground, a fashion now much used. P a rt of his garden
is veiy Avoody and shady for walking ; bnt, not being walled, ho has little of the best
fruits.” Sir William Temple’s Essay on the Gardens o f Epicurus appeared about the
same time. His picture of a perfect garden is that of a flat, or gentle declivity, of an
oblong shape, lying in front of the house, with descent of steps from a terrace extending
the whole length of the house. This enclosure is to he cultivated as a kitchen-garden
and orchard. Such a garden he found a t Moor Park, Hertfordshire, laid out by the
Countess of Bedford, celebrated by Dr. Donne, “ the sweetest place, I think, that I have
seen in my life, before or since, at home or abroad.” Walpole, in his enthusiasm for the
modem style, observes on this description, that any man might form as sweet a garden,
who had never been out of Holborn.— I t has long since been destroyed, and its place
occupied by lawn and trees. Fig. 180. is a view of Wollaton Hall and gm-dens, near
Nottingham, as they appeared in 1696. The gardens arc extensive and laid out iu
the Italian style, with terraces, statues, fountains, urns, orange trees in boxes, and,
Avhat is more remarkable, an orangery Avith a glass roof, which must have been one of
the first of that description erected in England. The designers of this structure, and,
probably, also of part of the gardens, must have been London and Wise, the great
liui-seiymen and gai'den arcliitects of that day. The architecture of the house, Avliich
Avas built in the time of Queen Elizabeth, Avas reckoned the chef d ’oeuvre of Thorpe, Avho
was the architect of Holland House and Burleigh. (Gard. Mag.)
569. During Queen Anne’s reign (1702 to 1714), the principal alteration mentioned
by Daines Barrington, as having taken place in the royal gardens, was that of covering
tlic parten-e before the great ten-acc at Windsor with tu rf Switzer mentions that her
majesty finished the old gardens at Kensington, begun by King William. Wise, Avho
was employed for this purpose, turned the gravel-pits into a shrabbery, with Avinding
Avalks, Avith Avhich Addison Avas so strack, that he compares him to an epic poet, and
tiiese improved pits as episodes to the general effect of the garden. London and Wise
were nurseiymen, and the designers of gai-dcns, in which last capacity they Avere nearly
in as great demand as Avas al’terAvards the celebrated BroAvii. To London and Wise, as
designers, succeeded Bridgeman, who appears to have been a more chaste artist than
any of his predecessors. He banished vegetable sculpture, and introduced Avild scenes
and cultivated fields in Richmond Park ; but he still clipped liis alleys, though he left
to their natural growth the central paits of the masses through Avhich they were pierced.
Blenheim, Castle Howard, Cranboiu-ne, Bushy Pai-k, Edger, Althorp, Ncav Park, BoAvden,
HackAvood, Wrest, and indeed almost all the principal noblemen’s seats in the ancient
style, were laid out during this, the preceding, and part of the latter reigns, or betAveen
the years 1660 and 1713. Blenheim was laid out by Wise in three years ; Wanstead,
in Essex, and Edger in Hertfordshire, Avere the last of London’s designs. (Switzer.)
570. During the reign o f George I. (1714 to 1727), nothing of consequence appears
to have been done to the royal gardens ; though, near the end of it, Vanbrugh was
appointed surveyor of the waters and gardens of the crown, Ju n e 21. 1715, but eoutinued
only a year or tAVO in office.
571. During the reign o f George I I . (1727 to 1760), Queen Caroline enlarged and
planted Kensington Gardens, and fonned Avhat is uoav called the Serpentine River, by
uniting a string of detached ponds. This was a bold step, and led the way to subsequent
changes of taste. Lord Bathui-st infoimcd Daines Barrington, that he Avas the first Avho
deviated from the straight line in pieces of made water, by following the natural lines
of a valley, in Avidcning a brook at Ryskins, near Colnbrook ; and tbat Lord Straftbrd,
tliinking that it Avas done from poverty or economy, asked him to own fairly hoAv littlo
more it Avould have cost him to have made it straight. I t appears, hoAvever, that Christopher
Wren, cliaplain to King Charles I., dean of Windsor, and father of Sir Christopher,
the architect, claimed the origin of serpentine riA'crs as his invention. In a
marginal note aflixcd to Sir llcn rv Wotton’s Elements o f Architecture, published in 1624,
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