The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-06-20 00:00:00

KRA GARDENS.

Kew Gardens, comprising in the general term the
Botanic Gardens, Arboretum, and Pleasure Grounds,
Palace Grounds, and the Queen's Reserve, may be
reckoned at about 300 acres in all. The Botanic
Garden covers 69 acres, and the Arboretum and Plea-
sure Grounds 178 acres. The remainder, though
enclosed, is of great service to the public in various
ways. Th2re formerly stood on the site of the
Botanic Gardens a residence known as Kew House,
the property of a Mr. Bennett. In the year 1730
this house was rented by the Prince of Wales, father
to George 111., and by him the grounds were laid out
for his own private enjoyment. After his death his
widow, Augusta, made various improvements, employ-
ing therein Sir W. Chambers, who subsequently pub-
lished a handsome work containing plans, views, and
descriptions. Many foreign trees were planted, and
in various ways the foundations of a botanical collec-
tion were laid by the Dowager Princess Augusta. The
first proper eureter was Mr, W, Alton; a pupil of
Miller, of Chelsea, the autbor f the
"Gardeners' Dictionary." In the year 1789 King
George 111. took up his residence in Kew Palace, the
picturesque red - brick edifice that still remains
within view from the main entrance to the
Royal Gardens. The Pagoda was erected in
1761 by Sir William Chambers, in imitation of
a Chinese Taa. It is 160 feet high, and consists of
ten octagonal storeys, the angles of the roofings of
which were formerly decorated with dragons holding
bells in their mouths. It was surrounded by cedars,
planted at the date of its erection, and of which only
five remain. The pagoda is not open to the public,
and its only use is an adornment of the grounds. In
this respect it is at least acceptable, and we should
greatly regret were it to be removed. At the same
time it is really an incongruity, and had it never been
seen in this spot, would possibly by persons of taste
never have been desired. Chinese pagodas are not
temples as generally supposed, but memorials of
events or personages, historical landmarks, and
eml2odiments of ideas. They are usually built of
brick, and covered with glazed tiles. The Chinese
builars begin a work of this sort at the top and pro-
ceed downwards, the foundations being provided last ,
of all. The upper storeys are supported on temporary ,
pillars, which are removed as the work proceeds.
Bricks and tiles of all colours, with the exception of
yellow, are employed as the fancy of the architect
may direct. Yellow is used in royal palaces only,
and any builder who may use it for any other pur-
pose exposes himself to the risk of decapitation
or strangling; to decorate with yellow is a
capital crime. The several avenues that radiate
from the pagoda have their points of interest
for the gardener and botanist, and there are some
good " roads " near by, in which will be found collec-
tions of trees of the pear tribe, brambles, thorns, and
planes, as also of the papilionaceous trees which pro-
duce flowers and pods that bring them into relation-
ship with peas and beans. The gardens were in
some degree neglected from the time of the death of
George 111., in 1820, until the year 1840, when
public attention was directed to the state of the
Royal property, and the grave question arose whether
it should not be made subservient to the public
interests, both as a school of botanical science and a
resort for health and recreation. The late Dr.
Lindley was appointed to inquire and report, and the
result was a recommendation to the effect that these
gardens should be made the head-quarters of a,
botanical study in aid of horticulture, medicine, agri-
culture, and commerce. It should be understood
that at this time the gardens were still a Royal pro.
perty ; but their special capabilities being thus
authoritatively declared, her Atiajestv Queen
Victoria at once gave them up to the public
service, reserving to herself, for private use, a
small strip next the River Thames, and traceable
by the boundary fence along the western half of the
walk that connects the Lion Gate with the Isleworth
Ferry. Within this track of woodland, where acres
of blue-bells may be seen in the spring, is the Queen's
Cottage, a pretty rustic toy that has not been (royally)
occupied for many years. In the year 1841, Mr.
Aiton, having had charge of the gardens for half-a-
century, resigned his post to Sir W. J. Hooker,
F.R.S., then Professor of Botany in the University of
Glasgow. Great improvements were then commenced
and carried out, changing the face of the entire scene.
In 1843 the Queen added to her former gift to the
public another tract of pleasure ground; and in the
year 1846 the Royal forcing gardens that skirted the
Richmond-road were thrown into what we may call
the botanical estate; and thus, step by step, the
gardens have acquired their present features and
dimensions. In the year 1865 Sir William Hooker
died, and was succeeded as director by his son, Sir
Joseph Dalton Hooker, F.R.S., respecting whose
scientific achievements and renown we need not
speak, for are they not written at large in the book of
41m world ? The Gardeners' Magazine.