The Portland daily press., 1891-10-28
QUEEN vIcroRIA's GARDEN,
Memorial Trees, and a House That
the Prince Of Wales Built.

IFlgar0.I
Queen Victoria considers herself really at
home In the private garden of Osborne only.
For in this little corner of the Isle of Wight
alone does the sovereign, whose possessions
cover one-seventh of the globe, have powers
absolute. Elsewhere. and especially In the
parks of the royal residences, she is under
the restraint of the officials of a constitution
al monarchy.
The Commissioner of Public Buildings and
Works treats the Grown as an institution ct
which the rights are strictly limited. Her
Majesty cannot cut tree without the con-
sent of the proper official. To escape this
vigilance the Queen has bought In the neigh.
borhood Of her castle at Osborne some acres
of ground where she may have a gardiner
not subject to changes of administration,
She has even gone SO far as to disregard for
once Der position of political impartiality and
consfield. man accustomed to the growing of
Tory flowers. But any imprudences which
he might commit will not easily reach the
public. For while it is easy to get permits
this little garden is carefully shut off from
visitors. A correspondent Of an English
paper recently had the good fortune to get
into the Swiss chalet, which her Majesty has
made into family museum, and to walk
about the aisles of trees where each tree COM
nemorates an episode in the history of the
royal house and recalls day of happiness or
sorrow.
A short distance from the entrance to this
private garden Is wooden playhouse, built
with their own hands by the Prince of Wales
and the Duke Of Edinburgh in 1857. The
heir to the crown has missed his vocation.
He clearly had in him the making of a nota.
Die carpenter. Even to the present day the
Prince is very proud OF his work. and when
ever he visits Osborne, he goes straightway
to see II the play house Is still standing. Not
q nail has ia lien, mot plank has sprung.
The house, after thirty-four years. is as solid
as at first
In the little house are preserved the play
things OF the royal children. Each Of the
children had little carriages Of his own, and
all are here preserved with the initials of the
owners upon them.
The Duke of Edinburgh was lack of all
trades. He was carpenter with his older
brother, mason with his younger brother,
the Duke Of Connaught. The miniature for
tress they built together is still preserved in
this same garden. 1t is made of stone and
brick, and is at least strong enough to brave
the seasons. The prince worked under the
eyes Of their father, who was trying to teach
them the art of Notification.
This fortress has undergone some assaults.
The Prince of Wales, having his five sisters
and the youngest of his brothers under his
command, attacked its garrison, the Dukes
of Edinburgh and Connaught. Almost al
ways the heir apparent carried the parapet
and drove the two Dukes into easement,
where they had plenty of arms and whence
hunger alone could dlslodge them.
Nowadays the children of the Duchess of
and defend the fort which their parents,
their uncles, and their aunts have so often
captured with great valor after long and
glorious s.eges.
The day of her oldest daughters wedding.
Victoria took a sprig of myrtle from the
brides bouquet aud planted 1t In this garden
1t rooted itself so firmly that now 1t Is grown
into great bush Every time one of the
grandchildren marries, the myrtle bush at
Osborne is called into requisitiOn.
Not far from the matrimonial bush is row
of mourning trees. In February. 1862. every
member of the royal family planted tree to
perpetuate the memory of the Prince COnsort
who died In the December just before. vi
the eight trees, those of the Prince of Wales
and the Princess Alice have grown most lux
uriantly, A little distance away the queen
planted the parasOl pine which Is her memo
rial of her husband.
In another place are the trees commem0'
rating marriages-the trees of the Prince and
the Princess Of Wales, of the Duke and
Duchess of Connaught. Of the Duke and
Beatrice and Henry of Battenberg. 1t is In
the shade Of these trees, whose foliage muir
murs the memories Of happy times, that the
ad Queen likes to take tea during the hot day:
tv August
~ Now it is the new generation which is tax
ne oits turn at tree planting in this garden
re- cited TO royal highnesses. The children
lea M Prince of Wales and of the Duke o.
-, invnrgh have the place Of honor. But tn,
Gu ~ ,tsg family of Prussia casts not littl,
In exci~ sade upon soil which should remain
lie, dren oIy of British. Although the chill
Of the Snp res nv Vcoor
ne ana the bss per sister, the Plncess Sophia
rs Sa av 'a aecb :e Waldemar, WIN died in 1879
cd i hasS S eaca zee. The collecthn lacks moth
Is D Alter EeI t vsitj, Of the EmperorWillam.
,s borne, one can snis s,n the Iisiikeehh;at ~
IL s Ita,oSsone insphs In the Queen. The grea
20 ts saoes1 Ian mas leasure in cuttitg dow
1t planting of them. 20 ''o' III vi