Gardens -- England -- London; London (England) -- Description and travel; Parks -- England -- London
While the Benchers’ Garden was being made, the Great Garden was not
neglected. Its form was altered to suit the prevailing taste. This
remodelling must have begun in the winter of 1703, as it was then
resolved that “the trees in the Great Garden be cut down, and the
Garden to be put in the same model as the gardener hath proposed.” The
delightful terrace, which is still one of the most beautiful features
in the Garden, existed before these alterations began, but the sun-dial
which still adorns it was added during these changes. The payment for
it was made to Strong, who was contractor for St. Paul’s under Wren:
“To Edward Strong, for the pedestal for the dial in the Great Garden
steps, &c., £25.” The beautiful gates of wrought iron were put up in
1730. The design shows the arms of Gray’s Inn, as well as the winged
horse of the Inner Temple, in compliment to the other learned society,
its close ally. In the same way the Pegasus occurs at Gray’s Inn. It
was probably along this terrace that some of the orange trees in pots
were placed during the summer. The pots in which these oranges and
other “greens” were grown seem to have been specially decorative. It
was a serious offence when Allgood, a member of the Inn, broke some,
and was obliged to “furnish other pots of like fashion and value,”
otherwise he would “be put out of commons.” After this others were
purchased, as the payment of £8 was made “for a large mould, carved
in wood, for casting of earthen pots for the Garden”; and in other
years further similar expenses occur, one in 1690 “to the potter for
a large pot made for the Garden, painted in oil, £1, 5s.” Some of the
plants grown would stand the winter in the open, but after the oranges
made their appearance a shelter had to be provided. Green-houses owed
their origin to this necessity, and as they were only used in winter,
and merely sheltered the large pots of “greens,” these green-houses or
orangeries were built like rooms, and used as summer-houses during warm
months. All the larger gardens had their green-houses, but the smaller
proprietors frequently sent their plants away to a nurseryman to be
housed during the winter. Even the “greens” at Kensington Palace were
kept by London and Wise, until the new orangery was built. The Temple
orange trees were first sent to the house of Cadrow at Islington.
In 1704 the green-house seems to have been made, and used as a
garden-house in summer. Such items in the accounts as “a chimney-glass
and sconces for the green-house” show that it was in the usual solid
architectural style then in fashion. That the “panierman,” an officer,
one of whose duties was to summon members to meals by blowing a horn,
was appointed to take charge of it as well as of the library, is a
further proof that it bore the character of a room, and was more or
less outside the gardener’s department. The panierman also had the
care of the elaborate fountain, after it had been supervised for some
years by the maker.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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