Hampton Court ... Illustrated with forty-three drawings by Herbert ...

UNDER WILLIAM III 125
is what is now called " Queen Mary's Bower," from
a tradition that she spent long hours there with her
maids of honour, walking or resting in the shade.
It is a walk of one hundred yards long, the trees
meeting overhead.1 There can be little doubt that
it is this of which Evelyn speaks as the " cradle-work
of horn-beam in the garden," and as, " for the perplexed
twining of the trees, very observable; " and
again, " the close walk, with that perplext canopy,
which lately covered the seat in his Majesty's garden
at Hampton Court." The horticultural books of
the period give rules for the construction of these
quaint artificialities, and many, particularly of yews,
still remaininoldEnglish gardens. But the Hampton
Court walk is in the stronger wych-elm,2 which was
especially commended by the gardeners of the day.
IV
So the gardens remained for some years, all changes
being undertaken on the same plan, and under the
ruling influence of Le Notre. The accession of
William and Mary effected an alteration. William
had all a Dutchman's delight in gardening, and Mary
had the liking of a homely Englishwoman for sweet
flowers. A new scheme was at once undertaken, which
1Mr. Ernest Law,in his " NewGuide " (p. 124), says it is 14 feet
high. In his " History of Hampton Court," vol. ii. p. 37, he gives
theheight at 20 feet.
2 Mr.Ernest Law says itis wych-elm, correcting Evelyn.