. Scottish gardens; being a representative selection of different types, old and new . entury, the Colintonestates were broken up and this portion was boughtby Sir William Forbes, an Edinburgh banker, whodeliberately caused the old castle to be dismantled,and built himself a commodious, but unromantic,mansion a couple of hundred yards away, shuttinghimself out of sight of the wooded valley, thedelectable terrace and garden, and even of thetowering Pentland Hills. On the death of SirWilliam Forbes, Colinton House was purchased byJames, third son of General Sir Ralph was elected Sp
. Scottish gardens; being a representative selection of different types, old and new . entury, the Colintonestates were broken up and this portion was boughtby Sir William Forbes, an Edinburgh banker, whodeliberately caused the old castle to be dismantled,and built himself a commodious, but unromantic,mansion a couple of hundred yards away, shuttinghimself out of sight of the wooded valley, thedelectable terrace and garden, and even of thetowering Pentland Hills. On the death of SirWilliam Forbes, Colinton House was purchased byJames, third son of General Sir Ralph was elected Speaker in 1835, and was createdLord Dunfermline in 1839. Dying in 1868, he leftColinton to his only child, the wife of Colonel J. The garden remains as of yore, smiling up tothe sightless windows of the keep, and lovinglytended by its present owners, Colonel and of Colinton. It has long been noted forthe magnificent holly hedges which enclose it, whereofJoseph Sabine, , contributed a detailed descrip-tion to the Horticultural Society of London in 1827 92. COLINTON HOUSE {Transactions, vol. vii. 194). He stated that thesehedges had been planted between 1670 and 1680— certainly not later than the latter year ; sothat at the present time of wiiting they can benothing less than 228 years old. At the time ofSabines visit their height varied from 25 to 28 feet,tapering from a basal diameter of 15 feet to 2 feetat the top. Their present height is from 35 to 40feet, the basal diameter being in some places asmuch as 21 feet, the lower branches layering them-selves freely and forming an impenetrable garden hedges extend in all to a length of1120 feet, and must have been plaDted originallywith about 4500 hollies. They are clipped at theend of March, which the gardener, Mr. John Bruce,considers the best season, holding that, if theclipping be delayed till July, as most authoritiesrecommend, there is not time for the young growthto ripen before the
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