Small Formal Gardens
A less well-known feature of the mid-19th century Pleasure Grounds
is the scattered proliferation of short-lived formal Victorian gardens.
These are shown on the 1st edition of the Ordnance Survey from 1861-1871,
but were removed by the time of the 2nd edition from 1891-1896.
The Herbaceous Ground and Palm House parterres were the Botanic
Gardens' versions of the same style of small formal garden. None
of these small gardens has survived intact, and the only surviving,
much-altered, example is the Azalea Garden.
The 1st edition Ordnance Survey map shows that Berberis Dell and
the Waterlily Pond were originally small formal gardens, converted
out of gravel pits. A further series of these gardens can also be
seen lining the length of the later Holly Walk, which itself partly
tracks the once public right of way, Love Lane.
The largest of these gardens was at the Pagoda end of the Pagoda
Vista. It was a large oval garden punctuated with seats and standard
evergreens and may have been the precursor of the squarer Canal
Beds to be found south of the Temperate House.
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The flowering of Kew
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