_August 26, 1817._ Late in the afternoon, we took a walk to the
northward of the Hague, on the Amsterdam road, and entered a forest of
large and ancient trees, by much the finest which we have seen on the
continent, and evidently several centuries old. Many oaks, elms, and
beeches were magnificent. Some of the oaks, at two feet from the ground,
measured twelve feet in circumference, and had free and clean boles to
the height of about forty feet. This wood, in all probability, gave rise
to the name of the city; for _haag_ (the Dutch for Hague) signifies
thicket or wood. It was originally a seat of the counts of Holland, and
is often to this day called Graaf’s Haag, or Earl’s Wood.[376]
Although we had no guide, we easily found the palace called the “House
in the Wood,” about two miles distant from the Hague; and having
inquired for the gardener, Mr. Jacobus Munts, we readily procured access
to the royal garden. It is kept in good order, and is now arranged in
what is here reckoned the English style, the old formal hedges, and
fantastically shaped trees, having been in a great measure removed. The
grounds are now traversed by serpentine walks, laid with sand: these
wind among groves of forest-trees, which have never been subjected to
the shears; but the flexures are much too regular. Water, as usual, is
the only defence, or line of separation, from the conterminous[377]
fields, or from the high road. These ditches, though broad, brimful, and
kept tolerably clean, have a dull aspect. Shrubs and flowers are planted
in small compartments, cut out in the grassy covering of the lawn. The
figures of these compartments are different, circles, ovals, and
crescents. A bed of dahlias was now in flower, but presented nothing
uncommon. Indeed, we learned that the collection had been procured from
Antwerp only the year before. The plants in the borders and shrubberies
were in general of the more common kinds; but some rarities also
appeared. Among these the _passiflora cœrulea_ was here displaying its
gorgeous flowers in the shrubbery; but we observed that it was contained
in a pot sunk in the earth, and not well concealed. _Rosa Pennsylvanica_
was very abundant, and seemed not only to be healthy, but to produce its
flowers freely.
Close by the palace is a small greenhouse, erected in 1815 for the
princess of Orange. It contains a few pretty good plants; but there is
nothing becoming royalty either in the size of the house or the choice
nature of the collection. _Datura arborea_ was now in flower, and filled
the place with its odour; and the white variety of _vinca rosea_ was in
bloom. There are here no hot-houses for the forcing of fruit; nor did
there appear to be any thing remarkable among the hardy fruits
cultivated in the garden.
This garden at the House in the Wood, is the only one worth visiting at
the Hague, with the exception perhaps of Mr. Fagel’s. The Portland
gardens, belonging to the Bentincks, though celebrated in former times,
are now in a neglected and even ruinous condition.