The portion of the gardens to the south and east of the Palm House is devoted to the ARBORETUM, or collection of trees and shrubs arranged botanically. To the left of the Pagoda Vista are the Berberis Dell and another Wild Garden. At the farther end of the latter a Flagstaff, consisting of a single Douglas spruce spar from British Columbia, 215 feet in length, was erected in 1919. Farther on, by the boundary-wall, is the North Gallery, Containing 848 paintings of plants from all parts of the world, presented by Miss Marianne North in 1882. On the opposite side of the Pagoda Vista is the Temperate House, or Winter Garden, 628 feet in length, the central portion being 216 feet long, 140 feet broad, and 60 feet high, with a gallery similar to that in the Palm House. The north portion, or Himalayan house, contains rhododendrons and camellias; the central portion, tree-ferns, palms, and araucarias; the south portion, or Mexican house, contains various exotics. To the south east of the Winter Garden is the Refreshment Pavilion (light luncheons, teas, etc.). Between it and the pagoda are the laburnums, including the Laburnum Adami, a graft-hybrid showing three kinds of flowers on the same plant. To the east of this is the Rose Garden, containing rambling and wild roses, charming in early summer. The Pagoda, erected by Sir William Chambers in 1761, is octagonal and consists of ten stories, 163 feet in height. It is the central point of four vistas. On a mound a little to the west of the pagoda is the Chokushi-Mon, or Japanese gateway, a model of that at Kyoto. To the west of this point extends the Pinetum of cone bearing trees. Beyond, in the extreme south west corner of the grounds, lies the Queen's Cottage, built by George III. in 1770 and a favourite haunt of Queen Charlotte. The grounds are a beautiful piece of unspoilt woodland, carpeted with wild hyacinths in spring and affording sanctuary to a large number of birds. The public are restricted to a path through the grounds (open April to September). We leave the grounds near Isleworth Ferry Gate, to the right (east) of which is the beautiful Lake, 4+ acres in area, excavated in 1857-61. To the south of its west end, adjoining the Cedar Vista, is a Water Lily Pond (best seen in the morning). To the north of the lake is the Syon Vista, beyond which, towards the river, the Rhododendron Walk leads back towards Kew Palace. It was made about 1773 by 'Capability' Brown. A path, branching off from it to the right, leads past the Bamboo Garden and the Azalea Garden to the Palm House, which is quite close to the Victoria Gate.
