Indeed, whatsoever direction one takes from St Peter-Port, the capital and only town in the island, he is sure to fall in with indications of wealth, refinement and good taste; and if he cannot exactly decide on the splendour of architectural finish, he will at least discern something beyond the usual order, that evidently mark competence and ease. This unique appearance is not only confined to the houses, for with scarcely an exception every detached house has some elegant ground tastefully arranged into a lawn replete with beautiful and rare shrubs, which, for the most part, are kept in tolerable condition, and their foliage allowed to droop gracefully on either side of a small winding carriage-road. In this respect, perhaps the Grange, the Rohais, and the St Andrew's roads may appear most conspicuous, and even the cottages, in these, and many other parts of the suburbs, assume a very different aspect to what they usually do in England and the sister-isle; for here, even in the less respectable parts of the town, small cottages, having gardens, afford generally a good display of jonquils, pansies, ranunculuses, polyanthus, hyacinths, daisies, anemones, &c., which in some front gardens are excellently arranged, whereas in others, from lack of room, are entirely omitted, but have in their place a mossy lawn and a few exotic shrubs, elegantly arranged, which considerably heightens their respectability and effect.
Mont Durant House. The residence of the wealthy Mr John Allaire, proprietor of the island of Jethou, and other considerable estates in Guernsey.
On the opposite side of the road, is Summerland, the property of Tupper Carey, Esq., remarkable for its castellated style of building, some gay green views, and a variety of elegant adjoining grounds.
Summerland.
On the Rohais road may be seen Hirzelbourne, a kind of Indian villa, the property of Captain De Lisle, which unfortunately is nearly concealed from public view by a lofty wall.
Hirzelbourne.
A little below is Frogmore, the residence of Dr Carey, remarkable for its ponderous veranda, whimsically constructed of rustic elm-stumps. The adjoining grounds are neat, and the gardens may be said to be tastefully arranged.