L IBRARY OF THE U N I VER.SITY Of ILLI NOI5 7/0 M28t 51' *>4,"» Flower Gardens, considered in their various departments and under various characters 27 The Shrubbery jo Dress Wooded Scenery in connection with Tender Trees and Shrubs i;, Rural Walks and Drives in natural Wooded Scenery .10 Trees and Shrubs about the House and Pleasure Grounds lit t trnamental Trees and Shrubs 5(5 Arrangement and Position of Plants of peculiar character 7j Walks 71 Water 7:1 Bridges So Seats and other Garden Ornaments 93 Fountains iiu Plant Houses In I The mode of Fencing between the kept Ground and the Park |(i:l I'll. Approach 1 117 Lodges and Gates 1 1 1 I iiv-'. Scenery lis Rural Seenery [33 Picturesque Scenery [33 Romantic Scenery l.i 1 Park Scenery 1:37 The Outline of Plantations l,-,n The Axrangemenl and Grouping of Trees I.-,1 Prospecl Scenery: or Scenery beyond the Park 1 33 Tree- l.e-t Muted to Form the Aerial Line li;;. The Management of Ornamental Trees and Screen I'lantations 1,,7 Fences for Park and Forest Plantations Ii;n The Time of Planting Trees, with a few Cautionary Directions I 79 PAGE Sea Side Planting 176 Kemoving Large Trees 178 Town Gardens 183 Suburban Villas 185 The Kitchen Garden 187 A few Observations on Villages 189 Public Parks connected with Large Towns 19 3 Miscellaneous : — * Shrubs suitable as Undergrowths for Thickening Plantations 197 Climbing Plants • 198 Plants for Beautifying Trees which are not of themselves pleasing objects 198 Compost for Plants 1" To Protect Tender Plants 199 To Destroy Weeds in Walks 199 To Destroy Worms infesting Walks and Lawns 200 REFERENCES TO PLANS. PAGE £late I.— Ideal Plans for Town Gardens 184 Plate II.— Ideal Plan for a Villa Residence, upon One Acre of Ground 185 Plate III.— Ideal Plan for a Villa Eesidence, upon Four Acres of Ground 186 Plate IV.— Ideal Plan for a Winter Garden •• 34 Plate on the Grouping of Trees 159 The following Plans are inserted at the end of the Book, viz. : — pi ate v. Ideal Plan, shewing the General Arrangement of a Country Eesidence. Plate VI.— Ideal Plan of Park attached to a Country Residence. « Plate VII. Ideal Plan, shewing the General Arrangement of a Palace or Mansion Grounds. THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF LANDSCAPE GARDENING. ON CONSULTING THE LANDSCAPE GARDENER PRIOR TO FIXING THE SITE FOR A HOUSE. When a gentleman has made up his mind to huild or alter a house with appropriate grounds, and intends to consult the Landscape Gardener, he should do so in the first instance, before taking further steps. I confess I am surprised that this is so little regarded, because it is the very object of the Landscape Gardener's profession to fix the different views, and subject the varied scenery to his own command. In his mind the house is but a mere speck, and yet so important a point that every tiling else should be made to contribute to its grandeur, beauty, comfort, and convenience. Nor am I alone in the opinion which I have thus expressed. Mason says — " I am of opinion that, when a place is to be formed, he who disposes the grounds and arranges the plantations, ought to fix the situation, at least, if not to determine the shape and size of ornamental buildings."' Loudon also remarks — " In most cases an Architect is almost as ill qualified to decide upon the proper situa- tion for a house, as a Landscape Gardener would be to build one." By these remarks I mean no disparagement to the Architect, nor do I wish either to supersede him, or to interfere with his particular province, viz.. that of building the house and its appendages ; but to determine the position of the house and its principal entrance, with the sites for stables and other outbuildings, is unquestionably the province of the Landscape Gardener. The Architect himself would acknowledge the propriety of my suggestion, and the B justice of my remarks, bad li<' witi d, ae a Landacapi Gardener, the aumerous miserable (and not unfrequently irremediable) errors that have te under notice in the course of my practice, arising from either not rolling in the Landscape Gardener till the house, &c, was built, or until Bome operations had Itch commenced En Borne instances il has been necessar) for tin approach to pass through and interfere with the repose of the pleasure grounds, and even disturb the privacy of the living rooms ; and in others, the kitchen garden, stables, and out-offices, haw been glaringly prominent, in consequence of the entrance requiring the approach to pass them : all which nuisances might have been avoided by an earlier consultation with tli«- Landscape Gardener. ON THE SITE FOR A HOUSE. In determining the site for a house, several things have to be taken into consideration. 1st. The Aspect — which should be south-east, if possible ; if not, then south or east, or north-west. North, west, and south-west are all objectionable, on account of the cold and boisterous winds ; and particularly the latter, on account of both winds and rains. South and south-east aspects are decidedly the best ; they are the driest and the most cheerful, and therefore most suitable for the principal living rooms, while less important rooms may have a cooler aspect, and serve as a retreat during the hottest parts of summer. 2nd. Shelter — which also is a matter of primary importance. In choosing a site for a house, we should, of course, not fix it upon the summit of a hill, (I do not mean gentle rising ground, for in that case the summit may often be most suitable, not only for the sake of effect, but in order to avoid damps Figure 1. and fogs,) nor the highest point of the domain, unless it is well clothed with trees, as an edi- fice in such a situation would not only be very much exposed to boisterous weather, but prominent in the extreme, and at variance, therefore, with good taste ; and a plantation of young trees would be at least half a century in either producing effect, or in affording sufficient shelter in high exposed situations. (Fig. 1.) b 2 If. however, il is thought desirable to lix the site "ii 11 lii' n 'li situation, advantage should be taken of any moderate level thai ma] ocoui in it. as bi Fiqube 2. below the summit as circumstances will allow. The intermediate slop between the summit and the house will then afford a favourable opportunity for general i omposition, be more suitable tor the growth of trees, afford a readier access i" the house, and, thercforo, be altogether more convenient and conducive to g( moral effect and comfort | Fig. 2J When, on account of the steepness of tlie hill, there would be too great an accumulation of material in the formation of one continued platform for the house, offices, yards, stables, &c, two platforms may be Figure 3. n: ^^-- made: one for the house, offices, and kitchen yard (fig. 3 a) ; and the other for the stables, drc, the latt. r taking the higher level (fig. 3 b). Whenever practicable, the site for a mansion should, unquestionably, be b< lected in the vicinity of old trees, whether they form groups in parka or fields, or are found singly, yet numerously, in hedgerows, or collectively in the shape of massive forests. Spots commanding extensive and interesting prospects (though very pleasing) ought to yield to situations of this descrip- tion ; for a mansion thus associated, though new, becomes at once embosomed in shelter, and bears immediate marks of grandeur and dignity, which nothing but antiquity could otherwise have given to it. And although it may not command all the best and most desirable prospects, yet the absence of these may in a great measure be compensated for by judiciously bringing into view such scenery (where it exists) at various points in the pleasure grounds ; a circumstance which would probably create more variety and greater interest than if all the principal scenery were commanded at one view. We too often lind a disposition to build on high elevations, for the mere sake of an exten- sive view, which seems with some persons all-in-all, regardless of either com- fort or health. But, in my opinion, the most desirable site for a mansion is tbat which combines the greatest amount of comfort and convenience within and around it, with the most interesting rich home and middle scenery. This is far preferable to a site exposed to inconvenience and stormy blasts for the sake of prospect. The house should be placed on ground composed of dry- material, as damp situations are unhealthy. When the site is not naturally dry, it may be rendered so in a great measure by forming, in addition to the main drains, numerous rubble or tile chains, from eighteen inches to two feet or more deep, in the immediate vicinity of the house, and by mixing stones, gravel, or any other hard or shelly material, freely with the soil whilst forming it. In fixing the site, the most appropriate and interesting capabilities for creating pleasure ground are of the highest consideration, and it should also present a suitable situation for the kitchen garden. ON l in: STYLE OF HOI SE BES1 UDAPTED TO PARI l< I LAB -I l CATIONS Ajs the Btyle of a house should be, in a great measure, adapted to the scenery of its locality, I will give a short description of the principal kinds of scenery, suggesting at the same time the kind of house which I consider 1» b1 suited to each. There arc generally reckoned to he five principal kinds of Bcenery, The Grand; the Romantic; the Picturesque; the Beautiful; and the Rural. Grand Scenery is distinguished by bold, striking, and majestic features of vast extent Mountains, for instance, which swell boldly out; or rocks which rear aloft their gigantic heads, or Btretch far into the ocean, or into the still smooth lake, which reflects back the dark shadows of overhanging woods. Examples of the Grand are generally to be found in lake districts, in West- moreland, Cumberland, &c. A mansion to preside over such Bcenery should cither he Italian. ( inline, or Castellated : but it' the undulations of ground an abrupt immediately in connection with the site for the erection, either the ('a>tdlated or the Gothic style would be the most suitable. Eomantic Scenery is where we find nature in her wildest and most changeful mood: ever varying in bold and sudden contrasts, such as pre- . ipitous and shelfy rocks, the impetuous cataract, the rapid river, the yawning cavern, the root-bound and craggj steep, tangled woods and wild and varied undergrowths, as may be seen at Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire, and Dovedale, in Derbyshire. To such scenery the Elizabethan, or Castellated, style would be suitable. Picturesque Scenery is nature in her simplest and most artless form — hill, dale, brook, thicket; the stunted oak and the bramble bush; the ash. the i Im, the sycamore, and their climbing parasites ; and whins, and thorns, and other indigenous bushes; a fountain gushing from some cleft into a little basin of moss-grown stones, and the wild rose and the woodbine intertwined, as we see it everywhere on the broken banks and craggy hills of Wharfdale, and in most mountainous or hilly districts. The Elizabethan style is best suited to scenery of this description, with its numerous gables, and projec- tions, terraces, vases and urns, and other similar decorations. Beautiful Scenery is that which is quiet and retiring, where everything is soft and blending, and where there are no sudden contrasts, but composed of bold and gentle undulations, and adorned with handsome and stately trees, with now and then a peep at some gentle water or glassy lake.* The Grecian or Italian style is most in harmony with such scenery as this. Rural Scenery is, of all, the simplest and most common. It is that where there is generally abundance of hedge-row timber, and hedge after hedge in constant succession; where there is the busy farm, dotted and animated with sheep, and cattle wading through the muddy pools or cool shallow streams. Here should be placed a modest unassuming house, or cot- tage orn'e, either of which would be well adapted to it. Or, if the domain be large, (demanding a family residence), a manorial edifice might be suitable. Scenery of this kind prevails most generally on the Great Northern Line, from the junction at Knottingley, near Ferrybridge, to within a few miles of London. Whatever the style of the house may be, the stables should always be in character, and be placed at a convenient distance from it : near enough to associate with the house, and appear to belong to it, but never so prominent nor on so extensive a scale as to be mistaken for the mansion itself ; nor yet so completely concealed or planted out as either not to appear at all, or to seem but a very insignificant appendage. The various offices should always be above ground, and correspond with the style of the mansion, whatever it may be, and placed in close connection with it. Buildings of this description should be arranged in broken lines, and be of different elevations, and attached to the main building by ornamental walls of different heights: they thus not only produce variety, extent, and importance, but being broken and • The scenery about Harewood House, in Wharfdale. and farther up the vale towards Bolton Abbey, as well as that viewed from the Great Northern Railway a few miles north of London, and the vale of Richmond, near London, are good examples of the beautiful. 8 finished with judicious planting, they form an interesting and picturesque whole, and, at the same time, obviate that square, compact, beavj appi axance which the house assumes when destitute of Buch accomp animent s. Cabbuoe Entrance. — With regard to the carriage entranoe, I would in qo case have this on the same front with the principal living rooms; so error unfortunately too often fallen into, but which ought most studiously to be guarded against, as it destroys all privacy, ami— to say nothing of the imp r- tinenl gaze of Btrange servants, &c. — subjects the family to be taken by surprise bj visiters suddenly approaching at an inconvenient moment Again, the carriage entranoe front should not, where it can be avoided, command the besl and most interesting scenery : as, in the hum of approaching and leaving the house, it would run the risk either of being overlooked altogether, or, to say the least, of not being sufficiently admired and appreciated. The choice scenery should unquestionably be reserved for the principal rooms, where it can he studied and enjoyed at all times in uninterrupted privacj and quiet I remember an instance in which the principal entrance occupied the best front, commanding the most interesting scenery. In that instance the approach was actually obliged to pass close to the kitchen yard, and almost wholly round the stables, in order to reach the entrance front door. betwe< n which and a stupendous precipice there was scarcely room left to turn a carriage. It is scarcely credible that such an error should have been com- mitted under the eye of a highly respectable Architect : hut such i- thi and it goes tar to prove the necessity of first calling in the Landscapist, not only to lix the site of the house, hut also the position of the main entrance. ON THE FORMATION OF THE LAWN OR GROUND IN IMMEDIATE CONNECTION WITH THE HOUSE. Previously to erecting a mansion, the greatest care should be taken to obtain the proper levels. An error (for want of this precaution) is often productive of most serious inconvenience and expense. For instance, when called in after a house has been commenced, I have often found the bottom of the plinths, which is the point that ought to regulate the level of the finished ground, placed considerably too high ; so much so, that an immense quantity of materials, not always available, and often to be procured from a distance, and consequently at great cost, has been required for raising the ground about the mansion, and bringing it into harmony with the park and the rest of the pleasure ground. Moreover, for want of materials to level with, the improver is compelled to form an Figure 4. otherwise unnecessary terrace or terraces, or raise a sudden artifi- cial knoll (figure 4, dotted fine a), which must evi- dently not only appear as such, but also produce the appear- ance of being inadequate to support the edifice, from its steepness at so short a distance from the building, which ought rather to appear bold and natural, as at b. Although I approve of the terrace with its wall, (as will be seen here- after), which would assist greatly in improving the appearance, yet it is not every gentleman who will either approve or be at the expense of it. Without it, however, the building would seem disproportionate in its elevations. A c 10 u.uit of connection also arises, while the natural harmony between thegroond on which the bouse Btands, and the rest of tl i« • pleasure ground and park, i> destroy) d The levels Bhould be so managed in fixing the house, us to produce, when the materials are removed, a platform sloping almosl imperoeptibl] (say half mi inch to an inch in thirty-six) for the firel eight or ten yards, then declining more or Less rapidly for the next fifty or one hundred yards or more, according to circumstances, and according to the nature of the ground, whether gentle or bold, which it has to connect, bo as to blend gradually and Boftly into the adjoining field or park. The finish Bhould not be limited bj the line set oul for the fence, for an abrupl finish would create too marked ■ distinction between the lawn and park. In situations where the ground is of a bold or abrupl Blope, I almosl invariably find the bottom of the plinth of the house so placed as to clear the slope, or natural surface, the whole breadth of the house, to its hack extremities, (as at figure 5, dotted line a), in consequence of which the fore- ground requires a great deal of raising, — a matter of no small difficulty Figure 5. when tl "' IV m "" mat. rials to meet the fl^f^r ^^ demand; whereas, if ' * I 15 ' the bottom of the - " " -"' plinth in the centre of ,. - the house had been .,- level with the natural BUrface (as at figure 5 b) t 10^^"^ the materials taken thence as far us required backwards, together with the excavations of the cellars, would, in all proba- bility, have been sufficient to raise the whole ground in front of the house to the proper level (as at figure 1 b). It' an artificial platform must of necessity he formed for a residence on the side of a steep hill, considerable expense in removals maj be saved bj forming two platforms or levels, one for the house and yards, and the other for the Btables, &c. las at figure 8). One continued platform for all purposes would require a great deal more excavating. In situations where the ground is naturally undulating or hold. I should. if possible, form and continue one unbroken hold slope to a considerable 11 distance from the house, on the principal fronts, both to give the appearance of firmness and stability to the ground supporting the edifice, and to secure a sufficient breadth of easy surface for walking about the house. In other parts of the lawn, (after allowing the necessary platform, as above), where it is sufficiently extensive, the natural undulations should be studiously preserved, and, where considered deficient, improved as much as possible by art, care being taken, in levelling, to fill up all slight irregularities, or abrupt holes or hollows, so that whatever the nature of the ground may be, whether <*entle or abrupt, the lawn may present one smooth and uniform verdure, and thus be mown and kept in order without inconvenience. In situations where the ground about the house is very steep, the introduction of the terrace wall, or balustrades, is essentially necessary (figure 6 a), and in all situations is far more appropriate than a sudden uniform sloping bank, which is frequently Figure 6. adopted in forming terraces, but is both at variance with good taste, and devoid of beauty. On private fronts the terrace wall should be at least eight yards from the house ; but when the house is of considerable extent, and materials can be procured for filling-up the space between the wall and the edifice, a space of ten or twelve yards may be allowed. A palace should have from fifteen to eighteen yards. In all cases, from the bottom of the plinth of the house (which necessarily guides the level of the lawn) to the dwarf wall, or balus- trades, there should be a very gentle fall, averaging not more than a quarter of an inch in the yard. At this point of level the wall must appear from about twenty inches to two feet above the lawn, on the house side of it. 11 the house be of such a style and importance as to require balustrades, their introduction will add much to the appearance, and in that case a greater depth will be necessary, say from two to three feet. The depth of the wall on the outside should appear in proportion to the fall of the ground ; but rather c 2 Ifl than u should appear loo deep, (that is. not mote than si* or eight feet, ami for villas where tin 1 ground is not abrupt, from three t«> Com feet), the pound ;it the base of the wall will have to BO raised (us at b). so as to shuw tin- wall a proper height, and to appear of one level or depth t h roughout its length ; otherwise a wall, if too deep ami obliquely out of level, would hare a tendenc] to destroy the due proportions of the structure when flawed in approaching it. I have a decided objection to the house being so elevated as to require thus,- 1,.1'tv flights of steps which we so frequently find shout them. Thai are exceedingly inconvenient to the invalid, the aged, and the infirm, and must be a constant nuisance to ladies, particularly in wet weather. The most glaring error of this kind I ever met with was at Beaucheif Abbey, a verj ancient edifice, in Derbyshire. The exact number of Bteps I do not remem- ber, but there must have been twenty or more, rising to the height of the first 3tory, over the servants' compartments. The only effectual remedy for this was an extensive terrace, which I proposed. There is another example of this kind of error at Wollaion. the Beat of Lord Middleton, in No tt i ngh a mshir e. Here there are several flights of steps one "above another. The first (about twelve or fifteen in number) leads to a platform or landing; and this, again, is followed by other smaller flights Leading to the door of the hall. In fact. there are numerous instances of the same kind in this country, but I mention these as most striking. Although there may. in the opinion of some, be a display of grandeur in these flights of steps, and they may appear to harmonise with the edifice, still I think an equal degree of grandeur might have been produced if the present living rooms at Wollaton had been on the ground floor, with only half a dozen steps to reach them, which is the utmost I would ever allow : and I am quite sure that a far greater amount of comfort in the interior, as well as greater extent and variety in the exterior of the edifice, aright have been secured, had the compartments for the sonants hen associated with the west side, between the mansion and the stables, instead of being, as they now are. partially underground. It is no uncommon thing to find houses injudicioiisU erected on sites from which there is ao fall, and sometimes even on plots considerably lower than the ground contiguous to it, so that the fall is rather to the front of the house than from it. In such cases, in order to earn off the wet. and 13 render the ground in the immediate vicinity of the house comparatively dry, (a point of the first importance), and in some degree to create an appearance of elevation, at least in the private or principal fronts, I would sink a gentle valley (figure 7 a) at a con- venient distance, parallel with Figure 7. the front of the house. A _._...______.. fall of an inch in the yard from the house to the centre of the valley would be quite sufficient for the purpose, for, W^^^k the more gradual and gentle \ !wfe the fall, the less likely would the valley be to present a " : ditch-like appearance, which would be very offensive to I the eye, and therefore very % objectionable. Should there be any natural valley near, : -C ; V: this artificial one should by all means be made to communicate with it ; but, if not, two branch valleys might be formed (b b) to serve as outlets, and be allowed gradually to disappear or wear out in the distant rising ground beyond. But such termi- nations ought to be carefully concealed by judicious planting, in order that their termination may not be readily detected. In no case should the swells caused by sinking valleys be entirely planted, since a better effect will be produced by allowing the lawn to climb naturally and variedly over a portion of the rising ground. Artificial arrangements like these, skilfully managed, may be made to look tolerably natural and undulated, and at the same time they will give a slight appearance of elevation to the house. Houses situated in sloping ground, or that which falls rapidly and obliquely across the front, as is sometimes the case, (figure 8, line a), seem improperly balanced, and have a very disagreeable appearance. Such defects may in some degree be remedied by building a terrace wall eight or ten yards or more, according to circumstances, from the house, and levelling all the ground within it and on the outside, by sinking at the higher end, if 11 required, | b), and adding to the lower part in the direction of the dotted lini - noaking an exact level at the base of the terrace wall its whole length from , to c/. then raising a Bwell (< ). and oontinning it us far beyond the angle of FlOUBE B. the liouse as will make it look tolerably bold and natural, and sinking a little in a circular direction on the contrary side, from / to g, so as to form a slight valley, and thus produce a gentle swell at h and b. This will create a suiiuwhat corresponding appearance at each angle of the terrace; and although an equal balance will not be produced, vet the effect will be much better than that of an oblique slope. A still greater improvement might be made, it" material were plentiful, by making another -well or two, of various extent, to group with the artificial swell above named (r), at a short distance from each other,, so as almost to unite and show a shallow valley, or gentle slack, between them. It will be necessary to plant that portion of the swell which is nearest the angle of the terrace, for the sake of breaking the angle, as well as for the purpose of dress, and further to destroy the deep part, and thereby producing a better balanced appearance to the house. I wish it to be distinctly understood, thai although the undulations 1 have been recommending are highly characteristic in particular situations tor the purpose named, I am decidedly opposed to the formation of rude artificial undulated ground, either in a site naturally level, or on a gentle slope, tally if the adjoining ground is of the same character. Nothing but absolute necessity oughl to induce the improver to undulate the lawn about a mansion, unless such undulations will be in perfect keeping with the 15 surrounding ground. Some would-be Landscape Gardeners think that, whatever may be the nature and extent of the ground, nature is best imitated by sinking holes and raising mounds. I found a miserable specimen of this kind of error in the neighbourhood of an important city, where I was called in to fix the site for a house, which specimen was afterwards laid out by a gentleman who, it was said, had wrought wonders on a small plot of ground in the metropolis. The extent of space operated upon was about twenty-five yards broad in the principal front, and about tbirty in the two others, from the house to the fence. In this confined spot of level ground, harmonising with smooth level pastures, a deep excavation was formed in one part, at the bottom of which, when the weather happened to be sufficiently wet, an irregular stagnant pool of water might be seen, little better in appearance than a common horse-pond, eight or ten yards long by three to five broad, and crossed by a rustic bridge. Of the material taken from this pond was formed a zigzag ridge, resembling a crooked canal bank, which abruptly destroyed the harmony between a beautiful smooth pasture and kept ground ; the bank was for the most part planted with shrubs, which would eventually confine the eye, ever impatient of restraint, within the dress ground. The lawn between the varied part and the carriage road was laid out as a flat formal parterre, with a fountain in the centre. As the greatest portion of both these scenes, so totally different in character, was commanded from one point of view, the incongruity appeared glaring in the extreme, and completely at variance with all the principles of taste, and was calculated to strike even a common observer as a piece of absurdity. I have been the more particular in this description, for the purpose of showing the folly of attempting both rugged and smooth scenery within a limited space, and especially in one so contracted that the whole could be comprehended by the eye at one view. The foregoing remarks would seem to apply more par- ticularly to new places, but similar operations will occasionally be found necessary in remodelling old places. In the latter work, judgment is required in rejecting what is bad, and retaining what is either really good, or at all events capable of improvement. In remodelling, it is by no means necessary to sweep all old things away indiscriminately ; many things may be retained with considerable advantage. Great regard must be had to ornamental trees and shrubs, as well as architectural appendages. Thinning is one of the 16 principal thing! to I"- attended to. and one which, if skilfully managed, will Ikin . a mo-,1 striking and benefioial effect Groups and masses may most frequently be much improved! by dealing away many useless dungs, so as to display moM fully the ohainoterislM beauties of individual plants, and yet fullv preserve rteeessary associations. Openings and vistas will have to be formed, so as to command objeota of interest in the distance; l»ut in all a lte r at ions, harmony with 1 1 1 « • edifies and surrounding scenery must be carefully studied The breadth ef the kept ground between the bouse and the fence dividing the park from the kept ground, must Deosssaruy van according to esroumstanoes, the foremost of which is the importance of the place itself; it may range from thirty to one hundred yards. When a park is kept tolerably close crept by sheep or cattle, I consider an extensive breadth of lawn uunecessary, especially on the entrance front; I should much prefer a great) r expanse of secluded pleasure ground. The level of the lawn, as it approaches the fence, should gradually blend into the park, so as to avoid any abrupt or marked distinction between them. Should the park not be crept sufficiently close by sheep, Are., the coarser tufts maybe mown occasionally to a short distance, and thus the harmony between the two may be tolerably well preserved. In carrying out the finish of the lawn where it is difficult and expensive to procure sods, after the ground has been properly levelled down and well consolidated, the whole of the beds and walks maybe lined out with narrow sods, six inches broad for beds, from that to twelve inches for walks, taking care that no bed be nearer any walk than two feet, so as to leave at the least two feet verge, except in very limited places, when the whole is lined and the 90d laid suttiriently low for the earth to be quite level with the top of the sod. The rest of the intended lawn may be sown down with proper lawn seeds, either early in Spring, or any time during the middle of Summer until September, in showery weather. Spring and Autumn are the best periods, as drought often proves fatal to the young sprouting seeds, the consefttenoe of which is a broken bald verdure. The Kim' os Seeds. — Poa praJtonsis, Featoca euvina, Styokneys rye and Scotch evergreen, with a moderate supply ef white clover. The two latter grasses, with a little clover added, quickly make a nice lawn. 17 As, in the operation of levelling and forming the lawn, some parts are often so impoverished as scarcely to grow the grass at all, when the seeds are sown, it will be well to give the whole a slight manuring with guano, or other decayed manure. Rolling, as soon as the grass is well up, and when the ground is not too wet, will be of great service ; and frequent mowing, as soon as it can be done, will be necessary. But, at this stage of its growth, it will be proper to be cautious, in clearing off the cut grass, not to disturb the tender plants. Gentle raking will be better than sweeping, and rolling will be useful just after. In this way, a nice lawn may be produced in one year. ON THE OLD AND NEW SYSTEMS OF FORMING THE DRESS GROUNDS IN CONNECTION WITH THE ROUS] sis, i. t h.- days of Cent, Mason, and Brown, our first promoters <>f the English or natural stylo of Landscape Gardening, we have had a good deal of argument, both for ami against the new and old systems; ami, notwith- standing the alile ami eelehrateil men who have lived within the last century. contending for and endeavouring to establish the English or natural Btyle, there still evidently exists a danger of true taste giving way to mannerism. There are some professors of the art of Landscape Gardening in tin- present day, who contend that the formal style should invariably be associated with tin- Cast, Hated, the Elizabethan, the Gothic, or Manorial building j but why. I am totally at a loss to understand. Thej certainly bave antiquity on th< ir M.le. if that is their vantage ground; hut will they tell us that Landscap Gardening, like Architecture, had reached the acme of perfection in ancient times, or that further improvement is impossible? Will they tell us that, heeause it was the fashion in former days to associate terraces, and halus- trades, and flights of steps. &c, with the Elizabethan, the Castellated, the Gothic, or Manorial style, and to embellish the kept grounds with geometrical and formal parterres, bowling greens, oblong ponds, nigh .lipped bedges, and fantastical hushes, it is, therefore, right to continue this practice, as if these were fixed and unalterable principles? They may, indeed, tell us so, but they will have difficulty in convincing us of the fact Such principles, in new formations, are quite inadmissible at the present day. The fact of our tin, hue Italian. Dutch, and flemish gardens, indiscriminately associated with the old English, Elizabethan or Gothic, Grecian and Italian, styles of architecture, is sufficient to prove to any unprejudiced mind, that there neither are, nor ever were, any fixed principles in Landscape Gardening calculated 19 to suit every style of architecture, and that the adaptation of Landscape Gardening to these different styles was always a matter of mere fancy and fashion, rather than of any fixed principles whatever. But, although the customs of the past, with their assumed true taste, are revived and imi- tated by some professors, yet let us hope that good sense and good taste will never allow its revival to succeed and supersede the free, cheerful, and flowing style of modern gardening, which has supplanted, in a great degree, the gloomy, harsh, and formal style of a few centuries ago. Let the proprietors who are about to lay out their grounds, not suppose that because they are building Gothic or Castellated Mansions, the grounds need be laid out in the formal style. No; as I have already said, that, in my opinion, would be a false principle. Before they adopt that course, let them visit the various noblemen's and gentlemen's seats which are supposed to be excellent specimens both of the ancient and modern styles, with their minds unbiassed; they will then be able to understand the difference, and judge for themselves ; and I am satisfied that in ninety-nine cases out of every one hundred, their choice will be for the modern, and not for the ancient. In the formation of a new place I should always have a straight walk of gravel or flags along the front of the house, whatever may be the style of the mansion. I have no objection to the introduction of the terrace wall, balustrades, steps, vases, and other architectural decorations, in accordance with the general style of the building. Indeed, to all good houses these accompaniments ought never to be wanting, as they not only apparently add to their strength, and form a base to them, but by seeming a part, they increase the extent, importance, and richness of the whole. In places of pretension the entrance court and stable yard should also be enclosed (as shown in the general plan for a palace or mansion grounds) by proper ornamental walls, embellished with vases, urns, &c. ; and in arranging these accompaniments I should place the terrace wall (as I have stated a few pages before) from twenty-five to forty-five feet from the house, according to the extent of the building. But this must be apportioned with judgment and caution ; for, on looking from the house, were the distance from it too great and the wall too high, the lawn beyond would on the one hand appear too contracted, and on the other, in approaching the house from the park, the connection of the two would be completely destroyed, for it would prevent the d 2 20 wall, with its decorations, and house from appearing as a whole with a variety of composition — a thing I am most anxious to secure. Midway between the house and wall I should have a straight walk, from seven to twelve feet wide, extending the whole length of the building, and in some cases even as far as the walls, enclosing the various offices or outbuildings, if the extent and magnitude of the residence should seem to demand it (as represented in both general plans). On each side of this terrace walk I would have formal flower beds for the reception of early flowers, and other pleasing plants, to be introduced from the greenhouse or reserve garden as they come into bloom. Figuke 9. These beds should have an edging of rich ornamental cast-iron work, or stone, or clay, or terra cotta, from six to nine inches deep (figure 9) ; and for the sake of variety, especially in Figure 10. the round beds, strong wire basket work. Thus a gay, beautiful, and harmonious display would be pro- duced. With the present cheap- ness of glass, the propriety of ornamental plant protectors, made to fit the beds within the baskets, suggests itself. These should be octagonal (figure 10). The frames would be best made of cast-iron, from four to five feet in diameter, and from two feet six inches to three feet 21 high, and as light as possible. They should be provided with moveable tops, to prevent the frame having to be removed more than is absolutely necessary, and in order to be convenient for ventilation and watering — (a small lid would be convenient for that purpose when much ventilation was not required). In this way beautiful plants, too tender to stand without occasional protection, might be exhibited in the spring months in the beds in front of the windows. So far, then, I admit and entirely approve of the formal style, without at all taking into consideration the character of the edifice ; but, beyond this, the formal or geometrical style has no right whatever to be claimed by any style of edifice ; and to copy the stiffness and absurdities of antiquity in the formation of a new place, is not only erroneous, but. absolutely barbarous. In no case would I admit, either on the terrace or principal lawn in front of the house, those flimsy fantastical flower beds so improperly introduced by some of the supporters of the geometrical or formal system ; for they not only betray want of extent in the ground, as if there were no room elsewhere, but detract from what there is. An instance of this injudicious laying out appeared in the grounds of a noble castellated place respecting which I was consulted. The terrace in front of the edifice, level with its base, is terminated by three, four, or five steps, I forget exactly how many. Ascend these, and you find yourself on a second terrace, with a parterre before you, geometrically formed with box edging, and displaying a variety of figures, cut up into such narrow stripes, and terminating in such long sharp points, that in some places for a considerable length there is scarcely room for more than a single plant in breadth, and that is in danger of being smothered by the box edging. These beds, together with a faintly dripping fountain, form altogether the most miserable specimen of ornamental work I ever saw. In comparison with the noble edifice they are intended to adorn, they are perfectly contemptible, and make one lament the barrenness of the taste which could either propose or adopt such absurdities. I have said above, that, beyond the terrace-wall, no style of house has any claim to formality. The principal or general lawn should never be subjected to the laws of the formal system. In short, all formality should cease with the terrace-wall (except where it may be necessary to associate with any other ornamental structure, or in compartments purposely set apart for that purpose^. Beyond 22 this, masses and groups, as well as single specimens of ornamental trees and shrubs, should be disposed so as to show various expanses of lawn, and thus deceive the eye as to the real extent of lawn from any given point. On one front, where practicable, the park may, with propriety, be connected with the terrace-wall, which will serve as a fence between the park and grounds. Gilpin and others support the old system of liigh walls and close chpped hedges, especially in old places, as affording shelter and protection from the obtrusive eye ; but in forming new places, at this day, I see no reason why the improver should follow such examples, at the sacrifice of good taste or true principles. Independently of this, however, shelter and retirement may, in my opinion, be better and sooner produced by a shrubbery than by a clipped hedge. The broad straight walk along the front of the mansion will generally afford ample space for walking exercise, when the weather is too unsettled for venturing out to a greater distance; and the winter garden (a site for which is given in the palace plan, and delineated on a larger scale, plate 4) will provide all that is requisite for comfort and retirement, without the introduction of harsh lines of high walls and chpped hedges into the landscape, which both offend the eye and mar the prospect, when arranged after the ancient style. Gilpin seems, also, to advocate the formal kitchen garden as a means of prolonging the necessary exercise, in which he says, " A succession of various objects imparts a pleasing variety of sensation to the mind." Now, to me,, it is surprising that Gilpin, a man of otherwise great taste and practical experience, should have made such a remark. The kitchen garden ought never to be considered a portion of the pleasure ground, nor a place for recreation or exercise, although sanctioned by antiquity. The constant presence of workpeople, so destructive of privacy, is alone sufficient to prove my theory ; if not, the unpleasantness arising from decaying vegetables, manure, &c, forbids it altogether, showing, at once, that visits there ought to be few and optional, and that it is not intended to be a place of general resort. The interest we feel in ancient places arises more from the fact of their antiquity, and their celebrity for extraordinary events, than from the style in which the grounds and gardens have been laid out : and it must be evident that the stiff arrangements which are in the vicinity of the mansion, and .specially those seen from the living rooms, can never inspire the mind with 23 the interest and delight which are produced by gentle and graceful sweeps, with natural, or irregular and varied, masses and groups of trees and shrubs, blending softly and gracefully, with intricate glades of smooth lawn quietly and uninterruptedly retiring into distance. On the one hand, all is stiff, formal, and confined. Long straight walks, bowling-greens, vegetable gardens, &c, are ornamented with fantastic bushes, and bounded by high walls, and hedges clipped to an immeasurable height, as if art, conscious of its own inferiority, was making a gigantic effort to exclude the beauties of nature. On the other hand, all is easy, natural, and unrestrained. The eye, unim- peded by hard and restrictive avenues, and other lines of demarcation, — those frequently awkward and always objectionable features of the old system, — after pleasurably surveying the softness and harmony of the home scenery, passes freely and unrestrained to the park or middle distance, and thence over beautifully varied scenery, to the stiller and more distant landscape. Allowing, however, that the antiquity of a place contributes much to its interest, I should proceed more cautiously in directing the alterations of it, in order to preserve that interest and importance which time and its connection with historical events have created. I should, in the first place, preserve the terrace and terrace walls, repairing them where necessary, and, if too plain, enriching them with vases, urns, and other embellishments in character with the building. The walls of the entrance court, with their decorations, I would also preserve. Good examples of avenues should remain, unless they produce a hard line so as to divide the park scenery when viewed from the living-rooms. The formal pond with its cascade, the fountain, alcove, statuary, dials, &c, should by no means be destroyed or removed, nor anything be done which is calculated to lessen the character of antiquity, on which the importance of an old place depends. The kitchen garden, however, with its old crooked walls, when in view of the living-rooms, I consider highly objectionable, and should remove at once, and convert its site into lawn, varied with rich shrubs, or, if too extensive, add a portion to the park, and plant it with groups of trees, so as to harmonize as much as possible with the adjoining natural scenery. Should the proprietor, however, prefer the formal character altogether, the lawn, at all events, should be bold, and not cut up too much into useless fantastical figures. Elongated and round beds (either with or without edgings of ornamental iron or stone), or baskets. 24 would be best associated with straight walks, and I would leave large square portions of lawn occasionally without any beds at all. The bowling-green, occupying, as it generally does in ancient gardens, the principal front, and thus destroying stillness and repose, I should remodel in the manner described above, and choose a secluded spot elsewhere for the purpose, remote from the gaze of servants; for, although its boundaries might be varied with shrub- beries, &c., yet being of necessity of a flat tame surface, and difficult to be brought into concord with the adjoining ground, it would be far better removed to a distance from the mansion. ON THE DISPOSITION AND FORM OF SHRUB BEDS IN THE DRESS GROUND. I will next make a few observations on the form and disposition of shrub beds on the lawn about the house and pleasure grounds, which I propose making after the modern system. Shrubs, whether planted in masses, groups, or as single bushes, are not to be estimated merely by the elegance and variety of their forms, or the beauty and fragrance of their blossoms, but as embellishments indispensably necessary for completing the composition or combination of the home, middle, or more remote scenery, and as screens for masking out disagreeable objects. As shrubs naturally thrive best in du" compartments, the beds should be of the neatest forms and of various sizes ; never formal and lumpy, but rather long than otherwise, and with deep hollow bends and bold prominent curves and juts, rather than with numerous indentations; and they should be so arranged as not to appear in a cross direction to one another, especially when near together. Although, too, they may not be exactly opposite each other, yet they should in some degree (as I have said respecting the flower beds) appear parallel, the convex bend of one seeming to fit into the hollow of another, and those beds that are near to the walks harmonizing with the walks. Moreover, all these beds should be so disposed as to associate with each other, rather than be at equal distances all over the lawn, but in a manner to create intricacy, so as not to show the real extent of the ground, and to exhibit some bold and free glades of lawn on which the eye may repose. (See General Plans.) Caution should also be used always to leave the narrowest part of the lawn sufficiently broad for the mower to work on freely, — a tiling not sufficiently attended to by some of our celebrated professors of Landscape Gardening, as may be observed in various publications, as well as in places actually laid out, where in the forms of the beds (as well as in the space between the beds) we find some of the indentations so narrow and deep, that it is impossible to mow them E 20 Figure 11. Figure 12. without injuring the plants. As it is intended that the whole of the outlines of some of the beds should eventually be destroyed by overhanging or spreading growths, and the earth be completely concealed, these beds must be kept to their original shape (figure 11) for some time, until the shrubs attain sufficient size to do this naturally jSj^L of themselves (figure 12). JH3 This varied outline can- not be effected by stiff upright shrubs, such as roses, spireas, arborvitas, junipers, mazerians, &c. ; and, consequently, all of this stiff character which are required to remain towards the margin, should be fronted and mixed with some of the following, namely, — Daphne cneorum, Savins, Cottoneaster microphilla, Berberis impetrifolia, Mahonias, Arbutus regia, Erica herbacea, Erica multi- flora, and other heaths, dwarf spreading cistus, dwarf evergreen St. John's wort, Gaultheria shallon, jointed, double, and other dwarf spreading brooms, Menziesia polyfolia, Andromeda polyfolia, and similar low reclining plants, which will cover the earthy parts, and yet not prevent the others beyond from being seen. But in order that neither these nor the larger spreading shrubs may spread out of bounds, they must occasionally be shortened in at proper places, so as to leave a natural careless outline. Beds appropriated to inter- esting shrubs of low growth, and such as, being of a stiff formal habit, are consequently not calculated to produce a broken outline — as, for instance, fuchsias, roses, azaleas, kalmias, andromedas, Rhodora canadensis, Rhododen- dron dauricum atro-virens, &c, — these will always look better retaining their neat and original form. The kind of beds we have been speaking of may be said to be proper for all the dress-lawn, not only that connected with the house, but the more distant pleasure grounds also, where natural beauty of outline is a principal charm of the scenery. Those, however, which contain the more delicate plants, and require digging amongst, must always have their original outline preserved with neatness and accuracy. The foregoing directions can seldom be fully carried out in a place of the old school, but much may be done by cutting down, removals, grouping, and introducing interesting shrubs when necessary. ON FLOWER GARDENS, CONSIDERED IN THEIR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, AND UNDER VARIOUS CHARACTERS. I now proceed to the Flower Garden, the next compartment after leaving the principal Lawn, and which we must imagine to be separated from it by the masses and groups of shrubs just described ; not, however, by a stiff belt, but so that the principal lawn may blend softly and gradually into the flower garden. The flower garden, as will be seen from my former remarks, ought never to be visible from the windows, (except in towns and small places, where the whole pleasure grounds are necessarily confined to the front of the house), as the appearance of numerous beds and walks, by interrupting the repose and extent of the lawn, has a tendency to destroy its boldness and importance, which ought to be studiously preserved : and the practice of huddling all the most interesting objects possible into one scene, in front of the windows, ought, unquestionably, to be discarded as a decided fault. In places that will admit of it, I invariably make a point of dividing the pleasure ground into different compartments, with the intention of exhibiting various scenes, and so enhancing the interest and prolonging the exercise of the visiter, as he proceeds from one scene to another : and, as bodily and mental exercise are highly conducive to health, such recreations as wiU at once attract the mind and exercise the body should be preferred. Nothing, I think, is so well calculated to soothe the feelings, inspire holy thoughts, and elevate the mind, as the retirement of a flower garden, judiciously and richly decked with beautiful flowers, filling the air with odour. " Welcome, fair scene ! Welcome, thou lov'd retreat ! From the vain hurry of the bustling great Here let me walk ; or, in this fragrant bower, Wrapt in calm thought, improve each fleeting hour. My soul, while Nature's beauties feast mine eyes, To Nature's God contemplative shall rise." — Dodslet. E 2 28 The English, or Natural Flower Garden, which ought always to take precedence of every other style, is composed of lawn, and beds or patches of earth, in which flowers and flowering shrubs are planted. This garden should, in all cases, be arranged with returning walks, so that a visiter may return gradually into the principal walk homewards, when a more lengthened one would not be agreeable. A flower garden provided with only one walk, and that through the centre, is, unquestionably, ill-contrived ; because it always obliges a person to return the way he came. And a flower garden on turf, without a gravel or dry walk, is worse. A walk is not only an interesting feature in the flower garden, but it is indispensable for the inspection of flowers, when the grass is wet. This kind of garden, when space will allow, may be subdivided into the following compartments, namely, — The General Flower Garden, American Garden, Florist Garden, Rosarium, Annual Garden, and Group Garden, which, though severally quite distinct and perfectly complete, need only be separated by walks, assisted by a judicious disposal of various masses and groups of shrubs and low trees, in order to produce one interesting whole. Gentle and smooth undulations add much to the interest of the English Flower Garden, which, when the ground is an extensive flat, may be arti- ficially contrived by sinking some portions of the ground, and raising others. The character of the flower beds (see Plan for a Country Residence) should generally be long rather than otherwise, of various elegant forms, produced by angles and graceful curves ; all repetitions, except circles, and all such figures as ovals, hearts, squares, oblongs, queen cakes, &c, being studiously avoided. I may here mention, that I disapprove of the common practice of raising the soil in beds much above the level of the lawn. These unnatural mole-hill-hke forms, throwing, as it were, the lawn into sudden inharmonious slacks, are highly offensive to the eye of taste. When a bed is formed on level ground, the centre should never be raised more than from two to six inches above the turf, according to the size of tire bed ; but when formed on rising ground, and the turf appears to follow naturally, it will be in perfect keeping to raise the soil boldly to the centre of the bed. In the disposal of the beds, the lawn must not be regularly spotted over with them, as we often see, exhibiting equal walk-like portions of grass between ; they ought to be thrown into different forms, the beds arranged in some degree in groups, with naturally varied expanses of lawn, the narrowest 29 parts of which should always be wide enough to afford sufficient room for the scythe, — say, five to six feet at the least. The beds should be made to harmo- nize with each other ; the swell or convex part of one bed should appear to retire in some degree into the recess or hollow part of another, and should by all means run parallel to the walk, and not seem to start off at right angles to it. (See General Plan.) I mean those that are nearest to it. The small beds will produce the best effect when associated with the larger ones, and not when assembled together, the smaller beds in one neighbourhood, and the larger ones in another. I never introduce wire basket-work about any but round beds ; with these, basket-work and iron edgings are strictly in character, and are an indispensable ornament to them. Before commencing my observations on the various classes of the Flower Garden, I will take the liberty of addressing a few remarks to gardeners generally. From the httle attention paid to the cultivation of plants by young gardeners whilst learning their business, one would suppose it a thing either altogether unconnected with it, or at least one to which it was a matter of very httle consequence whether they attended or not. Hence it very often happens that a taste for flowers is never cultivated, and notions imbibed in youth are practised to old age, unimproved and profitless ; consequently we find the same dull round of old flowers year by year fringing the shrubberies of the pleasure ground, and too often even the borders of the kitchen garden. This is a deplorable state of things, and calls for immediate remedy. The study and cultivation of flowers and plants generally are, in my opinion, among the most important and interesting branches of the gardener's employment ; and I do not hesitate to say, that nothing would tend so much as a knowledge of these to elevate him in the opinion of his employer. Every gardener who can read and write, (and without a knowledge of these no man ought to be a gardener), should at least be acquainted with the names of plants, their native places, the time of their introduction and blooming, and the proper mode of culture. I need not tell a man possessed of these advantages how far superior he is to one who, on being asked about the names, culture, &c, of plants, is obhged to confess Ins ignorance in the common apology, that he has paid but httle attention to such tilings, having almost exclusively apphed himself to the kitchen garden and forcing department. Such a man will never be fit for anything beyond 30 the kitchen garden, and is consequently eligible for but few situations ; whilst one who, along with his various other avocations, has carefully studied the cultivation and management of plants, and has not lost sight of mental improvement, is eligible for any situation. As is sufficiently proved in our own day, he may even rise to a very high standing both in respectability and in fame. General Flower Garden. This is expected to be furnished with every possible variety of interesting herbaceous perennials and other flowers, and, therefore, every place with any pretensions to a garden should be provided with one of this description. It would be well if every proprietor would allow the introduction of all the most pleasing varieties of plants, rather than content himself with the monotonous repetition of the common kinds, so frequently to be met with in places where we look for choicer specimens. American Garden. This is so termed from its being principally furnished with such American plants as bear our climate ; and, as these plants are grown in peat or bog soil, many of our own English productions being grown in similar soil, the two are often associated together, and erroneously classed under the common name of American plants. This kind of garden may be said to be adorned, principally, with beautiful flowering shrubs, though several herba- ceous plants also belong to it. Great caution is required in the arrangement of the plants, as it too often happens that the larger and smaller plants are crowded together in one bed. For instance, the common or large growing kinds of rhododendrons are frequently made the occupants of small beds, along with smaller growing plants, so that, when the former take to growing freely, the destruction of the latter is almost certain. Care must, therefore, be taken not to associate the large kinds of rhododendrons, azalias, &c, with plants of a delicate and more hmited habit. All that is required is to grow the two sorts separately, according to their respective habits. The small ones will be best suited to small beds ; and the large rhododendrons and azalias may form masses or beds, exhibiting only one plant of each of the most rare and beautiful varieties. The common kinds may, also, very properly be intro- 31 duced into the shrubberies in connection with tbe American Garden, or any other part of tbe pleasure ground, with a portion of proper compost round each plant, to encourage, at least, its first growth. I have often thought a very interesting feature might be produced by planting a permanent mass of tender greenhouse heaths; and, perhaps, this compartment might be the most suitable situation for it. I should form a stage of rock-work, composed of various specimens of spar imbedded in proper peat soil, in which I should plant the most select varieties of heaths, and form a walk round the whole. A proper structure would be necessary to afford partial shade in hot sunny weather, and also for protection during the winter months. An Arnott's, or Walker's, patent stove, would give out quite sufficient heat to resist frost in a frame of moderate size ; but two would be necessary for a structure fifty feet long by twenty-one feet wide. No more fire will be necessary than barely to keep out frosts. The stove would be best heated with coke, as all the nuisance of dust would thus be avoided, and the injurious effects of the effluvia, &c, would, in a great measure, be avoided, being earned off by a short iron pipe at some convenient point : the cost of fuel would not be more than from one penny to twopence a day. In this way. the true character and beauty of this lovely family would be displayed. In this garden, if sufficiently extensive, I should introduce some of the most interesting low American trees, here and there, on the lawn, both for the sake of effect, and for the purpose of affording shady situations for such plants as require shade. Provision might here, also, be made for amphibious plants, or such as require a good deal of moisture, by forming a bog-bed in the lowest part of the ground, so as to be readily kept moist by watering, when a naturally damp situation does not exist. Florist Garden. This compartment is provided for the introduction of florist or show flowers, commonly cultivated for exhibition, viz., the dahlia, tulip, ranunculus, carnation, pink, hyacinth, auricula, iris, polyanthus, anemone, &c. Although some of these are considered to be grown better in pots for exhibition, yet beds of them, I think, are highly pleasing, and a private compartment may- be kept for such as require potting. I should recommend the dahlias to be thrown into groups, each group forming a class, and each class comprehending 32 all the flowers of the same colour in all its different shades, — care being taken so to dispose the beds in the several compartments as to produce the greatest possible amount of cheerfulness and variety over the whole. In order to re-embellish the bulb beds after the decay of the foliage of the bulbous roots, as the tulip, hyacinth, ranunculus, &c, a reserve bed, or, what is preferable, a considerable stock of annuals in pots, should always be provided, so as to be introduced the moment the bulbs are lifted for their summer's rest. In this way the Florist Garden might be kept a scene of gaiety throughout the season. Rosarium. This forms a very interesting compartment when the roses are in bloom. It is intended, of course, to exhibit a large collection at once, which is very necessary, both for the sake of a general display, and a ready comparison of the different varieties, now that they are so numerous, and in many the shades of different colour so faint as scarcely to be distinguished. I have an objection to masses of roses on lawns of small extent, for, although we allow the rose to be the queen of flowers, yet, when the plants have shed their blossoms, there are few shrubs which exhibit less beauty in their habit; and conse- quently, when the blooming season is over, such parts of the garden lose their interest. I have, therefore, generally preferred the formation of small groups of three, five, six, or more, in front of the shrubbery, to beds on the lawn. Where, however, a general collection is required, it will be necessary to provide a compartment for them, called, very properly, a Rosarium. This, as the roses lose their beauty, may be kept tolerably gay by the introduction of annuals between the plants, provision having been previously made for them at the time of planting. In arranging the Rosarium, it will be necessary to refer to some good catalogue for their classification. In all cases where we wish to preserve the natural style, I particularly recommend standards to be placed, so that their stems may be partially broken or concealed by either dwarf standards, and such as are on their own roots, or low-growing shrubs of various kinds. I think a stiff clustered head upon a small naked stem looks remarkably ill when exhibited on a lawn, or otherwise glaringly exposed; but when placed in small groups in a border fronted with shrubs of nearly their own height, their elevated blossoms appear very 33 beautiful and certainly much more in character. Avenues and rows of standards may, however, be allowed in a formal Rosarium, which is a scene by itself : this is preferable to any irregular form, and may be planned something hke those we designed for Mr. Paul's " Rose garden ;" or in the manner shown in the General Plan for a palace or mansion grounds ; or the one we arranged in the Queen's Park, Manchester. Provision must also be made for climbing roses. The readiest plan is to fix poles in the ground here and there, or place five, six, or more, so as to form a circle of three or four feet in diameter, and let them all meet at the top. Cones of iron or wood trellis, or a circular arcade, may be formed in the centre of the Rosary, over a walk, for some of the most interesting varieties of pillar roses, and the enclosure serve as a pheasantry. The Annual Garden. The Annual Garden is a plot of ground set apart for the growth of annual flowers, the varieties of which are numerous, and many of them very beautiful. The plants should be selected for their harmony of colour and size, and should be set, or sown, in patches of from three to five of each kind. They would then present a very gay and interesting appearance in their proper season, which might, in fact, be greatly prolonged by plants or seeds in successional growths. The Mass, or Group Garden. The prevailing practice of growing certain kinds of flowers in groups or masses, seems to demand that there should be, in grounds of suffi- cient extent, a compartment or division in the Flower Garden for this purpose, which I have ventured to term Mass or Group Garden. For instance, different varieties of verbenas, petunias, fuchsias, salvias, calceolarias, geraniums, and mimuhi, are amongst the kinds used for that purpose. Whilst we admire this fashion, we must guard against its predominance over the growth of the various and beautiful perennial flowers. I think that the beds for this kind of garden should seldom be large, and, perhaps, they should be most generally round, but of various dimensions, none exceeding six feet in diameter. Some, if not the whole of them, should also be edged round with iron or wire basket-work, as, otherwise, when the plants are trained down to the earth, they are liable to encroach upon the lawn, and to F u destroy the form of the beds. The larger and variously formed beds which may be introduced, should be grouped either with various kinds of plants or of varieties in one family, blending into each other. The Aquarium Forms a highly interesting feature in the General Flower Garden, in the shape of a natural rivulet, flowing in a devious course through the lowest part of it. Should there not be a natural dingle in the grounds, a suitable undulated course should be made, so that water plants may be grown, and that the sound of a rippling stream, however small, may be heard, with its refreshing and cheerful influence. (See General Plan.) Supposing, however, that the formation of such a stream cannot be accomplished, a small compartment may be set apart, and provision made for such plants in round basins, or somewhat careless yet neat looking receptacles, margined with spar or fancy minerals, and cemented, so as to be water-tight. Water may be supplied to them, in any way most suitable or convenient, from time to time. In all the compartments to which I have referred, handsome growing flowering shrubs and low trees may be introduced here and there, as shown in the General Plans, not only to produce an effect, but to give a varied imaginary extent to each. Of course, whilst the most agreeable kinds of shrubs are introduced for the sake of beauty and intricacy, strict regard must be paid to their not being introduced too numerously, or allowed to grow. too large, so as to injure the flower beds. The Geometrical Flower Garden. This compartment must stand separately from any of the rest, with which it is too formal to harmonize or be in character. I have therefore given specimens of this style of gardening, detached from the natural or English arrangement, but linked with the appendages of the house, (see plate 7), and to be used as a winter garden. In the plan, it will be seen that it is walled round, so, as it were, to shut it up and make it secluded, the walls being appropriated to various kinds of climbers. I have shown two modes of arranging this garden on a large scale (see plate 4) : one, with dug beds cut out of lawn ; the other, with walks and beds edged with solid cast iron, terra cotta, or neatly dressed stone, which I prefer to the Dutch fashion of planting EXPLANATION OF PLATE IV. IDEAL PLAN FOR A WINTER GARDEN, Shewing Four Different Geometrical Styles or Patterns, for the sake of choice. Figure 1. Glass Structure for a Winter Promenade, &c. a, a. Plinth, twelve inches in breadth, and thirty-six inches in height, with shelves attached all round for plants. B, b. Walks, four feet wide, independent of the shelf, which is to be level with the top of the plinth, twelve inches broad. o. Centre walk, six feet wide. d, d. Beds of earth nine feet wide, edged round with a neat curb stone, for plants to remain permanently. The surface of the earth to be grown over with tropical mosses and low-growing ferns ; or, if it be preferred, the same space may be occupied by a stage for plants, i:. e, e, e. Basins, either with or without fountains, for the growth of aquatic plants. Figures 2 and 3. Two Styles of Formal Parterres on Grass. Figures 4 and 5. Two Styles for a Formal Paeterre, or Flower Gaeden, edged with Cast Iron, Dressed Stone, or Terra Cotta. The square dots along the walk sides are sites for sculpture, or other garden ornaments. i , v. (Fig. 4 J Sites for sculpture, dials, &c. g, g. (Fig. %) Seats. The walls are to be trained with roses and other interesting climbing plants. The masses of shrubs are to be composed of handsome, small-sized evergreens. T PLAN TOR A WINTER GARDEN, ' '■■' ■ 35 box or other live edgings. Live borders do not present so neat an appearance, besides both harbouring slugs and impoverishing the beds. In the laying out of either of these gardens the strictest nicety will be required ; and as it is enclosed, and therefore sheltered, such may be appropriated to a winter garden. The walks should be made perfectly dry, — flags, indeed, being prefer- able to gravel ; and the dug compartments should be furnished with early spring flowers, and small interesting evergreen shrubs, with as many winter flowers as possible. It would add materially to the comfort and utility of such a garden as a winter promenade, if one or more of the walks were covered in with glass, which, from its present cheapness, I may venture to suggest, will be more generally used for such purposes. Thus winter exercise would be afforded at all times when the weather might happen to be too jirecarious for out-door recreation. I have, therefore, suggested an idea in the annexed sketch. I would cover the winter walk by circular span roofs, supported by neat pilasters resting on plinths or dressed stone, with upright window-like sashes, of somewhat the following dimensions, namely, from the plinth to the top of the sashes from seven to ten feet, and the plinth thirty- six inches ; the width of house thirty-two feet or more. If permanent plants are to be grown, a strip of earth between the walks must be formed, and the earth concealed by tropical mosses and small ferns ; or, if employed as a greenhouse, stone stages are intended. In either case a stone shelf, twelve inches broad, next the glass, Figure 13. level with the top of the plinth, and all round the house, is pro- posed, on which to place plants in pots, as illus- trated at fig. 13. Such ' a house will require to be furnished with all the early flower- ing plants possible. Or, in place of a centre house, (shown in plate 4), tht f 2 3G whole of the boundary wall may be fronted with glass sashes, with a curvilinear roof, trellising the walls, on which to train climbing plants. In place of a glass promenade a covered colonnade or arcade may be erected, with open arches on each side, divided by pilasters of lattice or wire work, from twelve to eighteen inches broad, on which handsome climbing plants must be trained. Botanic Garden. The Botanic Garden should be at no great distance from the Flower Garden, but yet distinct from it, and approached by a shrubbery walk. It should be formal in its arrangements, and entered upon at one point, having either gently winding or straight walks ; and should have its plants grown in their regular classes and orders, so as to offer the least interruption to the botanist whilst pursuing his studies. I think that the borders should be sufficiently narrow (as shown in the General Plan for a Country Residence) so that the spectator, in moving along, may examine the whole of the plants without having to traverse both sides. It will be seen that I have only shown three lines of beds; therefore, in laying out the garden, a calculation will have to be made of the extent required, and, if necessary, strips must be added or made longer. The walks may be five feet wide, with grass verges two feet wide, and one continued strip of earth, three feet wide, for the plants. Each family may be separated from others by large descriptive styles, or tallies, or by cast-iron edgings, or (what would be better still J by narrow edgings made of burnt fire- clay. Then there should be another strip of grass six feet broad, and after that a border of shrubs. When there are additional walks, the strip of grass should be of the same width on each side of the botanic border, and the last strip of grass, next the shrubs, should be of the breadth above-mentioned — six feet ; or, in place of grass verges, the edges between the walks and beds may be of stone, slate, cast-iron, or fire-clay, all of which I prefer to box, or any other five edgings, which (as already said) not only harbour slugs, but, as the borders are very narrow, tend to impoverish the earth and injure the plants; or circuitous slips might be formed by this kind of edging, instead of the straight one, setting off from the boundary of the plot, and coifing round and round, until it closes in the centre with a seat, or some other kind of ornamental erection. 37 The Rockery, or Rock Garden. Natural rocky scenes, although of themselves rude and uncouth, seldom fail to afford interest. They generally strike the mind with pleasurable emotions, whether it be merely as the sun peeps into bushes of rambling roses, which jut out from the crag beneath, or peers into the careless waving mantle of the lovely woodbine, or glances in upon some more mystic form, with shelly projections, creeks, and recesses, adorned with indigenous heaths, foxgloves, crowberry, or other humble but beautiful flowers ; or, mayhap, hovers by some dark boiling hollow, where mosses and ferns, and other amphibious plants, nestle and peep by the side of a murmuring stream, as it steals away to the adjacent river. Art must fall far short, however, of nature, in formations of this kind. It has seldom even a basis on which to construct a superstruc- ture — often hardly an appliance suitable to the wishes of the artist; still something may generally be done, sometimes, even, a good deal, towards accomplishing the object. When a natural rock presents itself suitable for this purpose, although it may be at a considerable distance, I should endeavour to unite it with the pleasure ground by a rural walk, graduating the scenery from the polished grounds till it harmonizes naturally with the rocky and wild composition : and, wherever practicable, advantage should be taken of salient points for the exhibition of various kinds of rock plants — always minding to keep imme- diately under the eye the simplest and most interesting kinds. This may not be done so readily as we could wish on bold and majestic rocks, but it may always be managed on smaller groups, which are nearer to view, and therefore more appropriate. I scarcely need observe, that preparations for such plants will have to be made by clearing obnoxious weeds, and supplying creeks, crevices, and all such places, with good soil suitable for their growth. It is quite practicable to form a highly interesting artificial Rocker}', ap- proximately natural, with proper materials, where expense is not much an object. I should make choice, for instance, of some abruptly undulated ground, either near to the flower garden, or more remote, according to circumstances. In the Plan for a Country Residence I have shown it near the flower garden ; but it may be near, or further from it, at pleasure — linked together, first starting by a shrubbery walk, gradually approximating natural wooded scenery 38 as it approaches the Rockery. The extreme outline of the plot allotted for the Rockery is the most proper situation for the principal body of rock, because the bank forms proper backing and support for the stones, and gives the idea of a natural rock protruding from it, as we generally find it in natural rocky ground. Further, sometimes in sinking the lower parts of the given plot, and adding to the swells, when they are not sufficient of themselves, an opportunity is afforded of making rocky groups, in some cases to occupy the whole of the knoll, and in others only part. The principal tiling to be avoided in forming artificial rockwork is the appearance of a mere stone-heap, such as we too frequently see. The mass of the rock should invariably commence with the largest stones at the bottom, allowing the bottom of the stone to be just sufficiently covered, so that the depth of the rock cannot be detected nor even imagined. In order that the rock may appear massive and of importance, the principal stones should be of two or three, or even more, tons weight, and should gradually be diminished to about half a ton, and occasionally of less size, even to a few stones weight. The kind of stones most to be preferred are those which have become grey with lichen or moss, by exposure to the weather ; but when these are not to be had easily, quarry stones may be resorted to, which in time will assume a natural hue. In placing these, they should be bedded as much as possible in seams, some parts appear- Figure 14. i n g rudely perpendicular, now and then showing «, larger and smaller shelfy Sab projections (figure 14). At "1^ certain heights, this upright iiilH P ar * ma y ^ e se * k ac k seve- ral feet, and sometimes ' f y ';,/' V* r Jc?-, yards, showing flats of '.■p%£ earth mixed with large J - ' and small stones, where suitable shrubs may be rtKfe \.-j\. '.? Si ! 39 planted. Broken or rugged platforms in extensive Rockeries afford the means of making an intricate pathway amongst the plants, over elevated parts, amongst bushes and rocky pyramids, so blended that the amount of rock- work cannot be comprehended. The extent of the Rockery must be lost by planting where the rock terminates with different shrubs, such as periwinkle, whins, heaths, rambling roses, hollies, blackthorns, &c, and by allowing groups of stones to appear bursting, as it were, from amongst the bushes and wild flowers, at different distances from the principal body of rock, so that its real termination cannot be detected. Where Rockeries can only be conveniently placed on one side of a plot of ground, the side of a steep bank affords a good site for the simulated appearance of a natural rock, on which groups of different sized stones, in addition to the principal rock, might be so disposed as to give the appearance of a natural rocky bed, breaking through the precipice at different distances and of various magnitudes. Large stones should be placed in advance in some parts of the flat below, and here and there, as near as a few inches to the principal rock, so as to seem to have split off from the principal mass. Some of these principal stones should be furnished with low growing shrubs, as the spreading broom, heath, savin, cotoneaster microphilla, berberis, impetrifolia, whin, crowberry, bilberry, &c. These arrangements, judiciously managed, will, in two or three years, render it a difficult task for the visiter, especially if a stranger, to detect any art in the composition. In situations where there is plenty of extent, a greater interest may be produced by forming caverns and subterranean passages (figure 14), pre- senting a rude, broken, rocky character inside. The passages should be large, and go through the bottom of the largest and deepest part of the Rockery, being so contrived by curves or angles, that, when entering at one end, there should be no light perceptible at the other, and they should lead to some other part of the grounds. These passages should be roofed by allowing broad fiat stones to project by degrees until the whole is naturally covered in ; and at the outside, at each end of the passage, there should be at least several yards of rock appearing on both sides, in order to destroy the idea of art as much as possible. Conical Rockeries have a good effect when rising out of a mound, or conical hill, in rugged scenery. These, either naturally or artificially asso- 40 ciated with the general Rockery, and judiciously managed, are pleasing. Two or throe groups of this kind, formed on the top of an extensive Rockery, would give variety to the general outline, the effect of which would also be heightened by mingling with them a few conical plants, such as junipers, savins, Irish yews, &c. Conical Rockeries may be formed, or imitated, by grouping a number of large and small pointed stones, many of which should be placed as closely together as possible, nearly perpendicular, and of different heights. Then, in order that the divisions between these stones may not appear too great, smaller ones should be placed amongst them, so as to harmonize with the large ones, and, afterwards, scraplings and soil should be thrown amongst them, so as to prevent the base of the stones being seen at all, as that would destroy the appearance of their starting from a solid bed below. Lesser cones may also be formed in the same way, near to the principal ones, so as to form groups of cones ; but the whole must appear to break out of the knoll, or artificial mound, that the idea may be given of time having wasted the softer material, and left the harder in its present state. In some cases, cement is used in fixing cones and other parts of rock-work, with a view to produce a natural effect, which is well carried out in some of the rocks at Chatsworth. An old quarry, out of use for supplying stones, sometimes affords a fine opportunity for forming a Rock Garden. The various-sized knolls or hillocks produced by the refuse in working the quarry, will, in most cases, give the variety of undulation wanted. The whole of some of these hillocks will require to represent an entire mass of rock; others partly for rock and partly for planting; and others, again, for being principally covered with heath, whin brooms, honeysuckle, ivy, &c, with rude stones here and there protruding from amongst them. Against some of the larger mounds, perpen- dicular rock-work should be raised, to correspond as much as art will admit, and to harmonize with the principal rocky face left by the quarry-men. Perhaps in some parts the latter may want a little assistance to produce various flats or tables, projections, recesses, chasms, &c. Walks or tracks must be formed to wind naturally amongst the hillocks, sometimes advancing towards the principal rock, and at other times receding from it. These should be made dry, and instead of gravel should be covered with chippings of stone. Their breadth should appear unequal, and irregularly margined with 41 indigenous growths, such as heaths, crowberry, bilberries, perriwinkles, dwarf spreading brooms, violets, veronicas, potentillas, &c. The rest of the ground will require, also, to be appropriated to wild growing plants, such as heaths, whins, spreading brooms, rambling roses, bilberries, foxgloves, primroses, wood anemones, blue bells, lilies of the valley, &c. &c. I remember having, upwards of twenty years ago, an extensive quarry to operate upon in the grounds connected with a gentleman's house. I laid this out with graceful winding walks and smooth lawn, planted the whole with corresponding flowers and cultivated shrubs, and erected suitable rustic seats. The whole presented a scene highly interesting and pleasing, and is considered such to the present time. Yet, I must confess, I was then in error ; — congruity was overlooked, " smooth shaven lawn," and graceful winding walks, and cultivated shrubs, had no business in such a locality. When water can be conducted to these natural looking Rockeries, and allowed to form trickling or dripping fountains, here and there, it would not only be appropriate for the growth of ferns, mosses, and other plants requiring moisture, but would also present an agreeable and natural effect. THE SHRUBBERY. The Shrubbery is generally employed as a link connecting the Flower Garden, Kitchen Garden, and Forest, or wooded scenery, by a belt, or massive screen, on one or both sides of the principal walk, affording shelter, and often as a means by which to mask out unsightly objects. But this should not be the only object of a Shrubbery : it should be also considered and managed with a view to display the shrubs in their variety and true character, and with the greatest interest. We often meet with the most beautiful shrubs, either struggling for existence beneath a brawny tree, or, (if I may use the expres- sion), gasping for air, amid a confined and suffocating mass of the more common or wilder growing kinds, instead of being managed according to their habits, and so placed as not only to afford them ample room, but to exhibit their true form and beauty. In order to effect this properly, the permanent plants, or such as are the most interesting, should be first placed in the compartment prepared for them, at such a distance from each other as they may be expected eventually to require, beginning with the smaller kinds nearest to the front, and going backward in rotational size, finishing with the large kinds. Then, amongst the whole, common kinds, as nurse plants, should be put in, for the pui"pose of producing an immediate effect, but with a view to their removal as the more valuable sorts advance in growth. Such removals, where proper space can be afforded, present opportunities for increasing or varying the lawn, which may not, in the first instance, have been sufficiently attended to ; and thereby some of the more interesting plants may be brought carelessly to bound the additional lawn, or, in other words, by sodding up to them, made to bound it. And here I would mention, that although limitation may sometimes compel the designer only to introduce a narrow belt, or verge, of grass between the walks and shrubs, yet it should never be less than two feet in width ; which may always be preserved if the the gardener would only use the grass shears generally, and the edging-iron 43 but once a year, and not fritter them away by improper management. The edge line of the grass and shrubs would eventually blend together and be lost in each other, and yet preserve pretty much the breadth of vei'ge required, by pruning the shrubs occasionally, but not stiffly. When there is suffi- cient space, it would be better to vary, considerably, the breadth of the lawn between the walk and the shrubbery compartment, showing deep and bold bends, rather than numerous small indentations, so as at the same time to make the broader part of the lawn convenient for exhibiting individual plants. (Sec General Plans.) I should, therefore, introduce such kinds of shrubs as are naturally handsome in form, as well as those which produce beautiful and fragrant blossoms, each of which, if judiciously managed, would greatly tend to vary the outline of the general strip, or dug border; whilst space woidd be afforded for each plant to display its true character, exemplifying what Loudon designates " the gardenesque style." Nevertheless, they should not be scat- tered, or dotted, but be planted in uncrowded groups, allowing, here and there, some of them to associate with and grow into each other. In forming the kinds of Shrubberies of which I have been speaking, no large trees should ever be introduced. Although they may appear unobjec- tionable whilst young, yet, in a very few years, they become predominant and over-bearing. Yet here and there, in the back part of the Shrubbery, some of the most ornamental kinds of thorns, the double flowering cherries, magnolias, mespolis, laburnums, Hemlock-spruce, Gleditschia triacanthos, &c.,maybe planted, as they will prevent a monotonous outline, and produce a good effect. Valuable shrubs should never be planted immediately under large trees which are already existing — a mistake which often arises when walks are made to pass under such trees for the sake of their shady canopy. They should be placed in groups upon the lawn in open spaces, whilst common laurels, box, variegated hollies, yews, Acuba japonica, rhododendrons, Gaul- theria shallon, mahonias, &c, would give the required covert under the trees, when thickets or masking out is necessary. When the shrubbery connected with the principal walk is employed to mask out a boundary line, or any unsightly object, I think the best plan is, to form a thicket of from a few yards in width to any extent required, of some or all the following kinds of plants — laurels, privets, yews, elders, hollies, g 2 44 dogwoods, allaturnus, lilacs, and filberts ; and, if necessary, these thickets may be planted with groups of pines, firs, and other ornamental trees, fronting the whole with better shrubs. There are shrubs which are highly desirable to be grown for their showy and fragrant blossoms, but their habits and general features are otherwise uninteresting. Such are Deutzia scabra, Budleaglobosa, lilac, spindle tree, Garrya elyptica, Corchrus japonica, Tartarian honeysuckle, Guelder rose, brooms, Spirea areafolia, Spirca douglassii, and Spirea lind- leyana, barberry, standard roses and Pyrus japonica. Such must be planted so as to exhibit their tops and blossoms only, behind those of more pleasing habits. DRESS WOODED SCENERY IN CONNEXION WITH TENDER TREES AND SHRUBS. Ix extensive domains the dress grounds often extend amongst ornamental and forest plantings, which are thrown into groups and masses, and blended with free and bold expanses of lawn. Here, in some degree, we ought to extend the shrubbery also. Masses and thickets of common shrubs are essential to produce variety and intricacy in the outline of glades, as well as to shut out wilder growths ; and, in combination with suitable trees, to afford or produce nurseries for interesting tender plants. When grounds more in the vicinity of the edifice are not calculated to afford protection to tender plants, these preparations are important. Well- sheltered glades in wooded scenery, where the situation is dry and sufficiently open to the morning and mid- day sun, are undoubtedly better suited to tender trees and shrubs than an open south aspect in front of walls or buildings, — on which I think too much dependence is often placed, — because the winds are broken, and do not play upon them so violently as amongst walls unaided by trees, and they are also more protected from frost. Of course, proper compost soils are necessary, and should be adapted to the various kinds of plants to be introduced ; and in many cases a year or two's protection by basket-work or hurdles, branches of fir, or other devices, is important. RURAL WALKS AND DRIVES IN NATURAL WOODED SCENERY. Having reached the termination of what may be considered the " Dress Ground," I scarcely need observe that a lengthened walk through wooded or rural scenery would not only afford protection from the heat of the sun, or shelter from boisterous winds, but would also afford stillness and quietude to the contemplative mind whilst reflecting on Nature's beauties and Nature's freaks, so beautifully expressed by our charming poet, Dodsley, who says — " Corne, then, ye shades, beneath your bending arms Enclose the fond admirer of your charms ; Come, then, ye bowers, receive your joyful guest, Glad to retire, and in retirement blest ; Come, ye fair flowers, and open every sweet; Come, little birds, your warbling songs repeat; And ! descend, to sweeten all the rest, Soft smiling peace, in white-robed virtue dressed — Content, unenvious ease, with freedom joined, And contemplation calm, with truth refined. Deign but in this fair scene with me to dwell, — All noise and nonsense, pomp and show, farewell." Here, in our ramble, would also be observed the humble but odoriferous violet, primrose, cowslip, anemone, campanula, hyacinth, and the lovely lily of the valley, peeping out of their grassy beds; the indigenous rose, too, would present itself reclining on some neighbouring bush, and the honey- suckle reaching to entwine some loftier tree, filling the air with delicious perfume ; whilst on every side the warblers of the woods would be swelling out their sweet solos, or pouring forth in full chorus notes which never fail to charm the ear and cheer the soul : sweet sounds ! harmonizing so well with the idea of Omnipotence and Omnipresence ! How beautiful in their 47 plumage are the songsters also, as they hop from twig to twig, or fly from tree to tree, striking the eye with delight. Here and there, too, we may catch a glimpse of the noble golden pheasant strolling in our path. At the burst of his whirring flight the whole harmony of the grove becomes disturbed. The timid hare limps across the path, and steals away in fear. The frightened rabbit skips to hide itself in the thicket ; the squirrel leaps from branch to branch, and away. And then we have the murmuring of the gentle streamlet stealing upon the ear and on the eye hither and thither in its winding course, now rippling over a pebbly bed, now leaping over some rugged steep, and — murmuring no more, but roaring impetuously to the river, on its way to the boundless sea — " Through groves sequestered, dark and still, Low vales and mossy cells among, In silent paths, the careless rill, With languid murmur, steals along. Awhile it plays, with circling sweep, And lingering leaves its native plain ; Then pours impetuous down the steep, And mingles in the boundless main." — Hawkeswouth. Through such secluded and alluring retreats I would take the most interesting and varied course with my walks. Art must be employed, but with a careful hand, so that Nature's beauties may be presented with as little alteration as possible. In parts where the ground is of a general sameness, by reason of its being covered with one kind of wild undergrowth, a portion should be cleared, so as to form various-sized and natural glades of grass, blended with groups and masses of wild flowers and clustered native bushes. In this kind of scenery the walks need only be made dry, and from four to five feet wide, always taking care to have shorter bends on abrupt ground than in that in which there are gentle undulations. These walks ought to take a natural and varied course, having no other margin than that of some indigenous growth. They must also be kept invariably clean and tidy, still preserving pretty much their width in a careless form. In very abrupt ground they would be more in character to be narrower than the width which has been named. In new ground, when the mansion is so unfortunate as not to be associated with existing woods, but dependent on the dress of new plantations, 48 I should still form necessary walks in such plantations, which would be likely eventually to produce shelter and interest; for if they do not at once afford such gratification, they will at least afford scope for recreation and exercise. In woods or plantations in which there is sufficient extent to form drives and rides, the roads must be made from ten to twelve feet wide, and firm and dry, with level glades of grass attached here and there, of a sufficient width for carriages to pass and repass each other. The roads may be made of stone or gravel, and grassed over, to appear more natural. The curves must be sufficiently bold, and of easy sweeps, so as not to be troublesome or perplexing to drivers. Seats here and there along the walks will also be needful for pedestrians; and a neat cottage might be advantageously introduced, — to be used either as an alms-house or as a defence, with a spare room, to afford a retreat against storms. ON TREES AND SHRUBS ABOUT THE HOUSE AND PLEASURE GROUNDS. As it will be necessary, in the course of this work, frequently to use various terms for planting, in order that they may be better understood, I am desirous to lay down in advance a sort of rule for such terms. I consider that trees arranged in numbers together — say, from two to ten, — should be designated as " a group ;" from ten to twenty, " a massive, or large group ;" and upwards of twenty, if standing unbroken, " a mass." When the plantation covers a \\w acres, we will call it " a wood ;" and " a forest," when the wooded scenery is extensive. A continuity of scattered trees is generally termed " a grove ;" a mass, composed of trees and bushes, so as not to be readily penetrated, is termed "a thicket;" a round, or oval, compact number of trees is termed " a clump " — Sir Uvedale Price says, " a better thing would be to pronounce the word without the first letter." I have before stated, when treating on the situations adapted for residences, that trees are of the utmost importance for shelter and effect. Wherever it is practicable, a wood, or a considerable wooded mass, should be planted behind the house, so as to produce a good background, and also in such other places as will interfere as little as possible with the principal views to be obtained from it. But where shelter is of consequence, prospects, or views, must be of secondary consideration ; and, therefore, whether there are existing trees, or trees to be planted, in order to preserve comfort, we must content ourselves with telescopic or partial views from the windows, along narrow vistas, so as to bring into immediate view the most interesting objects, and yet command the rest from various parts of the walks and pleasure grounds, as we best can. In some cases it may be enough to clear away the lower branches from some of the trees which interrupt these views, so H 50 as to command the prospect underneath them. This may be done without materially decreasing the shelter which we ought to preserve. The woods, or masses, so essential as a background to the buildings, are equally important as principals, with which the smaller masses, and various sized groups of the dress grounds, are to be associated. In arranging these principal plantations on elevated ground, or hills, the practice of planting scattered trees just on the summit only, should be avoided as much as possible. They must be so managed as not to appear thin, or grove-like, or to show the horizon through their stems, when viewed from any public point (figure 15, a), as that at once suggests the idea of a want of Figure 15. extent, and, in appearance, at least, lessens the magnitude of the wood and importance of the place, whilst a dense block leaves the mind to imagine more. This error exists at Temple Newsam, near Leeds, and in Methley Park, the seat of the Earl of Mexbrough, and many other places, when viewed at some distance, and facing the front; and it might readily have been avoided if the wood had been lower down on either side of the summit (figure 15, b b), but especially on the remote side. A further effect in the variation will be produced, and no less extent of magnitude of wood appear, but the mind be rather led to imagine a continuity of forest, by a glade or two of grass being, now and then, allowed to glide over the summit, so that the eye only catches the tops of the trees beyond (c). 51 I should in no case allow trees or shrubs, particularly those of the large growing kinds, to stand so near the edifice as to touch the building, except in limited grounds. Such trees ought to be planted, at the least, ten yards from it ; but considerably further off in an extensive place. They not only show a want of extent, by assuming the character of a suburban garden, but I am of opinion that they produce an unhealthy state of atmosphere, by causing dampness, and by excluding both light and air from the house. When masses have to be planted, I propose to place them in groups, or masses of kinds as directed below ; and when they are already in existence, to group them, at the time of thinning, as nearly so as possible. The most profit- able kinds should form the most massive assembly, as the beech, wych and other elms, and oaks, sycamore, and ash. For example, — ten, twenty, fifty, or more ("according to the extent of ground to be planted,) of wych elms, may be planted together at proper distances from each other ; twenty, thirty, or fifty oaks ; twenty, thirty, or forty beeches ; and so with ash and sycamore, with smaller groups occasionally thrown in of spruce firs, Lombardy poplars, mossy-cupped oaks, limes, pines of sorts, larch, mountain ash, birch, two or three purple beeches, three or four weeping willows, &c. When these varieties are once distributed, they will have to be repeated till the whole space is planted, taking care that each kind of group varies in size and form from its neighbours, .and is not stiff and round, but that all blend naturally and softly into one another. For instance : by letting two or three of the oaks run well into the group of beech, and a few of the beech blend into the oaks, and so on with every variety (figure 10 J. When thus arranged, a distinct variety and spirit of colouring, as well as a broken and irregular sky surface, is obtained ; the groups outgrow one another, and the most striking and imposing wooded scenery is in this h 2 Figure a a a, oak ; b b, ash ; c c c, elm j d d d, beech ; e e, sycamore ; f f\ pines; g, spruce fir ; h. Cedar of Lebanon ; ;', Cedrus deodarus ; j, Spanish chesnut ; k, mossy-cupped oak; /, birch; m, locust tree; n, larch; o, silver fir; and so on. manner produced. Besides, by this mode, there is not that danger of the most luxuriant varieties outgrowing and injuring those of a slower growth, which attend the old system of mingled planting. This natural style of arrangement applies alike to shrubs and flowers. For instance, on passing along the shrubbery, an occasional group of rhododendrons, laurestinas, azalias, roses, &c, produces a forcible and pleasing effect; and the whole being carried out in this way, the eye becomes relieved by falling upon fresh objects as it proceeds ; while, otherwise, it becomes perplexed and tired by the same object presenting itself at almost every step we take. Previously to planting the fore and other parts of the dress ground, the designer ought to consider what planting is necessaiy for shutting out unsightly objects, as also for the general composition ; and let it always be remembered at the time of planting, that such principal trees or shrubs as are to remain permanently must be arranged first, and their future size and character taken into consideration, so that the effect hereafter may not be left to chance ; for how often we find some beautiful view is shut out by some favourite tree, and others planted close to the edifice, as if, because they are pretty little plants at first, they were never to become larger ! I remember meeting with a fine cedar of Lebanon, having a trunk four feet in diameter, growing within ten yards of the entrance door of a mansion, and spreading over the whole front with its magnificent branches and dense foliage. Thus the injudicious planter sees not the hidden power ; as Mason has it — " A hidden power, at once his friend and foe. Tis Vegetation ! Gradual to his groves She gives their wished effect, and that displayed, O ! that her power would pause ; hut, active still, She swells each stem, prolongs each vagrant hough, And darts with unremitting vigour, bold From grace to wild luxuriance." Again, in many instances, do we find trees and shrubs so indiscriminately arranged, that two, three, or more of the most valuable kinds are placed nearly together, rendering it extremely difficult at the time of thinning to know which is to be spared. Under such difficulties, the whole are pruned, in order to preserve all of them, and consequently the whole are spoiled; whereas, if such were planted at proper distances at first, so as to display their 53 perfect form and beauty, and filled up as required with common kinds with a view to their future removal, we should at once be relieved from the painful task of having to displace trees which we should wish to stand, as well as easily preserve the true character of the whole of the adopted plants, or such as were appointed to be permanent. The improver must be very particular in placing his principal plants so as to preserve views, thereby avoiding the unpleasant duty of removing them when they become obstructive. In doing this, he must take his views from the principal windows, and from the most important parts of the pleasure grounds, (remembering at the same time that the windows ought in preference to command the best prospects.) It will be necessary to have the assistance of a person with long rods, (made as conspicuous as possible by having the tops of them painted white or red), to fix as may be directed. These rods may either have the names of the trees to be planted written upon them, or be numbered, and a book be provided with corresponding numbers opposite the names of the plants to be introduced, stating at the same time the kind of soil or compost required by each. Perhaps, while so placing these trees and shrubs, we may interfere with the prettiest view elsewhere; but I think this sometimes advantageous, by producing different scenes from different windows, and thus producing variety in the general composition of the chess-ground and the scenery beyond. It must be always borne in mind that these adopted trees and shrubs are to be planted in various-sized groups of two, three, four, five, or more, according to the extent of ground and other circumstances. Some- times a single tree or two may be planted near the fence which divides the kept ground and park, so as to form a unison with contiguous tr.es in the park or field, always remembering that a solitary tree or shrub in the midst of a glade is bad, since it destroys repose, and never gives that force or expression to the landscape which it has when trees are associated together, or with buildings or other objects. A tree or shrub placed thus singly can only be appreciated as a specimen. The chosen trees which are to remain amongst masses of shrubs should be cautiously arranged in groups, allowing necessary views, and also so as to vary the surface of the shrub mass. In planting the groups, whatever may be then extent, equal distances and straight hues must be studiously avoided. A group 54 of two trees only always looks the best, growing close together, mingling their branches into one handsome top or head, but displaying two trunks : therefore there should be no hesitation in planting two trees now and then in .me hole. In a group of three, the third may stand five, six, or more feet from the other two. In a group of four, six, nine, or more, the trees may vary in distance from two to thirty feet apart or more, according to the size of the group, always making it a rule for two, three, or more to be placed near to each other, so as to form a principal, if I may so speak. In large groups, two or three of these principals may be formed : for their being clustered together gives far greater spirit and effect both in stem and top, and produces a far more natural and pleasing group, than one wholly scattered, though it may be arranged variously. (See Park Plan.) It is essential also that the outer trees of a large group should stand at a greater distance from each other than the inner ones, so as to have a loose straggling effect, rather than a stiff lumpy one ; and though some of the plants, arranged as I have directed above, may be thought too near for each tree to exhibit its true character, yet we often find these, when their outer branches are allowed to expand freely, forming noble clustered heads, and, as a group, their stems being near together and sometimes touching one another, they constitute a more natural, important, and agreeable feature in the landscape, than if the whole were more scattered or equally dotted. We sometimes see a most beautiful object produced by three, four, or more rising from one root, and forming together one handsome head. The groups we have described are, however, not to be so placed as to divide the lawn equally into parts, but they should seem to be parts of the principal masses of shrubs or trees, and therefore be assembled pretty near to them. It is important to observe, that the best effect will be produced by planting them near to a prominent bend or jut of a bed or mass, inasmuch as it adds to the projection and depth to the bay. Occasionally one or two plants may be planted in the recesses, by which the outline of the mass becomes softened and more varied and intricate ; while, at the same time, open expanses of lawn are left free for the eye to repose upon. This arrangement also gives greater force, variety, and beauty to both. Of course there will be parts where groups may be planted with proper effect, when not exactly in connection with a mass ; but it ought not to be general. We frequently find ornamental trees introduced 55 into small beds of shrubs, which ought not to be the case, unless they are planted together for present effect, and with the view of eventually allowing the trees to remain, and of clearing all the shrubs away, except such as are necessary for association with the trees, letting the lawn take possession, or obliterate what was the bed or earthy part. Such large trees in a small dug- bed, may be compared to an overgrown geranium overbalancing the small garden pot it first occupied in its infantine state. In the case of shrub beds on the lawn, or other shrub masses, which are intended, eventually, not to show a hard line, or earthy part, but to blend softly and naturally with the lawn, there are many shrubs of stiff unpleasing habit ill calculated to effect this object, and which, certainly, ought not to take the front, though they may be deemed desirable, in consequence of their showy or odoriferous blossoms. Such are the lilac, Deutzia scabra, budlea, brooms, roses, spireas, and all plants of similarly uninteresting forms or habits; but they may be introduced with good effect, if judiciously fronted by other shrubs, of better outline. The following are well calculated for that purpose, and yet so dwarfish in habit that the interest of the shrubs I have named will not be lessened, but improved, by their occupying the front ranks (as shown in the chapter on Shrub Beds) : — Mahonia aquifolia, Arbutus regia, spreading savins, dwarf St. John's wort, Cottoneaster microphilla, Berberis impetrifolia, perriwinkle, spreading brooms, Daphne cneorum, heaths of sorts, Andro- meda polyfolia, Rhododendron ferrugineum, and hirsutum. These will cover the earthy part, and form a natural, soft, harmonious connection with the lawn. ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. For the benefit of those who are not acquainted with plants generally, I have named, below, a few select ornamental trees and shrubs as suitable to intro- duce into the dress-grounds, where they must be so arranged and adjusted that they may remain permanently, and have the intermediate spaces filled up with common kinds, to be taken away when required. The following trees are adapted to situations requiring large growing trees, as grass plants, or otherwise, in masses, viz. : — The Purple Beech (Fagus sylvatica purpurea), whose noble and wide- spreading branches, and peculiar foliage, are particularly striking and inter- esting. It should have plenty of room in which to show its form and beauty. — I believe quite as much as the common beech, — but should only be here and there introduced, for variety's sake. The Cut-leaved Beech (Fagus incisa) is another, rather more formal and upright than its relation, and branches more from the stem in tiers, but becomes, in time, a large and most beautiful tree, having numerous feathered twigs on its stiff arms, and beautiful long serrated leaves. These beeches, being large growing trees, are most suitable for a situation in the centre of others of lower growth. The Horse Chesnut (JEsculus hippocastanum) is a large, pendent, and handsome tree, when aged; but, till it is so, it is stiff, and not much to be admired, excepting for its large cut leaves and long spikes of cream-white blossoms in spring. So with the Scarlet Chesnut (JEsculus ruhkunda), whose habit and growth are similar. Its large spikes of scarlet blossoms, however, make it extremely showy. Both kinds may advantageously be planted on lawns in front of a mass, or in a group of trees of more open and lofty growth. The Spanish Chesnut (Castanca vesca) is a majestic open growing tree, whose handsome serrated and glossy foliage, and green-yellow blossoms in 57 summer, and spiny fruit-ease in autumn, make it an object of general admi- ration : being, also, a lofty growing tree, it is well adapted for a back ground. The Turkey, or Mossy-cupped Oak (Quercus ccrris) is a large, handsome, and rather upright, but loose and free growing tree, suitable for back ground, or for rising out of a group of round-headed lower trees, or for planting where ready effect is required. The Plane Tree (Platanus occidentalis) is another handsome tree, though of rather formal habits. It has large and noble indented foliage, and thrives best in a sheltered situation, as it is liable to be injured in very severe winters. It forms a handsome tree on lawns fronting a mass of other trees, or when taking the pre-eminence, or centre, of a group of lower growing trees or bushes. Similar observations apply to the Platanus orientalis, which is also a handsome tree, with deep lacerated foliage. The Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus Libani) is a majestic evergreen tree, of formal symmetry, throwing out from its trunk ramified arms, which produce, in turn, regular tiers of massive horizontal branches, and a tout ensemble noble, dense, and most imposing. Unfortunately, it is, in most situations, of slow growth. I think a cold soil and moist atmosphere suit it best. Some years ago, I noticed several good specimens in the grounds at Byerley Hall, near Bradford, which were growing in strong soil and clay bottom ; one in parti- cular, on the entrance front of the house, was truly grand, stretching out its majestic limbs over a space of upwards of forty-five yards in circumference, while its trunk, at three feet from the ground, measured upwards of four feet in diameter. And a few years since, I observed, in a gentleman's grounds in Westmoreland, (where I was professionally engaged,) a young plant of the Cedar of Lebanon, about eight feet high, growing close to one of the lakes, and, apparently, quite as freely as the common larch. Here, again, the soil was strong and naturally damp. As we have proof of tliis tree attaining to a large size, we should be cautious about planting it as a grass plant, too near the front of the mansion — twenty or twenty-five yards being near enough. Neither should its form be lost or deteriorated by bad associations. No plant, in fact, ought to be placed near to it that would rise above its lower branches, and these should be at least several yards from it. This very interesting tree should not be planted in too great numbers. Its character is peculiar and striking, yet more calculated to be subsidiary to a scene than to form a prin- i 58 cipal object. Too many, therefore, within one range of view, would mar the effect intended to be produced. I do not object to a few gimips of two, three, or four being introduced, and, in extensive grounds, would recommend Beveral larch, or spruce fir, or white cedar, being intermixed, in some instances, for the sake of variety. But I mean, that a numerous repetition of the Cedar of Lebanon over the whole ground, would tend much to lessen its interest, as is the case at Warwick Castle, where, I think, they prevail too extensively. The Larch (Larix Europwa) is a tree commanding admiration, and is, I am sorry to say, not duly appreciated by many persons, which may be owing to a certain monotony of character which it exhibits. It is to be found rearing its head in almost every modern plantation, and is generally so crowded as rarely to have room to assume its true shape. But I do not hesitate to say, that a fine old-grown larch, displaying its elegant, sweeping, and recurvant branches, and dehcate drooping spray, and, in spring, its red-brown blossoms and light-green tints of foliage, is an object truly beautiful, and its occasional introduction into the kept ground is indispensable. A group of three, or more, at unequal distances, has a fine effect indeed, independently of whatever kind of tree may be their neighbour. A more striking effect is produced, however, when one larch takes the centre of two or more spruce, or silver firs, Cedrus deodara, or some other evergreen trees, or where two or three of each are blended together. A larch, or, indeed, a formal fir of any kind, should always be closely associated with other trees. They are too formal to be isolated. It may be made more picturesque by stopping its leading shoot when ten or fifteen years in growth, and by repeating this operation when the tree attempts to regain its lead ; but such specimens should not be general, as, by this course, the true form or character of the tree is destroyed. The Silver Fir (Ticea pectinata) is a fine, broad-based, pyramidal tree, throwing out, from its smooth stem, regular tiers of horizontal fan-like branches, furnished with light silvery- green thick-set foliage. It is of rather tender habit, and ought to have a sheltered situation in front of masses of round-headed trees ; or it may be mixed with such masses, with room to display its character. The Weymouth Pine (Pinus strobus) is a highly ornamental conical tree, with a beautiful smooth-barked stem, and soft, long, thread-like foliage of a light bluish-green colour. Its whole appearance generally gives it pre-eminence 59 over most of its family, and, with the silver and spruce fir, it forms a very pleasing group. Three or more pines placed at various distances round a larch, or three larches blended with four or five pines, produce an imposing effect. I think it thrives best in a cool soil. The Pious excehis is a large, handsome, quick-growing tree, of recent introduction, with foliage similar to the Weymouth pine, but more silvery. Its habits assimilate to those of the last-named tree, but it is more robust. Pinus cembra and Webbiana, and many others of the same family, which have been more recently introduced, are highly ornamental. None of these, however, should be over-planted, as they would produce too much gloom, and mar the landscape. The Common Lime (Tilia Europcea) is a handsome, ovated, closely-formed tree, with pendulous branches, which in some fine aged specimens re-curve from the ground. Groups of hmes exceeding three in number may have their sameness broken by one, two, or three larches, according to the size of the group, or by one or more evergreen trees, rising out of the midst of them. A single lime would show its character and be in harmony, if placed in front of some two taller and loosely-formed trees, such as the Turkey oak, Fulham oak, or Spanish chesnut. It would also be in harmony if placed as a principal, with three or four low- growing trees, planted at unequal distances, and sufficiently distant to avoid interference with its form : as, for instance, with some of the fancy thorns or hollies, and even with still lower growths, when it is necessary to vary the ground-line, such as the rhododendron, laurestinas, pyracanthos, Mahonia aquifolia, &c. The broad-leaved American, yellow, and red twigged lime, are desirable species grouped together. The Spruce Fir (Abies alba) is an interesting evergreen spiral tree, and, like the larch, too lightly esteemed ; but to me it appears strikingly beautiful in groups of two, three, four, or more, or when grouping with two or three larches. It harmonizes well with the various pines, or in the midst of a group of English elms ; but, in consequence of its sombre appearance, a numerous repetition of it should be avoided. The Abies menziesii, morinda, and doitglassii, are considered handsome species, and should be similarly treated. The Acacia or Locust Tree (Eobenia pscudo) is an open, long-jointed, thorny or spiny tree, of quick and large growth ; but it is more to be admired i 2 CO for its foliage and white blossoms than for its general appearance. Certainly its blossoms and foliage are very beautiful; but its long naked branches and general form, when stripped of its foliage, forbids its being introduced numerously or as a front plant. It ought, in fact, when planted, to have its top only seen above those of lower growth. All the trees now named attain to a considerable size, and should therefore, of necessity, be planted at a sufficient distance from the mansion to allow room for their own expansion, and to permit a free circulation of air; and it should be particularly remembered, that all large evergreen trees should be sparingly planted, lest their deep-toned foliage should become too powerful or predominant. The following are a few trees generally of lower growth than the preceding, but useful for the production of variety and effect : — The Bobinia microphilla is similar in flower and foliage to tire locust tree, but altogether handsomer, and groups well with tire Gleditschia triacanthos and hemlock-spruce. The Three-thorned Acacia (Gleditschia triacanthos) is a low and slowly- growing ovated tree, of elegant pinnated foliage. It is somewhat tender, and should therefore be planted upon a lawn in sheltered places. This and the deciduous cypress group well with the hemlock-spruce. The Deciduous Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is an upright, elegant tree, also of slow growth, and thrives best in a moist and sheltered situation. The unripened young shoots, like the Gleditschia triacanthos, are liable to be injured in severe winters. It also groups well with the spruce, larch, pine, and white cedar. Taxodium sempervirens is likely to be a hardy, handsome, and rapid- growing evergreen tree, and should have a choice situation on the lawn. The Leucombe Oak (Quercus Leucombeana) is a handsome sub- evergreen tree, with large bright foliage, and in sheltered situations assumes the character of an evergreen oak. It groups well with the Turkey oak, or it would assist in forming a handsome group, placed as a principal in the midst of a few low-growth evergreens, such as hollies, phillyreas, arbutus, &c. The Hemlock-Spruce (Abies Canadensis) is a very elegant and ornamental evergreen tree. Indeed, its pendant branches of light feathery spray charac- terize it as one of the most graceful grass plants we have. Three, four, or 61 five, judiciously placed on a lawn, would form a most agreeable group, or with any of the following, taking a central position amongst them, viz. : — The Weymouth pine, spruce fir, silver fir, red cedar, or larch. I believe that it thrives well on moist soil; and it bears the shade very well, but is all the better for shelter. The Cembran Pine (Pinus ccmbra) is a handsome and compact tree, calculated for the middle of a group of low trees, or for two or three, taking the outside of a group of larches. The Cedrus deodara is of rather modern introduction, but promises to be one of the handsomest evergreen trees we have. It seems to partake much of the character of the larch, having very similar twigs and foliage, but of a bluer green, and differs materially from it in being an evergreen. In habit it is elegantly pendant. It is likely to be as hardy as the Cedar of Lebanon, and of quicker growth. Indigenously it attains a very considerable size, and scarcely ought to have been classed amongst low trees. It should have a prominent situation on lawns where three might form a group ; or the red cedar or upright cypress, or perhaps both, rising from amongst them, would have an agreeable effect, while a larch would look still better. But there should be nothing placed before the cedar that would be liable to obstruct the view of the whole of its graceful form. The Saddle-leaved Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is peculiarly interesting, and greatly to be admired on account of its singular and beautiful leaf, which is large and of a cheerful green, something in the shape of a saddle, (from which I have no doubt its name has been partly derived, and partly from its blossoms being in the form of the common tulip flower). It attains a fair size in some situations, and has all the characteristics of the Spanish chesnut when without foliage. It should be planted in sheltered situations, and in some good loose soil. It groups well with the plane tree. The Thorn family (Crataegus), of which species and varieties are numerous and highly interesting. We may select the following : — Crataegus grandiflora, punicea, punicea flora plena, douglassii, praecox, tanacetifolia, glabra and celsiana, spathulata, orientalis and sanguinea, all of which may be thrown into groups of two, three, four, or more. Some of the groups may have their massive outline varied by introducing amongst them one, two, or more, of any of the following : — the larch, spruce fir, hemlock-spruce, silver fir, Weymouth C2 pine ; or two red cedars and a cypress would produce a pleasing and a broken outline in a massive group. The Magnolia is a highly interesting flowering family, but is scarcely hardy ; and though some of them become trees, yet, in our cold climate, they seldom assume more than a shrubby character. They are principally grown against walls, for the sake of shelter. The grandiflora, and grandiflora exoni- ensis, succeed moderately well in warm and moist situations ; consequently, a well-sheltered bay of lawn, with a south-east aspect, should be chosen. The exoniensis is a fine evergreen species, of noble, thick, shining light-green foliage, similar to the common laurel, but much larger. M. conspicua is deciduous, and produces showy white blossoms early in the spring. These, with lanceolata, rotundifolia, glauca, and tripctala, form suitable groups — tripetala taking the centre, being the largest grower, and, in some instances, making a good-sized tree ; and one or two, or more, may take part in a group with the Laurestinus, Acuba japonica, or Mahonia aquifolia or inter- media. The Crijptomeria japonica is a tree of modern introduction. It is a very beautiful, formal, evergreen tree, with a straight stem, studded with regular tiers of branches in a horizontal position, similar to the silver fir. It makes a fine lawn plant in a sheltered situation. The Evergreen Oak, (Quercus ilex), though generally seen as a low dense evergreen, often becomes a majestic tree. During one of my visits to Wollaton Park, the seat of Lord Middleton, I saw some noble specimens on the lawn at the south front of the edifice. One of them measured upwards of four feet in diameter a few feet above the ground. They are quite hardy, and while young they are well calculated to mask out any object, or to prevent the eye from tracing the whole extent of lawn. The Silver and Gold-edged Holly, Snowy Mesplus, Arbutus, Weymouth Pine, or Hemlock-spruce, would, any of them, afford variety, and harmonize, if introduced in some of the groups of oaks. The Chili Pine (Araucaria imbricata) is a singular and strikingly noble evergreen, of compact upright form, with regular tiers of stiff hmbs, heavily clustered with branches thickly clothed with small rigid fohage. This must have a select situation on the lawn : though moderately hardy, shelter is essentially necessary, as it is somewhat top heavy, and therefore liable to be 63 injured by winds. It might with propriety bo associated with the pine family, phillyreas, or hollies, but should not be interrupted by them. The Holly (Ilex). The various fancy hollies are exceedingly handsome and useful shrubby evergreen trees, and ought to be planted in large and small groups on lawns, as well as in the shrubbery, and so as to exhibit as much as possible the different varieties. I may mention the gold-ed«ed, silver-edged, dark smooth-leaved, opaque, balearica, green and variegated hedgehog, small or willow-leaved, with the latifolia, as being distinct and pleasing, generally suitable for forming blocks and producing intricacy, so as to deceive the eye as to the real extent of the dress grounds which they may adorn. The Maiden-hair Tree (Salisburia adiantifolia) is another tender tree of slow growth, more singular than beautiful. It has peculiar, thick fungus-like foliage, and requires a sheltered spot. It may associate with the holly, white cedar, and China arbor-vitre. The Snowdrop Tree (Halesia tetraptera) is a low deciduous tree, having white snowdrop-like blossoms, in spring, hanging upon its twigs, which make it an elegant object, especially when mixed with the thorn family. The Cotoneastcr frigida is a low deciduous shrubby tree, of pleasing form and foliage, retaining its leaves longer in the autumn than many others. Its white blossom in the spring, and coral hawthorn-like berries in the autumn, render it an agreeable object. It groups well with the mespilus, or would be in keeping if interspersed, occasionally, with the Phillyrea ilex, alaternus, or scarlet and double pink thorn. The Ailantus glandulosa is a stiff-growing deciduous tree, with obtuse, finger- like branches, and ash-like foliage of immense size, which renders it singularly ornamental. It groups well with the Robinia tortuosa and microphilla. The following are a few useful and interesting kinds of larger and smaller shrubs : — The Buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus). The broad, narrow, and blotched leaved alaternus all form loose, evergreen, shrubby trees, and are proper for hiding any deformities or improper objects, and form, of themselves, varied massive groups. When thought desirable, an agreeable variety may be produced by introducing into the group of alaternus, a larch, spruce fir, or Weymouth pine. 01 The Arbor-vita; (Thurja), whether the American, Chinese, or Siberian, is well adapted for grouping in confined portions of the pleasure ground, especially the (lower garden, where spreading bushes might prove detrimental to the flower beds. The white, pink, and autumnal mazerian may, with propriety, be introduced into some of the groups. The Phillyrea. The foliage and general habit of this family form interest- ing and moderate-sized evergreen bushes, and, generally, they are pretty hardy. 1'. ilex, P. oppositifolia, and 1\ angustifolia, are distinct, loose growing bushes, and are useful for masking out disagreeable objects, or varying the boundaries of lawns. The different species, of themselves, form varied and pleasing groups ; but a striped holly, arbor-vita?, or a deciduous low-growing tree, such as the double-blossomed cherry, crimson thorn, or double-blossomed pink thorn, placed amongst some of the groups, produces a good effect. Portugal Laurel (Cerasus lucitanica). This is a hardy, noble, and beautiful flowering evergreen shrub ; but, in consequence of its round, formal, and sombre appearance, it ought to be cautiously and sparingly introduced, that its marked character may not appear too prominent. It has a bad effect when placed prominently in front of a house. I remember an instance where there were two exceedingly large ones placed on each side of the front door, at equal distances from it, and receding from the mansion about twelve yards. These, when viewed from the park, produced a very gloomy and most inhar- monious effect, having the appearance of two large blotches on the elevation of the edifice. In another instance where I was consulted, there were four placed on the south front of the mansion, only eight yards distant from it, which had attained to such a magnitude as very much to darken the rooms, and almost to shut out from them the principal landscape, which was truly beautiful. Although the plants of themselves were magnificent specimens of their kind, yet their injudicious disposition left the improver no other alternative than their total extirpation. How essential it is, then, that tire planter, in giving the sites for his various plants, should consider well their form and beauty, and also the size which they are hkely to attain, and so place them as to prevent the painful necessity of destroying them after their true form has been attained. I should recommend the Portugal laurel to be placed in front of masses, or massive groups of low- growing trees ; on the lawn, at proper distances to allow room to display its true character ; or in 65 front of a shrubbery in some bold bend, tbere to be permitted to form its own boundary line on the grass. In this way, its deep tone and compact massive form would be a good deal softened, and be more admired than when detached so as to be backed by a building, or when seen marking out its formal figure on the horizon. I think it would be wrong to place associates near it, or, at least, in front of it, as that would lessen its dignity ; but, occasionally, the laurustinus, holly, and Phillyrea ilex, Phillyrea oppositifolia, and Mahonia aquifolia, may associate with it well, if w^e are careful to place the Portugal laurel a little in advance, as the principal plant, and at a distance not to be encroached upon by its neighbours. The Common Laurel (Cerasus laaroccrasus) is a most lively, glossy, loose-growing evergreen, producing beautiful spikes of white blossoms. It is indispensable for forming thickets, and, now and then, detached bushes on the lawn ; grouping with the laurustinus, alaternus, or rhododendron. There are two small-leaved varieties, which are also good bright evergreens ; the very smallest make nice front plants, and are suitable for small beds. The Strawberry Tree (Arbutus), the unedo, and unedo rubra, make large, handsome, evergreen bushes, and are quite hardy. The former produces small bell-shaped flowers, of a greenish-white; the latter, of a pinky-red: both kinds bear strawberry-like fruit, which adds much to their beauty in the autumnal months. It would be proper to group three or four together, including both varieties ; and one, or more, may be grouped with one or two rhododendrons, Azalea pontica, or Garrya eliptica. The Arbutus regia is a hardy, spreading, dwarf evergreen, with small white flowers. It forms a nice bush, planted on the lawn, or is well adapted to front a thicket in a shrubbery, or form masses in wilder kept pleasure grounds. The Aucuba Japonica is a fine, large, singularly showy, and hardy ever- green shrub. Its yellow- and- green marbled foliage gives it a striking and lively appearance, differing materially from any other shrub. It will thrive in almost any situation, and will bear the smoke of towns better than any other evergreen ; indeed, I have seen it flourish well on a lawn at the back of a mansion, where the sun scarcely ever reached it. Consequently, it is most valuable for such situations, besides being an invaluable undergrowth, and forming thickets. It thrives well, also, in situations more fully exposed to the K 66 influences of the sun. Its associates may be the rhododendron, Mahonia aquifolium, Ilex balearica, and other varieties of hollies. The American Honeysuckle (Azalea pontica) is a hardy, deciduous, flowering shrub. Its highly interesting large yellow flowers make it desirable as a grass plant near to the mansion ; but, when out of bloom, it is uninter- esting. It should, consequently, be united with the rhododendron, Mahonia aquifolium, Daphne hyhrida, and pontica. The Azalea coceinca, Azalea alba, and the other Ghent varieties, (all deciduous), mixed with Kalmia latifolia, Daphne hyhrida, Mahonia glumacea, and repens, form a brilliant group; and all of them being early bloomers, are well adapted for a sheltered part of the lawn, near to the house. The Berberry (Berberis empetrifolia) is a truly handsome, small-leaved, trailing evergreen, every branch of which is thickly studded with small waxy yellow bell flowers, making a delightful, but small, grass plant, when planted so as to rise out of the midst of a group of small stones, or spar, and to bear the spreading branches in a mass from the ground, two feet, or more, high. It is also a proper plant for pots, to place in vases, and especially low wire vases, or other low trelhsed receptacles, placed on the lawn. It makes an elegant pendant plant, arched upon the Berberis sinensis, or the common berberry. The Berberis sinensis is a handsome, large-growing, sub-evergreen shrub : it may group with the Mahonias, Arbutus, &c. The Berberis dulcis is also a handsome variety, and may take a share in the group. The Ash Berberry, (Mahonia), the aquifolium, glumacea, repens, and facicularis hyhrida, are handsome, low-growing, hardy, evergreen flowering shrubs : their showy tufts of yellow flowers rising out of reddish-green glossy foliage early in the spring, make them truly interesting, and well suited to form a group, so placed as to be viewed from the windows. Perhaps the group might be improved by the introduction of Rhododendron cataw- biensis, R. Caucasicum album, and R. dauricum atrovirens. They are also highly proper for planting in front of shrubberies. The Box (Buxus sempervirens) is a shrubby, evergreen tree ; and being quite hardy, is better adapted for exposed situations than many others. There are several varieties, which together produce a pleasing as well as a usefid group for masking out. They bear the shade well, and consequently CT are good undergrowths. The B. balearica is a fine, bright, large-leaved kind, and although rather tender, it may be placed in a group in such a manner as to exhibit itself, and at the same time be protected by the hardier kinds. The round-leaved box (Baxus rotundifolia) is a handsome bush, of recent introduction, and is a very desirable kind. It may group with the balearica and others. The Cotoneaster microphilla, C. uvaursii, C. buxifolia, and C. marginata, are pretty, small-leaved, evergreen shrubs, of low habits. They produce small white blossoms and coral-like berries, similar to the pyracantha. I think G. microphilla the prettiest variety. They make very pleasing grass- plants, trained over old trunks of trees from two to three feet high ; or they may be planted in the midst of a group of three, four, or more moderate- sized stones, in order to bear them up. They are also proper for wire vases, or other wire trainers. They make handsome grass-plants, about three to four feet high, grafted or budded on the cockspur, or seedlings of any of the fancy varieties of thorns. If worked on stems too long, the stems require to be concealed by other low-growing shrubs, such as the taller species of erica and mahonias, &c. All these kinds, when not grafted, are particularly adapted to destroy the edging line of shrub beds. The Red Virginian Cedar (Juiiiperus Virginiana) is a formal, close, spiral, upright, evergreen shrub, or low ornamental tree, attaining to the height of from twenty to thirty feet. Its fiamular form and dense pine-like foliage, make it particularly neat, and well suited to vary the monotony of a shrubbery. It will be useful also in forming a group on the lawn, associated with the Swedish and Irish junipers, or with the arbor vitoe, if care be taken to place the cedar most central. The "White Cedar (Cupressus tlujoidcs) forms a pleasing group when associated with the red, and with another variety of the white species, the foliage of which is variegated ; and also with the juniper. Both these kinds are handsome plants. The Cupressus torulosa, or twisted cypress, is, I believe, also a handsome tree, as are also C. lambertiana and funebris. The latter is said to be very beautiful indeed. The Juniper, (Juiiiperus), both the Swedish and Irish, arc low flamular- formed shrubs, of dense, small, spiny foliage, and very similar to the red cedar, but of less growth. Of the two the Irish is the hardier, and grows k 2 68 the more quickly. The Juuiperus Chinensis is a heautiful evergreen shrub, suitable for the centre of a group of these plants, and the recurved juniper (Junipcnts rccurva) is also a handsome pendant variety, and quite hardy. All this tribe form pleasing groups of themselves, some being placed very near together, and others at different distances, yet not so far as to appear straggling. They are also proper plants to place occasionally in small groups on lawns of limited extent, and now and then in the midst of a group of low-growing shrubs, such as the ericas, Daphne mezereon, &c. The Irish and Swedish juniper are indispensable for points of beds at the junction of walks, inasmuch as they do not spread so as to interfere with the walks, nor require so broad a space to grow in, as a spreading bush would do. The Cytissus purpurea, alba, roseus and secundens, are pretty, deciduous, low-growing, flowering shrubs ; but, in consequence of the two former being of a dwarf habit, their interest is a good deal lost. When, however, they are worked upon clean and handsome stems of the common laburnum, three or four feet high, their pretty pea-formed blossoms show well, and are highly appropriate for grass plants, but, like all other standards, their naked stems ought to be partially broken or concealed by other low shrubs, such as ericas, savins, and mahonias. The above kinds, on their own roots, would be proper to be occasionally placed together in one group. The white and purple are highly suitable for vases, and well adapted for front plants near the edges of beds. The Andromeda floribunda is a very pretty dwarf evergreen shrub, which flowers early — a proper grass plant near the house. It requires peat soil. The Daphne mezereon, especially the purple and white varieties, are low-growing, early flowering, odoriferous, deciduous shrubs ; and therefore a few should always be planted near the house, grouping with some suitable evergreen shrubs. The Daphne autumnalis (or Autumn Flowering Daphne) is a valuable species. It commences blooming towards the end of autumn, and continues so through the winter months, in mild seasons, and, consequently, claims a place within view of the windows. I believe the seed, or berry, of the meze- reon is poisonous ; therefore, where there are children, they should be charged not to eat them ; or the berries should be gathered when green. 69 The Daphne cneorum is a beautiful, sweet scented, early flowering ever- green, and may be used as an interesting grass plant in the vicinity of the house, or near to the principal or general walk, with the assistance of a group of fancy stones, to elevate it about half a yard, or two feet. It may be planted on the natural level, and trained amongst the stones, which, in time, will spread over the whole, and form a very pleasing mass ; or, it may very properly be supported by wire vases, or other contrivances; or, at pleasure, be planted in pots, to be placed in vases. It is also suitable for the edges of beds. It is handsome, as a low standard, grafted upon the wood laurel, Daphne mezereon, or Daphne pontica, two or three feet high. Daphne collina latifoha is a beautiful, odoriferous, early flowering, ever- green shrub. This, also, should be planted near the house, and grouped with those of its family ; but, being rather more tender than the rest, it should be provided with as much shelter as the circumstances of the place will admit of. The Japan Quince Tree (Cidonia Japonica) is a beautiful scarlet flowering shrub, exhibiting its large showy blossoms early in the spring; and there is, also, a white variety. Both make pleasing grass plants as low standards, worked upon the Area theafrastii, or trained to form a short stem on their own roots. Sheltered and warm situations are necessary to mature the wood sufficiently to produce blossoms. These should be grouped with other plants, in order to break the stiff and formal appearance of the stem. Bushes of these plants, on their own roots, are also beautiful objects when in blossom ; but, at other times, they wear a confused and ragged appearance. With care, the shrub may be trained to have a short single stem, and pretty fair in form. As this species blooms early, it should be planted near the residence. The Heath (Erica), the stricta, herbacea, multiflora, carnea, and australis, are indispensable as dwarf grass plants, and especially useful when introduced as associates to small standard shrubs. The Erica carnea being a very early bloomer, it will be proper to place it near the windows and walk- sides, and it will be all the better if supported by a few fancy small stones, or spar, to elevate it, as before named. It is also suitable for pots, to place in vases, &c. Most of the varieties of ericas are proper for concealing the line of shrubberies. The Kalmia latifoha is an admirable evergreen, and beautiful flowering grass plant, but requires a sheltered situation, such as a bay in the lawn. 70 bounded by a thick shrubbery, so as to shield it from very severe weather. It thrives best in peat, or bog soil. K. glauca and glauca elegans are highly beautiful and early blooming shrubs. They form a pretty group mixed with Rhododendron hirsutum, and ferrugineum. The Camellia Japonica makes one of the most splendid shrubs imaginable, when it succeeds. It does pretty well in sheltered situations in the south of England. It requires to be embosomed in a thick group of evergreen shrubs, or on lawn in a bay of shrubs. I have no doubt it may be found to do well, too, in select places in the northern counties. At all events, such as are in pots for late blooming, when plunged in the lawn, and both pots and soil covered with moss, make handsome objects in sheltered spots near the windows. The Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflora) makes a handsome grass plant, supported by a device of wirework, or it may be trained to a strong iron rod, and occasionally pruned, to keep it within bounds, but not in a stiff or formal manner. It is the handsomest of all the family, and highly valuable. because it blooms at a time when flowers are so scarce. Its green slender twigs, studded with bright canary-coloured blossoms, make it a beautiful object. The Rhododendron ranks amongst the most favourite shrubs we have ; all of them are highly ornamental and beautiful flowering evergreens. Some of the hybrids of catawbiense and ponticum are hardier than most of our evergreen shrubs. Some of the more tender kinds, such as R. Russelliana. R. nivaticum, R. Nobleana, Smith's white, R. campanulatum, and Cunnyng- ham's white, with many others, are truly splendid and mostly early bloomers. They may be grown to great perfection in moderately sheltered situations, it' planted in proper composts of sandy peat, decayed turf, and leaves. The R. Caucasicum, although a shy grower, is nevertheless indispensable on account of its buff or light yellow blossoms, so distinct from other varieties : and the Caucasicum album is also indispensable, on account of its healthy habit of growth, and free blooming, for which it is unrivalled. The R. hirsutum and ferrugineum are pretty smaU flowering kinds, and arc highly proper for grass plants, for fronting beds, and for destroying the edges of such beds as are eventually to blend naturally with the lawn. ri R. dauricum atrovirens is quite distinct from any of the other species. It has small box-like foliage, exhibiting its purple blossoms very early in the spring, in favourable weather, and is vei7 beautiful. The above kinds, with many other varieties, make splendid grass plants, but should be thrown into groups by themselves, or with the azalea. The Yew, (Tarns). The Irish Yew (Taxus Hibernica) is an upright, dark, glossy, sombre, and hardy evergreen shrub. Its close compact habit adapts it well for the lawn in confined spots, in points of beds dividing two walks. There are several other fine varieties of yews particularly worthy of notice as grass plants, such as Taxus Japonica, T. devastonii, T. Harringtonii, and T. elegantissima. The Common Yew (Taxus Vaccata) is a fine evergreen low tree, and makes a handsome feathery grass plant; but, owing to its sombre appearance, lew only ought to appear prominent. It is suitable for masking out objects, as well as a valuable, indeed one of the best, undergrowths we have. Besides, it is useful in destroying the earthy parts of shrubberies. The gold and silver- leaved varieties make veiy pleasing associates for the common yew, as well as the savin and juniper. The Laurustine (Viburnum tinus) is a highly beautiful, large, evergreen, winter-flowering shrub, forming a thick but loose irregular bush, fitted for blockading and varying the lawn, or destroying the edge-line of shrub beds. It is liable to be injured in very severe winters, and therefore should not be placed in bleak situations. A group of two or three will be in character with a red cedar, or an upright and spreading cypress, rising out of the midst of them. Small and larger groups may be formed without any other associates. ARRANGEMENT AND POSITION OF PLANTS OF PECULIAR CHARACTER. In planting the points of shrub beds at the junction of two walks, the conical or small upright kinds are the most suitable, as they are not so likely to spread and interfere with the walk, or with spreading shrubs. Small conical plants are also better adapted for all points of beds than spreading shrubs, as the latter become too large and out of proportion for such situations. In arranging all trees and shrubs, it should be observed that in a group where there is a conspicuous tree, or one very strikingly marked in character, that should be placed seemingly in the middle, yet still avoiding formality and their being planted at equal distances from each other. For instance, the purple beech, with its striking foliage, would be more harmonious in the middle than on one side of a group composed of four or five trees of limes, chesnuts, or elms, &c, or the same number of any one kind. The same may be said of the pointed conical kinds, such as the spruce fir, red cedar, larch, Lombardy poplar, cypress, &c. One of these would appear to balance better, and be much more in harmony, in the midst of various pines, than if on one side. And again, a spiral or conical-growing tree never properly harmonizes with only one of a different character : as, for instance, the spruce fir and the lime; but add another lime, keeping the spruce central, or vice versa, two spruces and one spreading tree, and though there would be a great transition in colour and character, yet a pleasing effect would be produced. These observations in like manner apply to the arrangement of low- growing trees and shrubs. For example : it would not be in harmony for the dense, round, formal Portugal laurel to be associated with only one shrub. whether spiral or loose-spreading ; but with two or more of either of the former kinds at proper distances, (letting the Portugal lam-el advance rather than otherwise), the effect would be pleasing. Again, one or more of the arbor vitae, or other shrubs of upright and pointed habits, showing out of the midst of an occasional group of rhododendrons, would be in good taste ; but place these near to, or on one side of the group, and the group would (so to speak) be unbalanced, and thereby lose both interest and beauty ; and so with other kinds. (See Plate of Groups, shewing the difference.) Weeping Trees. — Of weeping trees there are several kinds — the weeping ash, elm, lirne, new weeping beech, larch, laburnum, poplar, willow, and especially the new American weeping willow, which is the most elegant of weeping trees : the common weeping holly, too, is a very singular and pleasing plant, and Fraxinus lentiscifolia pendula is an elegant drooping tree, very superior to the common weeping ash. These are not distinct species, but varieties only of their respective families. Their singularly drooping habit, and the canopy they afford over seats, have seldom failed to create interest, excepting when viewed with a painter's eye, which scarcely can be reconciled to them; but, perhaps, with judicious management, their formality and roundness may be made to appear not quite so objectionable. They should be placed singly upon the lawn, near to, and fronting a mass or group of trees, or of such low-growing trees as will appear higher than the weeper. In this way its formality will be a good deal broken by its associates rising higher than itself, and seeming to form a lead, or centre to it ; and, at any rate, its stiff formal appearance will not strike so forcibly upon the eye as to become offensive. ON WALKS. Dry gravel walks are indispensable for the enjoyment of scenery in the pleasure ground. We should therefore hegin hy forming a good, firm, straight walk through the whole length of the retired fronts of the house, or the sides with which the carriage entrance does not interfere. Such walk should not be less than nine or ten feet from the house, and exactly parallel with it, so as to afford room on the side next the house for vases, urns, basket-work, or other ornaments, to be placed in correspondence with what may be on the contrary side of the walk. (See General Plans.) This walk will also afford an impor- tant promenade when the weather is too doubtful to allow of a more distant stroll. The walks ancillary to the above should commence about the end of the building, bending very gradually from it — indeed, almost imperceptibly, at least for a few yards. In all cases where it can be done, some part of the approach to the house walk should be thrown sufficiently out to admit of the edifice being clearly seen in perspective, especially when the approach does not scan the house favourably : this is too often neglected. In many instances we see the beauties of costly edifices entirely lost to the observer, unless the house walk is left, and the lawn traversed to view tliem. At the same time, it is of importance that the winding walk itself should be hid from the window view as soon as convenient ; and in no case should tire repose of the lawn in front of the house be injured by the walk passing through or round it. Moreover, it must be remembered that it is always in bad taste to look across two walks at one view ; and, except in limited town gardens, or where the ground is sufficiently undulated to lose the farther walk from the windows, such an error must be avoided. In forming the width of the general or principal walks, we shall have to be a good deal guided by the extent or magnitude of the place. A residence of great pretensions should have the terrace or house walk from ten to fifteen feet wide; the principal winding walks from seven to nine feet wide ; and the episodical walks, or those which divide the various compart- ments of the flower garden, or others purposely set apart to afford scenes of themselves, of less dimensions. A moderate villa residence should have a house walk six or seven feet wide, and the principal winding walk ahout five or six feet. No pleasure ground walks should he less than five feet wide, except the house and grounds are very small indeed, or the grounds very precipitous, where a four or five feet walk would not only he more readily formed, but would be more in character than one wider. In very abrupt rude situations, they should appear more like natural tracks. The principal walks uniting with the terrace walk should become gradually narrower, until they soften imperceptibly into its proper width. But where a returning walk intersects the principal one, that would be a still better place for its change, provided the distance is not too great to continue the whole breadth. Walks in kept grounds of gentle undulations or of a level surface, should invariably be of long, gentle or graceful sweeps ; not only because such are most beautiful and pleasing, but because they are less interrupting to the student or reading pedestrian, than those of more sudden and numerous bends. (See General Plan.) At the junction of two principal walks, each should diverge gradually in an opposite direction from the other, (figure 17, a), which would be more in character Figure 17. than if both inclined one way, (figure 17, b). In many cases, a branch or subordinate walk should set off at right angles with the direct or general walk, of course rounding the sharp points off. Steep rugged ground, or ground of abrupt folds, naturally demands that the bends of the walks should be shorter and more numerous, for the purpose of obtaining the easiest l 2 70 ascents and descents. In woods or thickets, a short bend in a walk would be proper and quite in character, especially if there should be a fine tree, bush, seat, precipice, or any other object requiring a deviation. In all cases, the bends of walks must be sufficiently deep or bold (figure 17, c) to afford room for shrubs to be planted, so as to prevent the eye from looking over more than one bend at once. A walk taking, as it were, one direct line, with numerous zigzag or serpentine bends, (figure 17, d), is objection- able in the extreme. In the formation of a walk, the earth should be thrown out to allow a depth of stone, or gravel, of eight or nine inches ; but, of course, if the soil is valuable, materials for forming the walk are plentiful, and expense is no con- sideration, there can be no objection to the soil being taken out to twice that depth. What I have named is sufficient to make a walk firm and dry, except in clayey and very retentive soil, in which case a drain should be made, six inches square, down the middle of the walk, and covered with a flag, (figure Figure 18. 18), or chaining tiles may be placed there instead. Then the whole breadth of the walk should be filled up with rough stones, broken bricks, dross, or other rough materials, to the depth of four or five inches, or to such a depth as to allow of three or four inches of small broken stones, averaging art inch, or an inch and a half, in diameter, being laid on the top of them ; or gravel of a similar size would do, leaving room for about an inch only of fine gravel to be laid on the top. Care must be taken, in forming the level of the walk, to avoid the offensive barrel-like appearance which we commonly see ; an inch and a half in the yard faU, from the middle to the side, will be quite suffi- cient. Previous to laying on the fine gravel, (if it is not of itself of a cementing naturej, this foundation must be well rolled, and then have spread on it as much of scrapings from limestone roads as will just fill up the crevices ; or, if this cannot be procured, very small dirty limestone or chalk scrapplings, or 77 equal parts of lime, sand, and road-scrapings of any kind, may be substituted with pretty good effect. In all cases, rolling is essential to keep the whole firm and smooth ; and this, if done in summer, will be best effected a few hours after rain. In most cases, rolling in thy weather loosens the gravel, rather than otherwise ; therefore, at times, it will be necessary to have recourse to watering. I consider it a very important feature, in pleasure grounds, to have the walks firm and smooth, and quite free from loose gravel, — an evil much too prevalent. It is, indeed, too common a practice to hoe and rake the walks; whereas, if they are hand- weeded properly, (the weeds being on no account allowed to seed), and kept firm by rolling, the labour soon becomes trifling, in comparison with the slovenly and expensive practice just named. Hoeing and raking, by the way, never leave an easy, smooth, walking path. Deep edges to the walk sides must be carefully avoided. They should never at any time show a greater depth, from the top of the turf to the gravel, than one inch; neither should the edges ever wear the earthy appearance occasioned by cutting with the edging-iron, or spade, except more than, perhaps, once a year, to keep the walks to their true form and width ; as it is quite possible to have them kept very even, and with the greatest neatness, with proper grass shears. Where walks are formed on the sides of hills, they are liable to be damp ; drains, therefore, should be formed on the upper side of the walks, and parallel with them (figure 18, a). Grates should be placed at proper distances, close to the walks, with receptacles to catch the sand and refuse which are carried from the walk sides by the top-water caused by heavy rains. (Figure 19.) Each of these receptacles should be about fifteen or eighteen inches square, and about a foot deeper than the drain which is to take off the water from it, (figure 19, a), in order that the sand may lodge below the mouth of the drain. They must, also, be fre- quently cleared out, so that the drain may not fill up. The drains which branch from the sump-hole, or depot, may be taken to the drain in the middle of the walk, or to a principal drain elsewhere; or, in the absence of such principal drains, a suitable cess-pool may be formed at a little distance. Figure 19. 78 Grates, five inches by seven, fixed loose into a small frame of iron, wood, or stone, would afford sufficient room for cleaning out the pit; and this size would not be so offensive to tbe eye as larger ones. To make tbem still less objectionable, it would be better to fix tbem either entirely in the grass verge, or as close to it as possible, and only a very little lower than the level of the walk. In situations where it is necessary for the walks to be very abruptly steep, small rises, like steps, should be formed, having the fiats, or treads, three or four feet broad. This may be done by first placing a larch trunk across the whole width of the walk, to form the front of the rise, and then filling up the whole with fine gravel, or paving it with pebbles or very small paving stones, in a gradual ascent, until it is necessary to place another trunk, and so on. If this is not attended to, such steep parts left in the usual way are liable to be disfigured and greatly injured by rapid runs of water ; they are, moreover, actually unsafe. Grass walks are soft, cool, and inviting : a luxury in hot dry weather, but useless in wet weather. When room is plentiful, and the expense of keeping them in order no object, such walks may be formed through wooded scenery. In doing this, formality must be avoided : the walks should be of various or irregular widths — sometimes three or four yards, and at others ten or fifteen — fringed naturally with bushes, or shrubs and trees. In order to make a grass walk of this kind more generally useful, it must be kept closely mown and well chained. ON WATER. There are two styles of water to be considered, namely, that which is still, and that which is in motion, or even turbulent. Naturally, water, whether as lake or rill, river or sea, mere or waterfall, forms, in its various characters, an object most beautiful, captivating, and even subhme ; and, certainly, it is an invaluable element in landscape scenery. Let us notice it particularly in the following forms, namely, — The Streamlet, Brook, River, Lake, and Sea. The simple, yet cheerful Streamlet, rippling by the side of a rural, shady walk, now concealed beneath some thicket, now breaking again over shelfy stones, has been most poetically described by Doubleday : — " Now, moving scarce, with noiseless step, and still ; Anon it seems to weary of its rest, And hurries on, leaping with sparkling zest, Adown the ledges of the broken hill." The Brook pleasingly winds its devious way, calmly and smoothly, through rural scenery. The River meanders through a beautiful fertile vale, having its margin fringed with sylvan dress, whose waving branches playfully lash its stream ; or forcing its way furiously through rocky channels and abrupt broken ground, (as in the neighbourhood of Bolton Abbey), — each of these is ever to be admired. The Lake hes among hills and mountains, and is of various extent, from a mile to many miles ; sometimes screened with wood, at others, decked only with humble shrubs, yet having on its bosom fleecy clouds reflected, and an incessant variation of sun and shade, charms the soul ; while the mighty Sea, with its restless billows, and the stately ships which traverse its waves, is an element in a landscape equally beautiful and sublime. 80 But in making alterations in water-courses, or in forming lakes or ponds, we must ever remember the true character which they ought to assume. A streamlet, for instance, may be improved in rude and wild situations by clearing away wild indigenous plants in proper places, so as to let the eye now and then catch a glimpse of it as it ripples over collections of roots and stones, &c. Sometimes a slight natural fall may be improved by raising it judiciously with stones, and sinking the course below, so that the depth of the fall may be increased, and the course made broader here and there, especially above and below where a bridge is to be carried over (in order to show a cause for a bridge) ; keeping, however, to natural and varied outlines, the water not too deep nor too wide, lest it should lose the character of a rill, and become a brook, which it would do if it were more than five or six feet in breadth, and densely deep. In thus interfering with the natural course of a streamlet, care should be taken to vary its course by bends and planting, so that the eye may not be able to see from the bridge narrow parts, and those which are barely covered with water, as such would give an idea of the bridge being useless. A Rill may also be usefully and with very good effect taken through grounds of a more polished character. In such cases I should make deep and natural bends, varying its breadth ; at the same time the margin should be kept neat, so as to be in harmony with the lawn, and the bottom of the rill should be covered with white pebbles, to give a cleanliness and cheer- fulness to it. The deepest part of the water should not be more than ten or twelve inches. "When a rill of this kind can be made to ripple cheerfully along, and at times glide silently through a flower garden, it may become available for the growth of interesting aquatic plants. Further interest may be afforded by introducing fancy fish into the water ; but in this case small covered retreats will have to be formed in the deepest parts under the margin, to afford them shelter. The Rivulet, or Brook, being a more extensive stream of water than a rill, and being sometimes rapid in its course, can scarcely be said to be in character in the flower garden or highly kept grounds ; but it may often be made highly interesting, especially in cases where perpendicular precipices present themselves of materials adapted to form a cascade, or fall, and where the brook can be conveniently turned over it. Where the ground is steep, 81 without either rocks or stones, a fall may be formed by excavating a sufficient width out of the bank to afford room to lay, or wall, large rude stones, from a quarter of a ton to two or more tons in weight, as circumstances permit ; and these should be placed (of course, the largest at the bottom) so as to form a natural, broken, and rough concave, appearing, as much as possible, as if worn by time. In an extensive cascade there should be slopes and perpen- dicular parts; and, in some parts of the slopes, the water should be divided by large blocks of stone, leaving cavities at intervals in the course, for bushes of ferns, or other low plants capable of bearing the spray. The streams must meet again before entering the principal perpendicular fall. In order to prevent the water from taking a wrong course behind the stones, cement should be used in the joints. A good clay-puddle wiU answer, if the stones are properly bedded in the clay, and well puddled behind them : clay and gravel, or small broken stones, must also be well worked together into the crevices. It will be important to observe, in walling the fall, that more than the breadth required for the watercourse will be necessary, and various breadths of rockery must appear. It is desirable, too, to place the stones in beds, showing natural seams, and forming lesser and greater shelfy projections. A small pool of water, a few yards in diameter, should lie at the bottom of the cascade. It should be of considerable depth just where the water falls, to give the appearance of its depth being caused by time, through the action of the water. This pool, as well as the watercourse, — at least in the vicinity of the fall, and from points whence the fall is seen, — must wear the same character, by being varied with larger and smaller stones, and thus harmonize with the principal rock. The fall should be viewed from a walk passing near to it, from a seat, or from a bridge crossing the brook. To give greater variety, if the ground will allow, the stream may occasionally be brought to spread into various breadths, fringed with indigenous bushes, presenting, as much as possible, a brook in all its natural character. These, with other interesting parts of the same rivulet, should be brought within the range of view of the continued walk, and, at other times, retire so as to be totally lost in thickets. The murmuring sounds, also, should at times be lost, and again the ear may be cheered by them, alternately distant and nearer, thereby producing variety and pleasurable interest. A River. — To divert the course of a river, or form a cascade across it, would be a gigantic work, and a question of expenditure ; but when this is M 82 not a consideration, sometimes a noble cascade may be obtained. To form a natural tall, secure against floods or beavy water, will be attended witb more difficulty than one which is built with regular masonry. Still it is possible to form such a fall with massive stones, some tons in weight, judiciously and firmly placed in mortar; but to do this effectually, a considerable breadth of dam in all parts will have to be employed; and perhaps, in most cases, a wall will be required, as shown in the sketch on Romantic Scenery, where the river fall is again treated upon. The fall must not be formed in one straight line across the river, but varied by deep and rugged recesses and angular projec- tions, letting the convex parts meet the stream, which must be broken by masses or considerable blocks of stone, rising in groups above the water here and there to give variety. When the river happens to run over the slope of a dam of masonry, it may be varied very much by groups of stones here and there being allowed to stand some inches higher than the rest. When it is thought proper to improve the course of a river, either by varying its breadth when it is considered too formal, or entirely changing its course, so as to bring it more interestingly into view from the mansion, nature should be strictly kept in view and imitated. Its course should not be smooth and uniform, but its margins or banks should present deep bends and angular as well as bold projections, evidently producing various breadths of water: and it is important that its course should be so directed that the spectator may view as much of its length as possible, rather than look across it ; and as we see the natural course of a river formed by interruptions of gentle and abrupt swells in the ground, with masses and groups of trees and bushes, by which the stream is driven to take the lowest and uninterrupted ground, so, in forming a new course, such examples will have to be imitated. Islands may be occasionally introduced in some of the wider parts. In planting the margins, which must be kept free in some places, so as to command the best points of view on the river, alders, willows, junipers, ferns, rushes, &c, may be employed. The dress must be least wild in those parts where the margin of the river and the adjoining ground are naturally smooth. A Lake, or Pond. — In arranging a sheet of water, our best skill will often be called into exercise ; and we must, therefore, always bear in mind that water seeks its bed in the lowest ground. It is, undoubtedly, proper that the lowest part of the ground should be made choice of for the formation of 83 a sheet of water. As a proof of this, natural lakes (which we ought always to imitate) are generally seen to rest in fiats, or valleys. It is quite unnatural to look over a sheet of water into lower ground beyond. When the lowest ground cannot be made available, so as to bring the water into view from the house, or the pleasure ground, and a higher level must unavoidably be taken, the view beyond must be stopped by planting. The designer, therefore, after he has fixed the sites, and taken such levels as may be considered most suit- able for the purpose, will at once see the necessity of judicious planting about the lower end of the lake, so as to fill up, and shut out, as much as possible, the appearance of the valley below, especially in the vicinity of the lake. In most cases this will give the appearance, in a great degree, of water resting on a natural fiat. In lining out such lakes, natural, bold, and angular promi- nences, and deep bays, must be produced, rather than tame, zigzag, or small indentations. At the same time, these deep bends and prominences must not be of regular smooth curves, but broken occasionally by small, varied, and natural indentations. (See Park Plan.) In kept grounds, lakes or ponds must be characterised by the same bold curves ; but the margins should be kept neat, with smooth grass to the water's edge, rather than consist of deep, earthy, and broken banks. Yet gentle and abrupt grassy swells, rising immediately from the water, are important acquisitions ; and some portions of the margins may be fringed with inter- esting and suitable plants. Independently of the kept grounds, nature must be imitated by showing, as may be suitable, abrupt, broken, earthy, rooty, and rugged grassy margins, now and then embellished with bushes and trees. It is of the utmost consequence, in order to prevent accidents by persons falling into the water, that there should be a shelf, or ledge, formed all round the lake, or pond, four or five feet broad, which need only be covered from six to eight inches deep with water. Islands are indispensable in pools, or lakes, of considerable dimensions ; they not only add greatly to the variety and interest of the scene, but are of importance in assisting to conceal the real extent of the water. The greatest depth of water in a lake should never, if possible, exceed five feet, in order to render it safe from accident during sailing excursions, and winter amusements on the ice. This depth is, moreover, quite sufficient for fish, proper provision being made for their retreat, in severe weather, about m 2 84 the islands and in the deepest parts of the water. These retreats may be composed of roots of trees, or stones, reared together; or stones, sunk at intervals, with a slate across them. The water should also he clear and not stagnant, and kept free from rubbish. Whatever may he the character the water is to assume, whether pond or lake, the site having been decided upon, we must first determine the levels. If the fall of ground is considerable, it will generally be better to lower the highest side, rather than to raise the head or dam too much. I would rather lose sight of a portion of the water nearest the point of view by the rising ground, than have a prodigious embankment; this would, in almost every case, not only be found to work better but please the eye more, especially with a judicious sloping of the higher ground, and with proper breaks in planting. The levels being taken, a better notion of the form of the water will be ascertained. But in staking out in undulated ground, advantage must be taken of the lowest parts of the ground, to give breadth or expanse to the water, and variety of form in its outline. Otherwise, cutting down the rising knolls would not only cause additional expense, but greatly lessen the variety of surface, which we ought ever to study to preserve. I have before stated it to be essential that the outline or margin of the pond or lake should exhibit bold prominences and deep recesses, naturally varied ; therefore, where a bridge is to be introduced, two of these prominences should he brought near enough together to afford a natural site for that purpose, (see Lake in Park Plan), and also that the space of the bridge may not be too great for the size and extent of the water, — say from five to thirty yards long. An extensive sheet of water will require a large bridge, and vice versa with a small sheet. Where a bridge is not required for convenience sake, but only for effect, one end of it may rest on an island; in which case, the latter must be sufficiently large to make a bridge seem useful for landing upon it. A hut for aquatic animals will render its utility still more apparent. In shaping the embankment or head, much will depend upon its depth and extent. If the valley, where the head is formed, be narrow, its construction will not be diffi- cult ; hut should it he wide, great caution will he required, not only for security against the pressure of water, but that its outline may be as natural as circum- stances will allow. This will generally be best managed, and the pressure of water best borne, by forming a large and bold promontory to shoot out a considerable extent into the lake, of sufficient surface to allow of an outlet 85 for the water, and room for planting on each side of it, without interfering with the puddle. This will be most properly effected by raising the ground a little above the general level, (with the exception of the margin close to the water), and so providing depth of soil for the roots to work in. Further, in forming the embankment or head of a pond or lake, it should slope considerably under the water, (figure 20), starting from the edge of the plat- Figuke 20. .;!/* form I have before named as a safeguard against accidents. This gives great strength to the dam, inasmuch as the water bears upon the slope, and is not so liable to burst the bank as if the latter were more perpendicular. An equal, or rather greater, slope will be required on the contrary side of the bank ; and it is indispensable that a firm wall should be built where the water passes over, to prevent its being washed down. But if an interesting fall is to be formed, (which certainly ought to be if water is plentiful, and if a walk can with propriety pass near it), it should be built in a natural, finn, rude form, with large massive stones. Islands, judiciously managed, afford variety, and assist to lessen deformities common in the construction of heads or dams of pools, and also indicate extent. One island near the head will generally be necessary ; and, if sufficiently large and well managed, will be better than more. This should be placed ten or twenty yards from the outlet, and perhaps should be the widest across the pond parallel with the dam ; letting the side next the outlet of the water form a broken or irregular concave, in order to harmonize with the convex or promontory stretching into the water. Then, a little above the island, the margin or outline of both sides of the pond should be made to project into the water, so that, conjointly with the island, the eye may be pre- vented from discerning the end, or outlet of water; thereby deceiving the mind as to its real extent. But in order to effect this properly, bushes and trees must be planted on the island and on the sides of the lake. (See Park Plan. ) In lakes or pools of considerable extent, groups of islands would be effective, and ought to be introduced, in preference to their being scattered singly all over the water. They must, further, be placed not as if- by design, but rather to appear in connection with some of the smaller, or moderate- sized promontories, and as if the water, from time to time, had severed them from the adjoining projection of the shore. "Whatever may be the number of islands forming a group, care should be taken to have the largest of them about the centre. For instance : — on all the sides but that next the shore, the smaller islands will appear most in character outermost, and the distance from one another must vary considerably. These islands may be from five to thirty yards or more from the side of the water, according to its extent ; but must be sufficiently far from the middle not to appear central. In a lake of fifty or one hundred acres, several groups, composed of three, four, or five, of different shapes, may be formed ; and one or two of these may be of considerable extent, — say, from a quarter of an acre to one or two acres. This will not only give importance and magnitude, but afford room and convenience for the erection of huts for aquatic animals, retreats for fishers, ornamental lighthouses, &c. In addition to these groups of islands, a few may be sometimes placed singly near a concave bend, or in advance of a promontory. It will be essential to vary the size of the islands, especially in the groups, — say, from a few yards in extent, to the larger above mentioned. They must be of irregular and natural forms, with broken margins, not lumpy, but lengthy, letting their length be most parallel with the shore. (See Lake in Park Plan.) Although I recommend the avoidance of formality in placing islands, yet I think the appearance on both sides the lake should in some measure be equahzed, leaving the widest portion of water about the middle, but still naturally broken or varied with the islands. "Were there a large island and numerous small ones on one side of the lake only, from some points of view the water would appear (if I may so speak) out of balance, leaving the eye dissatisfied. This effect must be guarded against. I have already referred to the prevention of danger as necessary to be observed in the formation of water. Such danger too frequently arises from the usual way of forming ponds or lakes, and the means by which it should be averted are these : — First, It is quite unnecessary to have deep water close 87 ^^^H to the margin; as there is the same breadth or extent of water, and certainly an equally good effect is produced, when the water is shallow, as when it is of considerable depth. I urge it, therefore, as of the first importance, that a shelf or platform, four or five feet broad, should be fonned all round the margin of the lake, admitting only of water resting upon it to the depth of from six to nine inches, so that should even an infant fall in, its life would scarcely be in danger. (Fig. 31, a.) This platform may fall from the margin towards the water to the Figure 81. extent of four or five feet, at the rate of about an inch in the foot; the slope from that point must be much more rapid, until it ends in the deepest part. If white pebbles, or pebbles of any kind, or even small stones mixed with sand, could be spread all over the shelf, it would add much to the clearness of the water, and the general beauty of the water's edge. Ail the margin in natural and varied surface should not appear smooth and even, but nature should be studiously imitated; and this will be greatly promoted by allowing at intervals steep or deep earthy margins to appear, and large stones, and roots or stumps of trees, to present themselves in masses and groups. Of course the margins in polished or kept grounds must assume a varied appearance, without being rude. In all ponds or lakes, it is necessary to use puddle of clay, or finely sifted earth, in places where embankments are made to dam the water, in order to prevent leakage. In such parts, I should propose the puddle-dike to be made in the ledge, or shelf above-named, where, I think, it would be the least liable to be injured by the roots of trees and bushes. The bottom of the lake, also, when the materials are not naturally retentive, will require puddling, especially about and under the dam, or other raised parts. Trees and bushes are indispensable as embellishments to water. They are important for concealing the real extent of a lake, besides producing light and shade; and their shadows, moving playfully on the glossy water, never fail to afford pleasure. In planting near water, we must not interrupt the best and most lengthened views of it, as seen from the house and the principal parts of the park, or pleasure ground ; neither must we make such a disposition of the elements at our command as entirely to shut out from view the whole of the ends, or boundaries, of the outward prominences, or some of those parts which project into the water. At the same time caution must be used not only to prevent the eye from catching the various bends of the outline of water from any one point of view, (which would be bad), but also so as to afford variety in the grouping of the trees and shrubs: indeed, the whole planting must be so effected as to leave the extent of the water undetected, and even unimagined, from any one position. The following may be named as suitable for planting in the neighbour- hood of water. Those to be employed as low growths in kept grounds, are the common heath, ferns, double Ayrshire roses, sweet gale, English juniper, dwarf spreading willow, Andromeda polyfolia, Ledum palustre, and other sorts. The alder, kept low by occasional cutting, makes a fine fringe, and a strong barrier for the margins of water when the current is liable to wash away its banks. The common thorn, bramble, hedge rose, red dogwood, honey- suckle, and blackthorn, afford proper marginal dress for water in all natural scenery. Trees suitable for embellishing pools, lakes, or rivers, are of various kinds. Those best adapted for positions nearest the water, where the ground is hable to be moist, are the common alder, various kinds of willows, (including the weeping and rosemary-leaved willow), Alnus cordifolia, Norway spruce, deciduous cypress, and hemlock-spruce. Such plants are also quite proper for the islands ; but in order that the roots may not lodge too much in water, the parts of the islands to be planted should be raised irregularly, or in a natural manner, with stones, roots, sods, &c, mixed with suitable soil, a few feet higher than the level of the water. The five last-named kinds of trees are most appropriate for beautifying water in dress ground. Amongst the larger trees employed, not exactly fringing the margin, but. at a moderate distance from the water, the wych elm is the most elegant, and should always be planted in extensive places: its elegant massive twigs and pendent branches entitle it, above all other large trees, to this distinction. Nevertheless, the English elm, lime, beech, weeping birch, and larch, will be proper. I do not mean to say that other trees would not be appropriate, but these are amongst the best. Every kind of poplar should be excluded, except, indeed, the 89 Lombardy, of which two or three may be planted so as to rise out of the midst of masses of other trees. In planting, room should be allowed for walking on the water's edge ; sometimes close to it, and at other times with a bush, or group of shrubs, interposing. Small fancy boats are needful for recreation and pleasure, besides adding to the interest of the scenery. In the latter sense, sails would be an addition. Swans, by all means, must be introduced, as well as other water fowls. A striking effect might be attained by introducing into the lake a floating island. While I was engaged in laying out a gentleman's grounds in the Lake district, a natural floating island was pointed out to me at the head of Esthwaite Lake, near Hawkshead, which was composed of low growths, matted firmly together, and studded with a few living, but stunted, low growing trees, which appeared to act as sails in moving the island from side to side, as the wind might direct. This phenomenon has suggested the idea of its being imitated, in the formation of lakes or ponds in pleasure grounds, to give additional variety to the scene. Nor would this be the only advantage, but the spectacle of trees, bushes, and minor vegetation thus floating, would have a singular and rare effect. The size of such an island may vary according to circumstances : we will suppose twenty-four feet by twelve. In the first instance, boards must be nailed together on ribs, or bearers of wood, four or six inches square, forming a boarded floor, or flat. This, again, should be boarded round, forming a ledge, or belt, ten or twelve inches deep, as a receptacle for the soil and plants, but, altogether, exhibiting as varied an outline as possible. The whole will require to be filled with soil, rising naturally from the sides to the middle, in different elevations of from two to four feet, care- lessly and negligently sodded with ling, rushes, aquatic ranunculus, mosses, &c, and showing, at intervals, a few stumps and rude stones. About the centre of the island, two or three alders might be planted, and, occasionally, a patch of small growing willows, sea buckthorn, sweet gale, with rambling roses and honeysuckles to climb up the trees. BRIDGES. A Bridge is an important feature in connection with water, and seldom fails to give interest to the landscape. It ought to he placed to front the best point of view, or nearly so. In forming a piece of water, (as before shewn), a narrow neck must be contrived either between an island and the outline of the pond, or the whole piece must be so contracted that the bridge shall not be too long or extensive. (See Park Plan.) But as a bridge may tend also to give an idea contrary to the repose and privacy which a lake generally suggests, its position should be carefully chosen. At all events, it should be placed so as to give as much of the lake as possible on the side between it and the principal point of view from the residence (see Plan) ; because a bridge suggests the idea of a public road, and a public road would naturally fix, as it were, the boundary of the park or domain, and lead to the conclusion that the water beyond it may not belong to the domain. Perhaps the best position would be at some narrow part of the lake, as remote as convenient, so as to shew the principal body of water between the bridge and the place from whence it is viewed, and that, whilst crossing the bridge, the boundary of the water should be completely lost to the eye in various parts, as well by its position as by judicious planting. Thus the extent of a moderate sheet of water might be concealed, even from the stroller crossing the bridge. (See Plan.) I have frequently seen a bridge placed across the neck of a pond, so near to its extremity as to suggest to the spectator whether it could have been formed for any utility at all, and thus destroying the interest which might have been created had utility been more apparent. • Of whatever a bridge may be composed, whether of wood, iron, or stone, or of whatever extent it may be, it should be perfectly horizontal or level across. The effect is inharmonious when it falls each way from the centre. A bridge of masonry is best adapted for a river, on account of the probability of its use by public conveyances; therefore, the appearance of 91 strength would be appropriate. In this case, as in all others, a bridge will have its importance and usefulness increased when viewed from any principal point, by a connecting walk or road being more or less seen not far from it ; at least so near as to seem to lead to it, and leave no doubt on the mind as to its utility. The kind of bridge most suitable for a walk interrupted by a rivulet or brook, in a wood or other rural or uncultivated scenery, is one simply formed of rude wood work, as delineated in figure 22. When a walk can be (•allied across a rivulet in front of a cascade or fall, about ten or twenty tigure 22. yards distant from it, a bridge will add interest to the scenery, and afford ,Jp convenience to the spectator in viewing the fall. A bridge cross- ing a rill in a flower garden, or other polished parts of the pleasure grounds, may be of iron ; but one constructed of larch rods and poles stripped of their bark, and stained — not painted — though less characteristic, would be generally pleasing. (Figure 23.) This kind of bridge would also be proper for a lake, with a number of arches according to ex- tent, unless the drive should cross Figure 23. an extensive lake ; then a more substantial bridge of inasonry, with stone battlements, would be more appropriate. When stone is scarce, gK??^ stone piers may be finished with | "' ww- - •tea, feru.- 'jfalj*? '"■■*•'; ' J ■s^wSfSSP'^^JS : r y ■ " __ A^^p WPgP^ r :'J | . rSJK:'^ i ilfcfc S-. ■-: ;,&.##•- 159 into equal parts the larger and freer expanses of lawn, which I have studiously left for effect's sake. I scarcely need mention, that the rarest and most interesting kinds of trees and bushes ought to appear nearest to the road, walk, or mansion, as they might otherwise be overlooked. A group must at one time be composed of plants of one kind, and at another of various kinds, as I have pointed out in the chapter descriptive of trees. In the arrangement of trees at the time of planting or thinning, two principles require to be respected, namely — firstly, always to maintain a balance in the composition ; and secondly, that there should be form and variety in the groups themselves. On taking a cursory view of Park Scenery, an unsightly group may not appear objectionable; but it becomes so when the eye frequently falls or dwells upon it. What is meant by maintaining balance I may thus explain. In a group, and especially in a small one, the centre should appear the highest. For example: a group of three trees (jig. I) would be much more pleasing than if the lowest were placed in the centre (Jig. 2). Again ; three trees of different heights, so as to appear hke steps, one above another, forming a line, or nearly so, either at equal distances or otherwise (Jig. 5), would be much less beautiful than if arranged as in Jig. 4. So is the wiy group (Jig. 7) highly improved in Jig. 8. Again; tire striking transition of character between a spruce or a larch, and a round-headed tree (Jig. 10J, is improved by keeping the spiral tree central (Jig. 11,). The same maybe said of the union of a spiral with a flame-shaped tree, as the Lombardy poplar; Jig. 16 is out of keeping compared with fig. 17. Fig. 19 is far more in unison with two spruce firs, as they there appear, than if they were planted on the outside of the poplar, on account of their deep tone. Or a group of spruce firs, or larch (Jig. 20), with a silver fir, or Cedar of Lebanon, is more in character than if either of the latter took one side. Fig. 13 is injured by the small spruce fir, and highly improved in Jig. 14. A group of five trees, or more, with one or two tall ones placed near together and pretty central, though some may have crooked stems, yet, if they rise pretty perpendicularly, produce an agreeable and natural effect (fig. 3). An effective and balanced group may be made of seven or eight trees, or more, if two of them be placed only a foot or two apart ; a third, three or 160 four feet further off; and the rest at various distances, say from five to thirty feet, the taller ones appearing midway, similar to the two larches represented at fig. 9 ; hut if one or two tall trees appeared on one side, this balance would be no longer maintained. A large or massive group composed of various trees, and of various heights and distances, with the most striking character blended inside, would produce an assemblage of varied outline and of natural loveliness (fig. 21); but if a single tree only, of striking character, were placed on one side of such a group, (as, for instance, a Cedar of Lebanon, Scotch fir, spruce fir, larch, or purple beech,) the balance of beauty would be instantly destroyed. A group of Scotch firs, or other pines, spruce, or evergreens of any kind, having a larch, elm, birch, or some other deciduous tree on one side, would be objectionable ; but place these judiciously inside, and the effect will be good. Where two trees only are planted together, they should invariably be of one kind, or so nearly aUied to each other as not to appear very different, either in form or colour. Nothing, in tlie association of trees, can be more defective, or offensive to the sight, than two of decidedly opposite characters. The ramified arms of the sycamore could never be made to blend happily with the delicate birch (fig. 12), or the ash with the Scotch fir, the horse chesnut with the larch or narrow poplar (fig. 1&), or the round-headed lime with the spruce fir (fig. 10^). Both the planting and thinning, therefore, of ornamental trees, require the attention of a. skilful hand. The form and varieties of a group, or groups, must be of different degrees. When two only are planted, they should be placed at least so close together as to intermingle their branches (fig. 1 5 J ; but the best effect is produced when two are placed as near to each other as, to all appearance, to form but one tree, as represented in the Wych elm (fig. ft) and the beech (fig. 18^). I have frequently seen the alder, with two or three stems starting from one base, produce a most beautiful and striking appearance. A group of several trees always produces the best effect when two or three of them stand close together, or nearly so, at their base, pretty central in the group, and two or three more within a few feet of them. In this way we produce force of expression alike in the stems and heads, and give a principal to the group. Extent and variety of form are also secured by spreading out the 161 rest, and varying their distances. In a large group or mass, two or more of such principals would be necessary. (See figure below.) In no case should a group be formed by trees placed at equal distances. Fig. 37 represents ground plans of a mass and group, with their Figure 37. original outline, and the dots inside shew the position of the adopted plants as they are to remain when thinned and regu- lated, and the fence removed. A bush or two of thorns, hollies, blackthorns, whin, or maples, added to the principals (as I have termed them) of some of the groups, would provide variety, and assist much in giving that solidity to the association we wish to secure. Occasional bushes would also be quite appropriate, if connected occasionally with straggling trees. In the placing of groups and masses, their position should always appear to range lengthways with the carriage road or walks, or their relative plantings, (as shewn in the Park Plan), as it would be quite discordant to start with the ends at right angles from them. By a judicious arrangement of trees and bushes, we attain the full effect of light and shade, as well as elegance and picturesque beauty ; whilst in the proper assemblage of trees, free, bold, and varied breadths in the glades are produced, and as a whole, a combination of extent, importance, and grandeur, is effected. It is unanimously allowed that a Park is an important and striking appendage to a residence. I cannot, therefore, leave this subject without again impressing upon my readers the importance of its composition. The pasture should be freed from coarse tufts of grass, and everything which tends to the appearance even of disorder. There must be no slovenly fences, no dead or broken branches left upon the trees to disfigure them. All tumble- down trees must be discarded, and roads and walks must be kept orderly and in their original form. Of course I do not refer to specimens of venerable declining trees ; neither do I mean that a stunted tree, when it has lost its Y 102 true character, and is covered with ivy, thickly crowned with its winter blossoms, should be removed. Nor have I in view the wild rambling rose, weaving itself into the rigid thorn; nor the native woodbine, entwining itself on the stem of the maple, and reaching to its very summit, its odori- ferous blossoms filling the air with sweet perfumes. What I have said on the creation or dress of scenery, may seem to be an attempt at fostering art and formality at the expense of nature. But it is not so : at least my intention has been otherwise. I am desirous only to establish a system most calculated to produce true beauty in Park Scenery, and therefore to follow nature. But in cultivated ground, wildness is not beauty; and although such affords the greatest pleasure in its proper place, it becomes perplexing and tiresome when misplaced ; whilst a true balance of composition, conveying a just idea of colour, position, and variety, and ;i true admixture of animate and inanimate nature, afford never-palling gratification. PROSPECT SCENERY; OR SCENERY BEYOND THE PARK. There seems an inherent love of prospect in the human mind, and a wish to explore to the utmost whatever is extensive in scenery. "When, however, points are so distant as to present objects dimly, the eye becomes perplexed and the mind dissatisfied. But, when scenery consists of bold or gentle undulations, studded with villages, hamlets, towns, churches, windmills, woods, and groups of trees, — water, animated nature, and the ever-varying b>ht and shade lending their effective aid, — a picture is presented which never fails to charm the soul, and fill the contemplative mind with delight. When extensive scenery is under control and susceptible of improve- ment, judicious planting is most important, and the first step to be attended to. This is particularly necessary outside the park, in order to present a continuity of rich wooded connection beyond the pale, and in such a manner that the actual limits of the park may not be apparent. If a public road passes along the park boundary dividing it from other parts of the domain, this end may be secured by planting masses and groups of trees near the road, on the opposite side, and at various distances from it. Although the fields beyond present various shades of agricultural produce, it will be important to extend and give a oneness of character to the whole domain, by forming hedge-row trees, at intervals, into groups, as well as by adding various sized forest masses and groups, taking principally, for convenience, the junction of fences. At the same time, though existing fences may in part serve to protect the planting, they must only be so much employed as to present a well varied outline. In some parts it will be neces- sary to have groups in the fields, apart from the hedge-rows ; but this should be sparingly done, as it would impede cultivation, except in high ground which cannot conveniently be put under the plough. The extreme boundary of the estate should be wooded, but by no means so as to represent a belt, or any line of demarcation suggesting that there the domain terminates. y2 1G4 Mountainous regions very commonly justify help in dressing judiciously the bold swelling hill, the towering peak, and the grassy vale. The utmost variety and effect will be produced by only planting a few of the hill sides. Economy would, moreover, teach us that those should be left which are the most fertile, and those planted which in some degree would be otherwise barren. In such planting we may advantageously commence with the principal body at the base, and rise naturally up the mount with deep and broken outlines, as high as it may be thought that trees will grow. In addition to a varied outline, the most massive parts should have their sameness broken by the occasional appearance of vacant spots. Some of the most contracted parts or channels between the mountain, that afford little or no flat surface, may very properly be planted, uniting the plantations ascending the mountain on each side into one. The bold hills or swells, and flats, should be varied with groups and masses, so as to combine with the more remote wooded mountains ; but it must be remembered not to plant too much the slacks where the swells are gentle, as that would lessen the contrast produced by the undulations, and produce too much of a level. In the case of a space between two hills (Jig. 38, a), rising above lower swells which form and front their base, the Figure 38. lower one should be kept free from trees fronting the opening a, to let the eye fall upon the dark valley and woody mountain which may appear beyond, thereby producing extent and forcible variety in light and shade. TREES BEST SUITED TO FORM THE AERIAL LINE. The round-headed and ovated trees are unquestionably best adapted to form the sky or aerial line, or to crown the summit of a hill. Their convex outline particularly harinonizes with the concave or arched canopy of the heavens. I will name a few which are generally under our notice in English scenery. The Mountain or Wych Elm is the most elegant, when aged, and is one of the best for the purpose. The English Elm is particularly striking when viewed before the horizon. Its dark upright trunk, stiff dark arms and clustered branches, and its thick- set spray, contrasted with the light of the sky seen through its foliage, produces a more pleasing effect than perhaps any other tree. The Beech, with its noble extended arms, and light feathery twigs, is well adapted, and truly elegant in its outline. The Birch is very elegant when seen in this position, especially if it be of the weeping kind, and particularly if the top only catches the horizon, and the greatest portion of the trunk is backed by a hill. The trunk, being white, however, and seldom of noble stature, its importance is in some degree lessened, and consequently its introduction ought not to be so general. The Oak is very appropriate. Its picturesque character is then clearly presented. The Sycamore, when stripped of its foliage, presents a stiff, blunt appearance, except when the tree is of a good age, and its branches are formed into divisions or tiers, and clustered twigs : it has then a fine effect. But such a tree in full fohage is truly grand. An aged Ash is suitable, from its lightness and elegance. The Lime is a well-formed tree for the purpose, but scarcely varied enough in the distribution of its branches to produce striking effects of light and shade ; still it is not objectionable. 100 The Alder, being dark, with assembled twigs and branches thrown into horizontal tiers, as we often find them branching from one, two, or more trunks, is a beautiful object falling upon the horizon; indeed, an aged speci- men is much to be admired. The Horse Chesnut, although its dome-like head is calculated to harmonize with the sky-line, is so very stiff and monotonous in its general character, especially when stripped of its foliage, as not to be considered very appropriate. The Mountain Ash is objectionable for a similar reason. The Scotch or Mountain Pine, when old, is a fine, natural-formed, noble, picturesque tree ; but it is of a very sombre character, and therefore too heavy to meet the horizon. In other situations, especially when backed by rising ground, by other trees, or by buildings, or when seen on bold or abrupt ground backed by hills of greater height, it is a fine object. Pointed or spiral trees are inharmonious with the aerial fine, and seldom, therefore, afford subjects suited to the artist's pencil, Amongst these are the Larch, Spruce Fir, Silver Fir, Cypress, Red Cedar, and the Lombardy Poplar. The Larch, Spruce and Silver Fir, and others of similar character, are well suited to share the dress of pyramidal scenes, and also to climb the sides of hills and broken rocky heights, provided their spiry points are overshadowed by the various precipices or hills rising above them. They are in character when associated with buildings, especially those of the Gothic style ; also on flats or gentle rising ground, when trees or higher ground intervene to prevent their points catching the horizon. The Red Cedar and the upright Cypress are best suited to low situations, taking part in a group of low shrubby trees, or forming a group of themselves, and associated with Gothic buildings, or in hollows, blending amongst mounds and pyramids. These observations also apply to the Lombardy Poplar, which, nevertheless, accords well with the pinnacles of churches, or looks well in groups when seen rising out of a mass of buildings, or out of a massive wood, so as not to catch the sky-line. But scattered about as solitary trees, or grown in rows, it has never a happy effect. Occasional groups of three or four, or more, rising out of a plain, and viewed from an elevated position, so as not to fall upon the horizon, are generally very effective in such scenery. THE MANAGEMENT OF ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SCREEN PLANTATIONS. There is so much neglect of, and such an objection to, cutting down or giving timely thinning to plantations, (that the true forms of trees, and the beauty of scenery, may be preserved,) that I am induced to lay down the following brief directions, in the hope that they may have the effect of influencing proprietors to turn their attention more fully to so important a subject. First, then, I would recommend that choice be made of such trees as are likely to remain where they are planted, and that they should be marked slightly with white paint, in order to prevent their being taken down at the time of thinning. On each successive occasion of that kind, (which should be once in every two or three years for thriving plantations,) a few of the lower branches of these trees should be removed, until a clear stem is formed of from five to eight feet in height. The pendent kinds, such as the Wych elm, beech, hme, &c, should be trimmed to the longest stem ; and formal upright kinds, such as the horse chesnut, sycamore, mountain ash, &c, to the shortest stem; taking care always to shorten such branches as appear to outgrow the rest, for, if left unchecked, they would throw the tree out of its proper balance, and thus deform it. Second. Lop off from other trees all branches that intrude, and cut down, as occasion may require, such of the trees as appear to crowd the adopted plants ; by which means the plants will have room to grow, and to form large and massive branches, adapted to be both useful and ornamental. A single tree, even, will thus eventually afford a screen almost equal to a hundred neglected or mismanaged skeletons. I do not mean that ornamental plantations should be so thinned as to leave the trees standing at equal distances, as in forests ; but so that, after being properly thinned, they may still appear to be thrown together in different sized groups ; and although some of them might, for effect's sake, be kept near together, — indeed, so near as 108 in some cases to touch one another, still they would become fine and orna- mental, provided sufficient space were kept clear for them to throw out their brandies freely, so as to give variety and richness to the landscape. Instead, however, of receiving timely attention in thinning and pruning, we generally find plantations neglected for the space of fifteen or twenty years, sometimes even for longer periods ; and that, too, although the trees were planted at first at no greater distance than three or four feet from each other. Such mismanagement must necessarily cause the branches to decay, and the trees to be little better than naked poles, ill adapted to form a screen or ornament to the scenery amid which they are placed. We must guard against the common bad practice of thinning a crowded plantation by stripping every tree ahke of its branches, as an excuse for thinning, without cutting down, until it is too late for any of them ever to assume their proper character and beauty, and answer the end required. The general practice of introducing nurse plants, (as they are termed), into plantations, seldom answers the purpose intended, and simply from a want of early attention. The Itahan poplar and the larch, for instance, are of such rapid growth, that in four or five years they will overpower and materially injure almost every other kind of tree, particularly the oak and the beech ; consequently, at that period, care should be taken to afford the latter room, by lopping off the branches of some of the nurse plants, and cutting down others, as the case may require. The Black Itahan Poplar should never be introduced, either as a nurse plant, for shelter, or otherwise, except with a full determination upon its final removal ; for it never commands admiration at any period of its growth : when young, it does not harmonize with other trees, and as it advances in growth it presents long naked limbs, and becomes disproportionate, top-heavy, and at length so overbalanced as invariably to lean sideways, and frequently to become nearly prostrate. It is to be seen blemishing our English scenery in almost every part. I have frequently alluded publicly to this tree, as well as to the poplar family generally, and not in vain, for much has been already done in ridding us of them. I know none of the poplar family worthy of introduction into scenery, (with the exception of the Lombardy, upon which I have given my opinion in a former chapter). The interest created by their catkin blossoms for a few days in a year is, I think, counterbalanced • by the htter produced as they fall from the tree. FENCES FOR PARK AND FOREST PLANTATIONS. Neither walls nor hedges should ever be used as fences to masses or clumps in Park Scenery. The stiff, marked hue or barrier which they produce, is highly objectionable; and if once put up, their removal in due time is seldom attended to. Temporary fences are the best : the intention being, that in ten or fifteen years, or when it is supposed the trees have attained sufficient growth not to be injured by cattle, these barriers shall be wholly removed, and the whole ground among them thrown into one range. The wire fence, named in a previous chapter, for dividing the park and the dress grounds, would be the most useful. Cheaper and fighter wire may be had, but. as already observed, playful cattle are liable to entangle their legs in the wires. The iron hurdle is a veiy suitable fence, being moveable at will ; the small-sized ones, three feet three inches in height, and six feet in length, if well made, (at a cost of about two shillings or two shillings and threepence per yard,) are quite sufficient, and last long when kept well painted. The Scotch fencing may be employed when materials are on the spot, and not to buy; but, as it is not veiy durable, if it has to be purchased, the iron or wire fencing is tire cheapest. The Scotch fencing is composed of larch rods, of about two or three inches in diameter, driven into the ground about six inches apart, and standing about three feet six inches in height. A half-rounded rod is nailed on the top of the stakes, with the flat side downward, binding the whole firmly together. Posts and rails, though a rough fence, are preferable to the stiff hedge, wall, or palings ; but wire and iron fencings are so moderate in price and so durable, that no other argument is needed to enforce the propriety of their adoption in preference. General plantations or woods are best fenced by dwarf walls or hedges. A wall, about three feet or three feet six inches high, is the better of the two. At a distance, and when the stones have become stained and moss-grown, z iro they may be said to be in harmony, particularly in woods, and more especially when, here and there, clusters of whins, blackthorns, rambling roses, honey- suckles, ferns, &c., are found growing out of them, with other shrubs scattered in advance. If hedges are used, they should be frequently well cut, in order to prevent their growing thin, as well as to prevent their interfering with the natural outline of the trees. At the best, from the overhanging of the trees, the hedge is liable, in the course of time, to be so injured as no longer to constitute a sufficient fence. In any case, it must never be allowed to grow too high, and thus to lessen the expansion and beauty of the trees for the sake of the hedge appearing wild or natural. Examples of this are too frequent. Single trees may be cheaply and neatly protected from horses and cows by driving strong larch and other stakes into the ground, from two to three feet apart, all round the tree, about three feet six inches from it, and four and a half feet high, a half-round larch coping being nailed on the tops of the stakes, to bind them together. They will require a second rail on the outside of the stakes, about a foot below, in order to prevent the cattle getting their heads under the top bar or coping. A still better fence may be formed of the above stakes and coping, with the addition of three lines of wire nailed a foot apart, tight and firm, to them. A still more lasting fence would be made with iron uprights, and two or three horizontal wires stretched firm round the uprights. When plants are small, to keep off sheep, four or five lines of wire may be employed. But, perhaps, the cheapest and readiest mode of guarding a single tree, and one which is recommended by its simple neatness, is to chive four strong larch stakes firmly into the ground, each stake being fifteen inches from the tree, four feet six inches high, and so placed, as regards the tree, that when two rods are nailed on the top of the stakes they may just clear its stem, as repre- sented at figure 39, a. These two rods, which may be about two inches in diameter, must be cut down the middle, and be six feet six inches in length, that they may each project Figure 39. in two feet beyond the stakes. At the extremity of these rods, a hoop of wire, not less than the eighth of an inch in thickness, and forming a circle of six feet six inches in diameter, must be fastened on with a small staple, b b b b, completing the fence. Or, in place of wire, a strong hoop of proper dimensions, such as are used for hooping large tubs, would answer the purpose, and last a long time with painting. But No. 2 wire would only cost about one penny per yard, and would be preferable. The stakes being pretty near to the tree, prevent sheep from rubbing against it, and the wire hoop keeps off larger cattle ; and if a short bar be nailed on at c, forming a triangle, to complete stay to the tree is provided against boisterous winds. Tow, short hay, or some convenient material, should be filled in to prevent the tree being chafed. In the case of small, low trees, it will only be neces- sary to nail two or three lines of small rods round the stakes, to keep the sheep from gnawing the young wood. In most instances, in Park Scenery, there is always a considerable necessity for the introduction of single trees > and, consequently, the cheapest fence, consistent with neatness, is a con- sideration. I have, therefore, invented the one in question, as meeting all requirements. There are very complete tree guards made of iron, averaging about twelve or fifteen shillings each ; but one of this kind might be made much cheaper, and perhaps as useful, by four uprights bent so as to throw the top part three feet from the tree, and one foot from the bottom of it. On the top of these should be rivetted a half inch by a quarter rod ; a round quarter rod should next be run through the uprights about a foot below, and a third a foot from the bottom, making the circle firm in two halves, (fastened to each other by small wire), so as to be moved conveniently, and placed round the tree firmly. z 2 THE TIME OF TLANTING TREES, WITH A FEW CAUTIONARY DIRECTIONS. For evergreen and tender shrubs — indeed, for almost any kind of shrubs — autumn and spring are the best times for planting. In autumn, the natural state of the young wood will, perhaps, be the best guide to the planter in commencing his operations, say about the end of September or the beginning of October. The exact time, of course, will vary according to the season and different localities, whether the young wood is or is not matured, or the weather is hot and droughty ; as, even with daily waterings, the shrubs would not only be liable to great injury by the scorching sun and winds, but the ground itself would also be hard and dry, and thereby render their removal from the nursery more difficult and unsafe. However, autumn planting should not be too long deferred, since the only advantage gained by it is that the plants have sufficient time to form new fibres before winter. If, therefore, they are not planted soon enough to make sufficient progress before that time, spring planting is the best. Winter planting (except for forest trees) I consider the worst season of any. Of course, extensive forest planting will not be carried out without taking the winter months with others. In such cases, the plants, being hardy and generally small, are less liable to be rocked about and injured by boisterous winds. Moreover, in extensive plantings, there is a less degree of danger in the gloomy months in moving the plants from place to place, and in the general operations, than in bright droughty weather. Therefore, under such circumstances, we may consider from the fall of the leaf to the end of February the best season for extensive forest planting. As a general rule, I prefer spring planting for ornamental trees and shrubs, to every other period; for those planted in the autumn have to contend with, and to bear the pressure and rocking of, boisterous gales, 173 which strain the newly-formed fibres, and, by leaving the earth open round the stem, expose the young roots to the liability of frosts. Ornamental planting is, therefore, generally most successfully accom- plished in the spring months. I hold this opinion not theoretically, but from general observation, and would, consequently, suggest the adoption of the following practice. As soon as the plants are matured in growth in the autumn, (if the weather permits), they should be procured from the nurseries, and should be well protected from wind and sun during the process of taking up, and in their journey. They should then be carefully laid in the earth, in some sheltered spot near to where they are to be planted, thinly, in rows,— say three, six, or more inches from plant to plant, and about twelve inches or more from row to row, just as the size of the plants may seem to require, — covering the roots with fine soil, somewhat deeper than what they were in when growing in the nursery. The whole operations should be performed just as if they were permanently planted, excepting that they will protect themselves better if they are laid so that the tops may incline a httle, rather than stand perpendicularly. In the case of more tender plants, the earth between the rows should be thinly covered with leaves or straw. I say thinly, for too much covering would be likely to rot and injure dehcate plants. Some persons object to the system of laying plants in the earth prepara- tory to planting, on account of the losses commonly sustained thereby ; and I am not surprised at the objection, for the careless manner in which they are generally put in, sometimes in clusters, and often just as they arrive from the nurseries, tied up in bundles, makes it scarcely possible that any should live. The earth, in many such cases, never touches the roots, and they thus lie so open as to bo destroyed by air, frost, or mould, or perhaps by all combined. The method I have proposed of securing the plants in the autumn, will be found advantageous, inasmuch as many of them will form fibres between the time of being taken up and that of planting, and which, if planted in moist weather, will lay hold of the earth at once. Even should it not be convenient to obtain the plants so early as autumn, by their being secured and carefully laid in before droughty weather in the spring, a great advantage is gained over their being brought from the nurseries at a time when they would be exposed to drought, both in the process of taking them up, and in their conveyance. A lengthened exposure to sun and air is most prejudicial to their vitality. 174 It scarcely need be said that, if possible, the ground should be prepared by good digging or trenching, sufficiently early to ensure its being well pulverized during frosts preparatory to planting; and when the soil is of a cold clayey nature, it would be much improved by a moderate quantity of small stones being laid at the bottom of the trench ; or moderately fine coal ashes would be valuable. I consider it a mistaken notion (as generally practised) to clear lands, as much as possible, of all stones, (except where neatness is a chief consideration). Trees, and indeed vegetation generally, seem to be in their element when their fibres are nestling amongst stones. At the beginning of April, or rather as soon as the buds of the shrubs or trees appear pretty well swollen, plant as the weather suits, that is, in quite gloomy and showery weather; always minding in the process not to allow the roots to be too long exposed to a dry atmosphere. Perhaps the best mode of preventing this will be, that the person employed to arrange the plants for the planters should be closely followed by an assistant. Thus, after the plant is laid down to be ready, the assistant may with his spade throw a little soil upon the roots, as they lie, until the planters who follow can plant them. In ornamental planting, I consider it better for the person who arranges the plants to lay the roots at the exact point where the tree is to be planted, rather than have holes previously made, (I am speaking in reference to young plants). The latter course often leads to mistakes as to the proper position of the shrubs, especially about the front of the plantings. In all cases it is quite necessary that spacious holes or pits be made, to admit of the roots being freely spread out, first covering them with fine soil, instead of lumpy soil, as it may happen, — a thing too much practised. It may be proper to speak of the common practice of fastening the plants by indiscriminate hard treading. Sometimes we observe men ramming the earth about the roots with their feet as if to fasten a gate post ; and whether the plants are delicate or robust, it is all the same. Of course every plant should have the soil pretty firmly pressed about the roots, so as to fasten it sufficiently, and the earth should nowhere lie hollow about them; but this should be done with cave and discrimination. A plant with a ball of earth attached to it should by no means be trampled or pressed hard near to the stem, or over the ball of earth ; because, although it may be deposited, and covered with soil, and out of sight, if the ball be broken underground, it is as injurious to the plant as if it had been done previous to planting. With such plants, the earth should be more especially and carefully pressed round the outside of the ball ; or, when plants are placed in the ground with balls of earth which have been a long time in pots, the balls should be rather broken all round before they are planted : othenvise the fibrous roots may become so matted within the ball, as not to be able to extricate themselves, and the plants will be retarded in their growth. Both trees and bushes may be planted with great safety when the buds are nearly expanded, especially in damp gloomy weather, but not without the check being greater than if planted a little earlier ; certainly, however, with better success than late in the autumn or in winter. It will be found of the greatest moment to water freely such plants as have been removed in the spring months. This should take place at least twice a week, should the weather prove droughty, till they are safely established, say four or six waterings, or more. There are many kinds of rare plants kept in pots, which in cases of need may be planted in June, indeed at any time, without risk of death ; but the month of May is preferable to a later date. One great advan- tage of having the plants lying in the earth at hand, (as I have described above), is, that the most congenial weather can thus be seized upon for planting them. The planter should be particular always to have the trees and shrubs taken up with as many fibrous roots as possible ; and while I impress the importance of this, it will be still more important to warn against the unnatural practice of dubbing the roots, so generally pursued previous to planting. Common sense teaches us that to divest a plant of its healthy roots, is depriving it of vital organs, through the medium of which its principal support is derived. SEA-SIDE PLANTING. It is generally allowed to be very difficult to get trees and shrubs to grow, much more flourish, on many parts of the sea coast, and thus afford any degree of interest and satisfaction. But while admitting the difficulty, I am persuaded that, with attention and care, their growth may be greatly pro- moted, as I propose to shew from two cases that have come under my observation ; one on the eastern, and the other on the western coast. The difficulty arises, it is thought, from the injurious effects of the sea spray falling upon trees ; but this, in my opinion, is very doubtful. About fourteen years ago, I was engaged to fix the site of a marine villa on the eastern coast, and to lay out the grounds. The ground is in general flat, with little variation. Between the edifice and the sea there is a space of about one hundred and sixty yards ; the flat extends about one hunched and twenty yards, to a point about one hundred feet above the level of the sea ; the rest forms a steep bank, sloping rapidly down to the sands. The nature of the ground is very stiff, with a clayey bottom, but well drained. Among other tilings, I arranged a plantation of trees and shrubs from the house down to the sands. It was planted in the usual way, with trees from three to four years old, set about four feet apart. Two years after planting, half the trees at least were dead, and the rest had made scarcely any progress. The whole was replanted very thickly, the trees not being more than from one to two feet apart. I visited the place about two years afterwards, and found above half ahve, though very little improved. The young shoots were mostly dead, and the rest dying ; but on my visit to the spot about seven years after, I found, from the shelter the trees had afforded each other, by being thickly planted, many of them had attained the height of twelve feet. Among these were the Wych elm, willow, sycamore, common ash, and a solitary occidental plane, (which was weU sheltered by other trees), the whole having made shoots that year from two to three feet long ; the Turkey oak, larch, 177 lime, mountain ash, horse chesnut and laburnum, had attained the height of from eight to ten feet ; the spruce and Balm of Gilead firs were healthy, and making fine shoots. Such of the shrubs, also, both deciduous and evergreen, as had survived, are now thriving well; a manifest proof that the mischief the plants had previously sustained was to be attributed more to their exposure to the north and north-east winds beating upon the coast, than to the sea spray. I found some of the trees, although within ten yards of the reach of the tide, growing very freely on parts of the sloping bank, wherever the soil was moderately free, and they were not so fully exposed to the violence of the winds, in consequence of the current taking the higher level; and, at the same distance from the sea, I observed strawberries really flourishing, which, I was informed, had been planted five years, and had produced abundantly. I may also mention, as corroborative of my opinion, that the trees on the bank sloping down to the sea at Scarborough thrive remarkably well, wherever they are at all sheltered from sweeping winds. Since, then, it is evident that shelter is of the utmost importance to young plantations on the sea coast, I would recommend, in the first place, that the ground be very thickly planted, keeping the black spruce, Austrian pine, sycamore, Wych elm, common elder, and the willow, on the bleak sides. In the next place, in the most exposed parts, I would have poles (not pleasing objects, but expedients,) fixed firmly in the ground, and interwoven with good hay or straw ropes, three or four inches apart ; and in other parts, such as inner clumps or plantings, the usual hurdles, made of hazel or other cop- pice rods, would be found very serviceable. These were extensively used at a new place I laid out on the western coast, about half a mile from the sea, in a situation a good deal exposed to the west wind. Protected in this way, the trees and shrubs in general succeeded well ; and when the hurdles, &c., were removed in the spring of the second and third years afterwards, they appeared to sustain no injury. I would just notice, that great caution must be observed in thinning plantations in such localities. It is best to commence by lopping off the branches of those trees that are to be ultimately removed; then, in a year or two, remove them altogether. This method will prevent the adopted plants from being too suddenly exposed, and will gradually inure them to greater severities. REMOVING LARGE TREES. This is a subject well worthy of attention, and especially from those who are making improvements, where present effect is expedient, and where the change in the position of a favourite tree or shrub is necessary. I remember that attempts of this kind used to be made upwards of fifty years ago, with trees from thirty to forty feet in height; and there are accounts of the practice even before that time, but certainly with much less success and facility than subsequently. Within the last forty years a good deal has been written on this subject, proving its practicability. Sir H. Stewart, fifteen or twenty years ago, brought before the public a very elaborate work, affording useful information on the subject. Many other papers have also appeared in various periodicals, but not of equal value in point of general information. However, as some of my readers may not possess the requisite knowledge, it may be proper to lay down a few useful, though brief, directions for the process. First, then, we are to make choice of trees or shrubs not already crowded amongst others ; not only because they are less tender and better formed, but because they can be more easily taken up with good roots, and more easily removed ; our great aim being to secure to them in their removal a sufficient extent of good fibrous roots. This is best obtained by first throwing out a trench round the tree, about twelve or fifteen inches wide, and sufficiently deep to enable us to cut through the principal roots at a proper distance from the trunk, and undermine and loosen the soil between the roots with a pickaxe, so as in the end to leave the tree more than half taken up. Perhaps a tree with a bole ten or twelve inches in diameter near to its base, should have the trench made five to six feet from the trunk all round ; that is, to leave roots which would measure across, from outside to outside, about ten or twelve feet, or even more. If this is done in winter or early in spring, and the trench is then covered in again slightly, the tree will form numerous 179 small fibres, which will, with care, provide for a safe removal by the next planting season. Probably the least labour would be to cover the trench or excavation with stubble, litter, or straw : I have no doubt that the fibres would form under such a covering. A tree of the same magnitude, removed without this preparation, would require to be taken up with a greater extent of roots, in order to secure to it a sufficiency of those fibres to imbibe the elements adapted to produce health and growth. Trees may be transplanted from the fall of the leaf till the beginning of spring ; and it will be necessary to make the proposed receptacles for them deep enough to allow the roots, when planted, to be a few inches lower than when in their former locality. Previous to planting the tree, the pit should be trenched two or three spade-depths ; then, at a proper depth, a bed of fine loose broken soil should be laid all over the hole, to receive the first pushings of the fibres, and the pit should be considerably wider than the roots may seem to require, to allow plenty of loose earth for the young roots to penetrate in and lay hold freely. Trees of considerable size will need a large machine, (fig. AO), the wheels of which should be from eight to ten feet in diameter. It should have also a strong axle-tree, and a long pole sufficiently strong to lift up the tree from its bed, and bear it to its new destination. In trans- porting a tree, these wheels must be placed as near to the root as possible. Then, after fastening the pole and tree together, while it is perpendicular, another cord should be fastened to the end of the pole, by which the tree will be drawn prostrate. This being done, horses should be yoked to the machine on the root side of the tree, in order to remove it to its new destination. While the tree is in this position, if the top is considerably too heavy or large for the roots to support, a branch here and there may be taken away ; but by no means more than would preserve, to all appearance, its original a a 2 Figure 40. 180 size and handsome form. We should never, as some do, duh a tree so much as nearly to divest it of its branches, supposing that the roots curtailed by the process of taking up are inadequate to support the vitality of its top ; for this is to a great degree erroneous. It is true that the roots are not capable of imbibing sufficient support for the first year or two, to produce much growth in the top ; but if the tree survives, the leaves which it produces, as well as the roots, become ultimately equal for its conservation. They form, in fact, lungs of the tree ; absorbing, as well as evaporating organs, necessary to its health and growth. To cut off, therefore, such means of vitality from a tree while in this delicate position, would prevent the necessary free motion of its sap. However, were we to admit that the dubbed tree would make greater shoots, and those sooner than one with its top undubbed, for the first year or two, many years would be required for its original dimensions and beauty to be regained, — if, indeed that were ever done ; whereas, by the process which I have mentioned, it retains nearly its full size, and in two or three years, a well-managed tree would become so established as to grow freely and increase in size and beauty. The tree being raised perpendicularly, its roots and fibres are then to be regulated and put in order by the hand, and covered by degrees with fine soil, which is to be worked in amongst the roots carefully with an appropriate stick, so that the roots do not he hollow. To accomplish this more effectually, when the roots are more than half covered, the whole must be well drenched with water, the tree being moved or rocked a little at tire same time, to allow the puddle to mix and fill in amongst the roots. About this stage of the process, before all the earth is filled in, in order to prevent boisterous winds disturbing the roots and pressing the tree out of its perpendicular, it is a good plan to fasten the roots down in three or four places by means of a strong stick, about two feet long, laid across them near to their extremities, and kept in its place with strong hooked sticks at each end, until the stick bends with the pressure, rather than otherwise. (Fig. 11. a.) The next day after watering, or when it may be considered that the water previously applied is absorbed, the soil should be filled in and trodden moderately and firmly down. In finishing, the levelling should be left to appear to be a very gentle swell, to represent the natural raising of the ground by the roots of the tree, as is general. But this artificial swell must have a slight hollow at its top near the tree, for the 181 Figure 41. convenience of holding water during the process of watering. At the close of this operation, a good soaking of water by several pailfuls at a time is essen- tial, which must be followed up once or twice a week during the months of April and May, or even longer, if the weather is very droughty. But even in slightly rainy weather, exten- sive watering is ne- cessary once a week, at least in the months of April and May; for slight rains do nothing more than refresh the leaves and branches. If these directions are attended to, very few failures will ensue. When it is inconvenient, or where the number of trees to be removed is not sufficient to warrant the expense of a machine as thus described, a mason's truck, or a low wherry, drawn by a horse, will be found very useful. A pulley will, however, be necessary to rear and fix the tree upon the truck, in which position it must be steadied by labourers, with the assistance of ropes. Trees of three or four inches in diameter may be transported to a short distance readily, by six or eight men, having strong, yet not heavy, poles, sufficiently long for two or three men on each side of the tree to cany it. The pole, when the tree is prostrate, should be placed underneath it and close to the roots, fastened there by cords, so as not to allow it to slip about; and mats, or cloths, should be placed between the poles and the tree, to prevent its bark being bruised. Other men will be required to assist with the top part of the tree. Of course, the tree must be carried horizontally with its roots first. As the successful removal of large trees depends principally upon 182 their having the essential requisites, it may not he improper again to point them out. First, then, the tree is to possess good, fihrous, and spacious roots ; second, fine broken soil must be blended amongst the roots ; third, it is to be supplied with copious waterings ; and, fourth, it must be well stayed in its new locality against boisterous winds. Transplanted trees, not sufficiently large to be out of danger from cattle without fencing, may be very completely stayed by placing a rod on each side of them, nearly close to the tree, of sufficient length so that each end of the rod may rest upon the fencing, and be made fast by nails ; or, if the fence is of iron, wire will be necessary to fasten these cross bars, which are again to be crossed by short pieces, forming a square pretty close to the tree; this square is to be filled with hay or straw, that the tree may be kept from chafing. Trees not thus fenced may be stayed by three or four cords tied round the bole near the top of the tree, and fastened pretty tightly by string obliquely, to short strong stakes, driven into the ground a few yards from the tree, and leaning from it, in order to provide a more secure fastening for the cords. (Figure 41 b b). By a strict adherence to the foregoing recommendations, large trees and shrubs of most kinds may be transplanted with great success; and, certainly, in grounds unadorned with trees, nothing can be more pleasing than the immediate and striking effects which may be produced in this way. I have just visited a place I laid out fifteen years ago, (Bolton Hall, near Doncaster,) where several large trees were removed, tire trunks of which were from half a yard to two feet in diameter, and most of them are doing well. I particularly noticed a Wych elm, (a fine spreading tree, having a trunk two feet in diameter near to the ground,) which had made shoots this year half a yard long. The other trees were Spanish chesnuts, oaks, elms, and beeches. TOWN GARDENS. Town Gardens are those which skirt a town, and are usually of small extent, generally, indeed, occupying only the front of the house. Unquestionably, such gardens are best laid out in the formal style. It is absurd to make the least attempt to imitate rude nature in such places where the eye easily falls upon the square boundary, and on every other point at once. I have given a sketch, (Plate 1, figure I.) as an example of what I consider best for a place of this kind, when it may not be thought necessary to drive up to the door ; and another shewing a carriage drive (Plate 1, figure •2). Gardens such as these ought to be composed of fine turf, and should be furnished with handsome low trees and interesting shrubs, — not planted indiscriminately with all kinds of large shrubs. Forest trees are out of the question. I will name a few that I think the most suitable low trees for a smoky atmosphere ; such are double and single crimson thorns, snake-barked maple, various weeping trees, cut-leaved birch, red cedar, Hemlock- spruce, double blossomed cherry, Cotoneaster frigida, hollies of sorts, laburnums, snowy mespilus, Gleditschia triacanthos, Araucaria imbricata, and Cedrus deodara. Though the two last-named attain to a large size in their native country, there will be no danger, in these localities, of their becoming too large for many years, indeed, for a century to come. Amongst the evergreen shrubs which stand smoke best, are the Aucuba japonica, Rhododendron ponticum, Irish yew and Irish juniper, arborvitas, Erica stricta, multifiora, and carnea, box, laurustine, variegated hollies, Phillyrea ilex, Phillyrea angustifolia and oppositifolia, Arbutus regia, and Mahonia aquifolium. Deciduous flowering shrubs, in consequence of shedding their leaves in autumn, are not so hable to be injured by smoke as evergreens are; therefore, the deciduous plants ought to be the more largely employed, not forgetting the spring and autumnal roses, fuchsias, red and white mezereons, the white, red, and double ribes, Weigelia rosea, Spirea salicifolia, Douglasii, Lyndleyana and 184 areafolia. Hollyhocks and dahlias ought to take part in decorating the shrubbery ; and pinks, sweet-williams, piccotees, carnations, pansies, Alpine auriculas, columbines, antirhinums, polyanthuses, double primroses of various colours, wallflowers, with various other gay and odoriferous flowering plants and annuals, must be especially employed for decorating and embellishing the flower beds. Climbers for walls will be necessary, such as white and yellow jasmine, not forgetting Jasminum nudiflora, Amie vibert, Fellenberg, ruga and Thors- biana roses, Pyrus Japonica, long blowing and other honeysuckles, pyra- rantha (white and red berried), Wistaria consequan, Clematis azurea florida and Seiboldii, and Cotoneaster microphilla. EXTLANATION OF PLATE I IDEAL PLAN FOE TOWN GARDENS. Figure 1. House. Terrace. c. Two styles of shrub borders, shewn purposely for choice. Whichever is chosen, it is to represent both sides of the garden alike. The four circles, d, d, d, d, are intended for rich flowers, surrounded with wire baskets. The other four beds are also for flowers ; the remainder of the plot to be composed of fine lawn. The four small squares, e, e, e, e, are situations for sculpture, or fancy wire plant supporters. Figuee 2. a. House. I.. Terrace. c. c, c. Shrubs, fronted with flowers. d. Dial. e. Sculpture. £ ^ EXPLANATION OF PLATE II. IDEAL PLAN FOR A VILLA RESIDENCE UPON AN ACRE OF GROUND. 1. House. 2. Yard. 3. Stables. 1. Clothes yard, through which passes the back road to the house. 5. Vegetable garden. 6. Geometrical flower garden. 7. Sculpture. 8. Covered seat. 9. Greenhouse. 10. Dial. The beds are intended to be planted principally with good kinds of shrubs, and the belting or boundary with ornamental trees and shrubs. Plan for a ViEa Residence. I ACRE EXPLANATION OF PLATE III IDEAL PLAN FOE A VILLA RESIDENCE UPON FOUR ACRES OF GROUND. a. House. b. Kitchen yard. c. Stable yard. d. Stables. e. Cattle yard and cart shed. f. Clothes yard. g. Back road. h. Kitchen garden. i. Forcing-houses. j. Lodge. k. Round basket-work for flowers. l. Fountain. m. Aviary. n. Covered seat. o. Greenhouse, with verandah attached at each end for greenhouse plants in the summer. p, p. English or modern flower garden. q. Small pond. r. Paddock, grouped with trees, and shewing the manner of assembling trees for producing natural beauty, s. Rivulet. All the dotted beds are intended for flowers. The other beds are for shrubs, blended with smooth lawn. The boundary planting is proposed to be of trees and shrubs of the most pleasing and useful kinds. Ftafs 3 ....■■■ SUBURBAN VILLAS. Tlate 2 is an ideal plan of about an acre of land, not strictly uniform, yet for the most part formal. Being too small to justify fully an attempt at the natural or modern style, and being supposed to possess a site a good deal exposed to the gaze of the public, it will be necessary to plant a sufficient portion of the belt with hardy evergreen shrubs, such as common laurels, laurustine, Aucuba japonica, variegated hollies, phillyreas, allatumus, best evergreen privet, box-leaved privet, &c, and front these with rich flowering and evergreen shrubs. In order to obtain both variety and shelter, we may in the same belt plant low-growing ornamental trees, which will not only help to exclude the pubhc view, or to shut out any disagreeable object, but will also give variety of surface. If large trees are absolutely required, the follow- ing bear a smoky atmosphere moderately well : — the Wych and English elm, lime, cut-leaved beech, cut-leaved hornbeam ; but the horse chesnut, moun- tain ash, poplar, sycamore, common ash, and birch, are generally ragged, and thrive ill in a smoky atmosphere. A collection of good kinds of shrubs ought to occupy the various beds represented as shrub-masses in the plate ; also suitable kinds should form light groups on the lawn as grass plants. It is of consequence that the plants in such small places should not be allowed to be overgrown or too much crowded. The narrowest margin of grass may, in confined grounds, between the beds and walks, be fifteen or eighteen inches broad. Such srnall places being constantly under the eye, the greatest nicety of keeping is essential; for instance, smooth-cropped lawns, clean smooth walks, true and graceful curves, showing even, though very shallow, edgings, of not more than an inch deep. Further interest and beauty must be supphed by sculpture, round beds bordered with iron or wire, neat trelhsed seats, wire plant-supporters, and other garden ornaments. Above all, a provision of gay floral productions should be studiously presented throughout the season ; and in order to this, two or three successions of annuals should be introduced. B B 186 Plate 3 is an ideal plan of about four acres of land, proposed for a suburban villa, parsonage, or small country residence, with about two acres of it appropriated to pasture land, and the remainder to pleasure ground, vegetable garden, and other conveniences. In the arrangement of these grounds the modern style is kept in view, as much as the extent of ground will admit. Such sites must never be overplantcd with large growing com- mon trees, to the exclusion of a good and pleasing collection of ornamental trees and shrubs, as that would lessen the interest which ought ever to be held out as inviting the citizen from his busy haunts, to change his toil for that enjoyment of the beauties of nature which a richly decorated garden is so calculated to afford. Due regard must be paid to secure privacy by masking out the public view by planting. Even where distant views are desirable, and where evergreen shrubs would be sufficient to shut out the gaze of the public without trees, their introduction in this way, occasionally, would not only preserve desirable views, but also vary and heighten the landscape. The hints I have already given on planting in Park Scenery will apply also to this subject ; but, of course, all must be on a proportionately smaller scale. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. It would seem almost unnecessary to treat at all on Vegetable Gardens, as the laying out of them is well understood by gardeners generally, all agreeing that straight lines and parallel forms are more suitable for the arrangement of their crops than crooked hnes. I may observe, however, that the Vegetable Garden ought not to be at a considerable distance from the house, except a proper locality does not present itself nearer. When it is half a mile or more distant, as in many instances, the supply of the house with vegetables is effected with great inconvenience. At the same time, strict regard must be paid to its being so placed as to be concealed, as much as possible, from the general landscape. The gardens which are laid down on the General Plan in this work, are placed at as short a distance as should be allowed, for a proper disposal of the rest of the ground ; the size laid down would, also, only in very few instances be large enough ; therefore, any greater extent required should be added backwards, or further from the house. It may be useful to observe, that good drainage is of the highest import- ance to the health and flavour of both fruit and vegetables, especially in clayey or strong land. When such is the nature of the land, a principal drain should be laid in all the walks, considerably below the undisturbed subsoil, with necessary branch drains all over the garden, and especially in the borders between the walks and the wall, in order to keep the soil in as pure a state as possible for the roots of the wall trees. Further, when the bottom of these borders below the subsoil is of clay, in addition to the drains, the most useful and effective means to prevent the roots of vines, and other fruit trees, penetrating into the clay — in fact, to preserve them in a healthy state— is, to spread a thin covering of stones, or gravel, from an inch to three inches deep, all over the clay, then to cover the whole with hme, or lime-craps, sufficient to fill all the crevices, and afterwards to brush it in with a little water, so that, the whole being made firm and even, with a gentle fall from bb % 188 the wall, no water from excessive rains may settle in pools. This not only prevents the roots from penetrating into the cold clay, but keeps them in a warmer and more congenial element, whilst the trees are in every respect healthier, and produce better flavoured fruit. If this plan be considered too expensive, the next best method is to flag, or stone, below the subsoil in the above manner, five or six feet square, and then to plant the tree in a proper depth of soil, from eighteen inches or more. This will give a turn to the roots, and make tliem less hable to enter the clay, which is very prejudicial to them. Quicksandy bottoms require the same treatment. It is necessary to guard against planting fruit trees too numerously in other pails of the Vegetable Garden. They should be limited to such a number as will admit of a free circulation of air. A suitable place, not far distant from the kitchen garden, should be selected for an orchard, to supply the deficiency in the garden, paving the bottom as above. I think (though it is not a matter of paramount importance) that gardens should be kept clear of any arrangement calculated to produce an untidy appearance, — such as forcing-pits; and that sea-kale and rhubarb, which require forcing with manure or litter, should be found in places entirely set apart for that purpose. The principal forcing houses should, of course, be in the principal garden. A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON VILLAGES. The owners of hamlets and villages should give earnest attention to their neatness, picturesque heauty, and general appearance, as well as to tire comfort of the occupiers, especially those of the poorer classes, since, — independent of higher considerations, — a well-managed village adds much to the importance and beauty of a domain. To my mind, a really rural village is one of the most pleasing objects, especially when the cottages have not too much of a street-like appearance, but stand in groups, with fields here and there interspersed, with now and then clusters of trees and neatly clipped hedges, and clean firm roads and gravelled paths close to and on each side of the road. No open drains, offices, or rubbish heaps, should be any where visible. Cottages should be kept in comfortable repair, neat in their external appearance, and by all means the occupiers should be urged to cleanliness and order within. Roses and other climbing plants, neatly and uniformly trained to the cottage walls, give an idea also of management and respect- ability ; and I would therefore recommend proprietors to put up in front of every cottage, for the protection of such plants, a simple but neat palisade, from about three feet to three feet six inches high, and at a distance of about three ■ feet from the cottage front. If the cottages are old, perhaps a corresponding dwarf wall, two feet six inches high, might be better ; or larch rods of similar height, two to three inches in diameter, fixed upright, three or four inches apart, with a half one nailed on the top, the round side upwards, and stained or painted oak colour, would be quite in character. I should in no instance allow more front garden to appear, as such, unless the greatest order is kept, without which the beauty which we wish a village to present would be lessened. This three feet of garden should be fully occupied with flowers, such as stocks, pinks, pansies, tulips, wallflowers, mignonette, &c. The principal garden ought to be behind the house, for which, perhaps, each cottager should be allowed from five hundred yards to a quarter of an acre, as a general average, for vegetables, fruit, and flowers. 190 li would also be well if each cottage could be provided with pigsties, and tanks for collecting drainage for tillage. If, too, sufficient land could be allowed to support a cow, it would be a considerable privilege. The gardens in the first instance, I think, ought to be laid out by the owners' gardeners, or some competent person, and necessary fences and fruit trees introduced, under condition that the form of the grounds and the position of the trees should be always maintained. This would be far better both for landlord and tenant than for the tenant to pursue his own plans, as, on the latter plan, with every change of tenant a change in the garden would be the result, and discord and confusion woidd arise. I think also that the proprietors' gardeners should be allowed to pay a visit to each garden two or three times a year, that they might give a few general instructions, with which, and with the help of the Cottage Garden Book, the cottager might (if he is only willing) manage very well. I am the more anxious about this practical assistance being given in the first instance, because, if the breaking up and formation of a new garden were left entirely to the untutored cottager, the result would most likely be that his produce would not repay his labour, and he would, in time, dislike what ought to have proved both a profit and a pleasure ; at least, he would follow it with slovenliness and neglect. Thus, the objects of his having a garden would be frustrated, namely, affording him pecuniary assistance in the best form, preventing the waste of time at a public-house, and leading to the devotion of his leisure hours to pursuits which are most healthy, rational, and interesting, and calculated to increase the union, happiness, and pleasurable recreation of his whole family. One or two horticultural shows in a year in a village, or among a number of adjoining villages, would be likely to create great interest, and to stimulate the cottagers to vie with each other in the growth of the best productions. I would very respectfully ask the lady of the village to co-operate with the pastor, by paying occasional visits to cheer and encourage the cottagers, and giving them both temporal and spiritual advice. Such attention and watch- fulness will not fail to win the affection and respect of the villagers to their superiors. I took the hberty, some fifteen years ago, to suggest publicly similar views, which I had afterwards the pleasure of witnessing carried into practice. In one instance where I had the honour of paying a visit to a family in Westmoreland, I found a neat, clean village, trained with roses and 191 other climbing plants, the church-yard wall, outside, covered with ivy, mingling with monthly roses, &c. ; the lady of the village engaged in dressing and pruning some of the plants, and her gardener in training them. This lady's own grounds were rich in plants, and in the finest keeping; and I learnt before I left, that her kindness to the villagers had won their wannest attachment and esteem. I may mention another case, where I was consulted a short time after- wards by a clergyman in Lincolnshire, who had three small parishes under his care, and who was revered by all his parishioners. He had a complete medicine chest in his house, and in going round among his poorer brethren, when he found them a little ailing, they were assisted with simple medicine, when it was not thought necessary to call in the aid of a medical man. During my stay I went with my clerical friend through his parishes, and it was highly gratifying to see with what pleasure the people received the visit of their kind pastor. As it was his wish in some degree to carry out my views, by inculcating a style of order and neatness, and cultivating a taste for gardening amongst his cottagers, he lost no time in distributing various climbing plants for their cottages, and fruit trees of the best kinds to such as were provided with gardens. Many of the work-people possessed a small portion of land, and kept a cow; and I remember well, on one of my visits, he observed, that nearly the whole of his flock appeared so comfortable that their circum- stances were really enviable. I have since had the pleasure to visit the same gentleman, who has left his former charge, and is watching with equal zeal over another in a rural parish in Nottinghamshire. It is true that tins liberal and kind-hearted pastor had the pecuniary means of doing what it is much to be regretted that many good and pious clergymen wish to do, but cannot to the same extent ; but every clergyman can do a little, at least, in the way of counsel and advice. A plot of ground, in eveiy village, should be set apart for athletic games and other innocent amusements. It would also be most desirable if water could be introduced at one end of the plot, and be planted out from the gaze of the public, so as to afford baths and swimming ponds, and also winter recreations on the ice. The water should not be more than three or four feet deep, to prevent accidents. Schools for the education of the poorer classes are now becoming so general, that it is scarcely necessary to refer to that subject. Of course, no 192 village can be complete without a school, and no perfection of schools can be maintained without the superintending visits of the heads of the village. I cannot help speaking of one instance of the paternal care I am so anxious to see general, irrelevant as it may be to the subject of Landscape Gardening. In one instance, where I was called in to improve an extensive domain in Cumberland, my patron and his lady were very benevolent, and turned their attention particularly to the education of the children of the poor. In addition to the general appendages to the mansion, there were erected, at a convenient distance from it, ornamental and comfortable cottages for the married servants; two separate schools, one for boys and the other for girls, which were used both as day and Sunday schools ; also a cottage each for the master and mistress of the schools ; and, in addition to these, I fixed the site for a neat lodge for the back approach. These, together with the dahy and farm buildings, presented the appearance of a neat picturesque village or hamlet mingled with trees, which both added extent, variety, and importance to the estate, and formed, with the mansion, a very complete whole. In these schools the day boys receive more than ordinary education, and are in due time provided with suitable places. Such as wish to be gardeners are prac- tically educated in the gentleman's own gardens, where the range of glass is immense, as well as the grounds extensive. The girls are taught, in addition to general education, every kind of needlework, with the necessary routine best fitted to prepare them for respectable places, which are (if possible) provided for them also. To these schools the ladies pay frequent visits, and assist there on Sundays. At certain times, both the Sunday and day scholars have festivals, or holidays, when they are regaled with buns, tea, &c, and are also permitted to walk in the pleasure grounds, and look into the plant and forcing houses. I had the pleasure to be present on one of these occasions. In the afternoon, the children were assembled together on the terrace and regaled in the manner above noticed ; hints and appropriate advice, and encouragement, being also given by their benefactor. He endeavoured to impress upon their young minds the importance of honesty, loyalty, obedience to parents, employers, and benefactors, but, above all tilings, to make the Bible their study and guide. The neat and clean appearance of the children, and their orderly behaviour, were very gratifying. We were cheered by the singing of their little hymns, and, at dismissal, they all joined in singing the national anthem, which they did with spirit and cheerfulness. PUBLIC PARKS CONNECTED WITH LARGE TOWNS. Public Parks for large towns are of very great importance to persons whose occupations compel them to dwell in a smoky and impure atmosphere. They are, indeed, almost necessary; and they ought to be of sufficient extent to afford a spacious promenade, to have a great variety of pleasure ground, and to present, if not a complete, at least a judicious collection of attractive kinds of trees, shrubs, and flowers, varied with lawn, arranged in the best possible manner and most attractive style. An Arboretum, upon the principle of that at Derby, would also be highly attractive, as well as instructive. When the extent of ground is of sufficient magnitude, room must also be afforded for various athletic games, and for other amusements, as at Manchester. In forming the three parks at Man- chester, (which we had the privilege of designing), the committee particularly wished us to arrange our plans so as to offer convenience for as many varieties of games as possible. In order, therefore, to make the most of the ground we had to operate upon, we designed the pleasure ground as near as prac- ticable to the skirts of the plot, and then took advantage of every nook or recess which was to spare for the different play-grounds, — for archery, quoit alley, skittle ground, bowling green, climbing poles, gymnasium, marbles, see-saws, &c, for males; and see-saws, balls, skipping rope, the Graces, &c, for females. A general play-ground was formed in the centre of the whole plot, of about twelve or fifteen acres, for cricket, knor and spell, leaping poles, football, and foot races, &c, and also for the additional purpose of large public meetings. These plans, with but a few exceptions, were generally approved and acted upon. One exception I think it necessary to mention, because the omission very much deteriorated our general arrangements; and the committee would not have permitted it had their funds been larger. I allude to an inner fence of wire, by which it was intended to divide the c c 191 pleasure grounds from the open area or general play ground, so that the grass might be kept short by letting in sheep at hours when the ground was otherwise unoccupied. This I consider the cheapest way of keeping in order so large a space. Such a fence would also have been useful in preventing the formation of tracks in order to gain the shortest access to any particular spot. Of such tracks there were soon many, in addition to the walks originally laid down, and which, I understand, has resulted in many additional walks being made, whereby the boldness and freedom of the whole has been to a great extent destroyed. I mention this to prevent similar errors. It is much to be regretted that nowhere amongst our public parks in England, or in any part of her Majesty's dominions, are there to be found General good specimens of the English style of Landscape Gardening, even in places where there has been ample scope to admit of the finest examples. Our metropolitan parks are amongst the worst of all. Where lies the blame '? Surely it cannot be said that this has happened for want of artistic skill, while we have had a Repton, a Gilpin, and a Loudon. Had their taste and talent been called into action, such barbarous productions as we see in these national parks would not have presented themselves. It requires no great skill to detect that the arrangement of the three metropolitan public parks, where much might have been expected, namely, Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and the Green Park, has not been guided by an experienced hand. Of these parks, it can only be said that they are open and healthy places of resort for the public, who may choose to leave the confined streets and alleys of the metropolis, to resort to them. But it appears to me that such praise is far less than they might have merited. London is the grand emporium of the world, to which people from all parts and all nations resort, and who naturally expect great things there ; consequently, in the parks of London ought to be exhibited the chief model of the English style of Land- scape Gardening, not only as a pattern for her Majesty's subjects to copy, but to put to silence the censure of other nations. In illustration of this, I may mention that a very severe criticism was passed upon the English style of Landscape Gardening generally, by a German tourist, in the pages of the Gardeners Magazine, vol. vi., page 31, and it fell to my lot to vindicate it in a succeeding number of the same volume, page Oil. But if these parks had been the only objects of his censure, and I had been called upon to establish 195 the proposition, that true taste was displayed in them, I must unquestionably have failed in the attempt. Without entering into any detail of the faults existing in the parks of London, (which, by the way, would be too voluminous for this work), I may be permitted to urge the propriety of their being remodelled, so as to exhibit, as fully and completely as possible, the modern or English style of Landscape Gardening. For example : there might be shewn the proper position and naturally varied outline of principal plantings ; the style of planting each kind of trees in groups and masses ; the different forms and sizes of groups and masses, with the manner in which they, as well as the trees, should be associated. The water now in the parks should be formed into imitative lakes, river, and rivulets, having their margins naturally varied and fringed at intervals with plants, and their banks occasionally grouped with trees and bushes, with islands here and there introduced, so as to produce intricacy and variety, — at one time allowing the water to be closely approached, at another preventing it by groups of trees and shrubs. I would, by no means, allow the indecent practice of open bathing in these waters ; provision ought to be made for that purpose elsewhere. Spacious winding drives and rides should be there. Besides dress grounds with bold, graceful, and easily curved walks, there ought to be shrubberies or masses of shrubs, without any appearance of earthy parts, but with varied outlines produced by their natural growth blending with varied expanses of lawn, and associated with clusters and single bushes and trees, so as generally to bring out prominent bends, and to effect deeper bays. There should also be covered and open seats, sculpture, fountains, plant- houses, and all necessary garden structures. A general flower garden, composed of elegantly formed beds both of shrubs and flowers, harmoniously dispersed over lawn, and varied with smaU groups of some of the most striking and beautiful shrubs, would also be most pleasing. A rosarium, American and rock garden, botanic garden, aquarium, and an arboretum, as complete as possible — so arranged as to be studied in regular order, even by strangers, without their being confused or perplexed — would be highly useful. Lastly, all the various kinds of plants should be distinctly named, their native country, with the time of their introduction into this country, being also stated. c c 2 IOC I would particularly advise the appropriation of spaces (under restric- tions) for innocent athletic games, in addition to the open park necessarily required for more extensive games and recreations, and military exercise. Great caution would, however, be necessary, that none of these provisions should interfere with the composition and beauty of the general landscape, and that throughout there should be a unity and harmony preserved. MISCELLANEOUS. Shrubs suitable as Undeegeowths foe Thickening Plantations. It is the opinion of many, persons that plants under other trees do not thrive, because of the drip from those trees ; and hence arises the common phrase. " They cannot bear tire chip." To me this appears a misconception. I think that the success or non-success of plants introduced under trees ought more to be attributed, sometimes, to a want of light and heat to accelerate and mature their growth, and sometimes (even in the case of plants that will bear the shade), to want of a strict preparation of the soil previous to their being planted. In most cases, the existing roots absorb nearly all the nutriment which the soil can give, and thereby impoverish it so much as to leave the new plants no opportunity to do more than just live, or live in sickness. In order, therefore, to promote their success, in the first place, spacious pits, from two to six feet wide, and about half a yard deep, (according to circum- stances), must be made, to disturb or clear away the existing roots and fibres. Then a moderate quantity of good soil or decaying sods must be added ; and it will be a further advantage if a httle humus of decayed leaves or manure, or both, can be supplied, which would establish the plants fully. By the way, all ornamental plantings, especially those cleared of all fallen leaves, ought occasionally to be manured. The following kinds will be found generally to flourish pretty well, except the overhanging trees are very much crowded, which ought not to be, for the sake of ornament and effect, (as I have remarked in the chapter on the management of ornamental trees). The yew, common holly, and smooth-leaved holly, are invaluable for this purpose, and, indeed, so are the variegated kinds for front situations. The common and Portugal laurels, best evergreen and box-leaved privet, Daphne pontica, Butcher's broom, box in varieties, English juniper, mahonia aquifolia, repens, and other varieties, whins, brooms, hemlock-spruce, and the rhododendron 198 ponticum, are highly desirable for forming thickets and for varying the scene. I remember, upwards of forty years ago, noticing magnificent bushes of the latter, growing freely in the shade, in the woods at Kenwood, the seat of the Earl of Mansfield. Among the deciduous shrubs are the red dogwood, silver and gold striped elder, nuts, blackthorns, and the Dundee rambling roses. Woodbine and Virginian bower, borne up by some neighbouring bush or tree, are particularly pleasing. Vinca minor, of varieties, and Vinca major, are valuable plants for covering bare ground under trees in pleasure grounds; and in such situations they serve as a bordering for walks. Also the common ling and other heaths, Gaultheria shallon, and crowberries, may be employed for the same purpose. Climbing Plants. First, I may mention the following as very suitable for clinging to old buildings, with little or no assistance, both with a view to produce effect, and also for covering walls, in order to destroy their glaring appearance :— Irish ivy, small-leaved silver-striped ivy, and gold-striped Irish giant ivy, palmate- leaved and common small-leaved Virginian creeper ; Bignonia radicans, and Bignonia radicans major. Next, those suitable for trellis work and walls, but requiring to be trained, are, — Clematis azurea grandiflora, Clematis flamula, Clematis florida, Clematis florida pleno, Clematis bicolor, Eccremocarpus scabra, Lycium barbarum, Lycium ruthenicum, Catalpa syringifolia, Wistaria consequana, Jasminum nudiflorum, Wallachiana, and the white jasmine, Passiflora ccerulea, honeysuckles of sorts, Fellemberg, Amie vibert, Thorsbiana, and other perpetual roses. Plants foe Beautifying Teees which are not of themselves Pleasing Objects. The double Ayrshire and Thorsbiana roses, varieties of honeysuckles, Virginian bower, sweet-scented clematis, cut-leaved ivy, small leaved and silver ivy, are pleasing objects climbing round the stems and branches of old crooked trees, not handsome of themselves. But let it be noticed, that ivy pressing and grasping straight-stemmed trees of all ages, exhibiting puny tops, and gasping for life, (as we often see it in woods), is neither natural 199 in its effect, nor pleasing, but much the reverse. On the other hand, when we see it stealing over and taking possession of the trunk and branches of an old, time-worn tree, the special character of which is gone, and thus presenting to view a varied ivy tree, studded with its tufted blossoms, we have an object most pleasing and picturesque. Compost for Plants. Perhaps I ought to name the kind of compost suitable to be used in planting young plants in situations where the soil is not naturally good. I believe nothing is more suitable for the growth of plants, generally, than sods, taken from a loose or kind loamy pasture, an inch to two inches thick, and laid on a heap to decay. This compost would be usable after lying twelve months, but would be equally good for several years ; and if the sod is taken from light land, and mixed with decaying leaves of equal quantity, with the addition of one-eighth of river sand, such a compost would be a good substitute for peat soil for the growth of rhododendrons, heaths, and many other plants commonly called bog plants, especially if a little real peat was first put around the roots, to start their growth. The above compost, in either case, would be improved by the addition of a moderate quantity of decayed stable manure. To Protect Tender Plants. Beds of tender plants, such as monthly roses, may be protected from severe weather by pricking in amongst them short branches of whins, or different kinds of firs, especially the spruce and silver, or with common heaths. Small single plants, also, may be secured against the inclemency of the weather by three or four branches being set round each plant. These retain their greenness pretty well all winter, and do not appear disagree- able, — at least, not nearly so much as when the plants are bound round with matting, or covered with basket work in the usual way. To Destroy Weeds in Walks. When walks become by any means so neglected as to be overrun with mosses and small grasses, or other weeds, too tedious to hand-weed, they may be destroyed by pouring upon them a moderate quantity of boiling water 200 from a watering-pan and rose, or a barrel fixed upon wheels, letting the water I Inn ugh a tap into a tube the whole breadth of the walk, or nearly so, pierced with holes, so as to allow it to fall freely all over the walk, without injuring the boundaries or borders of grass. It is useless to employ other ingredients, under the idea that they may render the remedy more efficacious, for weeds cannot survive the application of boiling water. To Destroy Worms. Worms throw up their casts on both lawns and walks. This may be prevented by occasional applications of lime-water, composed of lime slacked until it falls, just as is done by builders. A spadeful of this, mixed with ten gallons of water, stirred well together for about ten minutes or more, will be effective for their destruction, if poured on the parts freely in the spring or in the autumn ; or it may be applied at other times, in damp or showery weather, when worms are near the surface. The water then fails not to reach them. The lime will keep for months if the air be excluded from it, which may be done by the use of tubs, or otherwise ; but it becomes useless when exposed for a while to the atmosphere. EXPLANATION OF PLATES. PLATE V.— IDEAL PLAN OF A COUNTRY RESIDENCE, Attempting to Delineate the True English or Natural Style of Laying-out Pleasure Grounds. This being drawn upon a scale too large for the Park to be attached, I have given a detached plan, Plate VI., which will shew the style I recommend for the arrangement of a Park. 1. House. 2. Kitchen yard and outbuildings. 3. Stable yard. 4. Stables. 5. Clothes, or laundry yard. 6. Conservatory, or plant houses adapted for a winter promenade. 7. Reading-room, museum, or plant house. 8. Shed and fire-place. 9. 9. Terrace, — the wall of which to be decorated with vases, sculpture, &c 10. Small paddock, which may be appropriated to play grounds. 11. Aviary, or menagerie, with yard attached. 12. Swimming pond, with dressing rooms. 13. Covered seat in wooded scenery. 14. Lodge and entrance gates. 15. 15.- Back entrance gates. 16. Stack yard. 17. Farm. 18. Ice-house. 19. 19. Gardener's and under-gardener's house. 20. Forcing-pit and reserve garden. 21. 21. Compost ground. 22. Forcing houses and shed. 23. 23, 23. Walls enclosing vegetable garden, bounded by borders for wall trees and vegetables, &c. 24. Botanic garden. 25. Arboretum on lawn, in the gardenesque style. 202 20. Covered seat. 27. Rockery, or rock garden. 28. Rude covered seat. 29. Greenhouse, with wings oflattice work attached, in which to place plants in summer, the whole fronted by a dwarf terrace wall, decorated with vases, sculpture, &c. 30. Fountain. 31. 31, 31. General flower garden. 32. Group, or mass garden. 33. Florist garden ; or the whole to he employed as a General Flower Garden, and the round beds for groups and masses of bedding plants. 34. Beds for American plants, or such as require peat soil. 35. 35. Ornamental seats. The dots at the junctions of the walks denote situations for sculpture. Places for bight, elegant, open seats are represented by oblong marks on the sides of the walks. PLATE VI.— IDEAL PLAN DELINEATING THE MODERN OR ENGLISH STYLE OF LAYING OUT A PARK, SUITABLE FOR A COUNTRY RESIDENCE,— Plate V. 36. Hut for aquatic animals. 37. 37, 37. Bridges. 38. Covered open seat. 39. Rustic covered seat. 40. Boat-house. 41. Jet, issuing out of a rocky base in the lake. 42. Lake, interspersed with islands. 43. Waterfall and rockwork. 44. Entrance gates and lodge. 45. Boundary fence, fronted with low-growths, not intended to grow higher than the wall, but just to shut out the public gaze, yet allow the eye to range beyond ; and to assist in destroying the boundary, or belted appearance. PLATE VII.— DESIGN FOR PALACE OR MANSION GROUNDS. This plan being too extensive to admit of a Park being attached, Plate VI. is intended to suffice to show the style recommended. 1. Palace. 2. Court, composed of lawn, gravel, shrubs, and sculpture. 3, 3. Porter's lodges, with arched gateways. 4, 4, 4. Shrubs, intended to hide the stable yard from view, with a few ornamental low ivies added, in order to vary the surface line, and prevent a full exposure of the stables, but not to shut them out altogether. 203 5. Stable yard. 6. Stables. 7. Carpenter's yard, &C. 8. Kitcben yard, &c. 9. Clothes yard. 1 0. Terrace, with small beds on lawn, proposed to be edged round with terra eotta, and strong wire basket work, to be adorned with the richest and most beautiful flowers from the reserve garden or plant houses, when in bloom. 11. Ten-ace wall, or balustrades, to be ornamented with vases, urns, and varied sculpture. 12. Conservatory, — to be entered from one of the living rooms, and proposed to be used as a promenade in unfavourable weather, having a centre walk for that purpose. 18. Winter garden, with a plant house, in which early flowering plants are to be kept : or, if Figure 12 be employed and considered sufficient, this site may be appro- priated to an arcade, the sides of which should be formed with open archways and handsome trellised pilasters, trained with creepers. Patterns for the garden are shewn upon a larger scale at Figure 4. 1 -1. Play ground, in which is to be a gynmasiuni. 15. Baths and swimming pond. 16. Compartments for choice rhododendrons and azalias. 17. Common rhododendrons, and other low American trees. 18. Lawn, varied with masses of shrubs and single bushes. 19. Tower, reading-room, or museum, placed in the midst of a formal rosarium, in which four different patterns of beds are shewn for dwarf roses blended with lawn, on which are to be placed standards, represented by dots. Whichever pattern may be chosen, it would be more characteristic to keep the whole garden of the same figure ; — the different designs are given merely for choice. 20. Florist compartment. 21. Compartment for small American plants, and other kinds requiring peat soil. 22. 22. Compartment for herbaceous or perennial flowers, varied with shrub masses and bushes. 20. Mass or group garden. 24. Fountain. 25. Plant house. 26. Compartment for greenhouse plants in summer time, the fronts of which are to be composed of handsome pilasters of lattice work, with arched openings. The whole to be neatly trained with pretty climbing plants. 27. Aviary, surrounded with lawn, studded with bird cages, &c, and wire devices for supporting flowers. 28. Covered seats. 29. 29. Rivulet, which may be employed for the growth of aquatic plants, and for exhibit- ing gold and silver fish. The bottom to be bedded with white sandy gravel. 30. Menagerie, surrounded by circular walks and grass. 31. Open seats. 32. Principal stove and sheds. 204 88. Vegetable garden, enclosed by fruit walls, with borders both inside and out. 34. Pineries and other forcing compartments. 85, 38. Dwarf fruit trees, intermixed with filberts. 36. Gardeners' houses. 37. Compost ground, &c. 88. Forest walk, which may command specimens of the rarer and ornamental trees. 89, : !'-'. Boundary fence between the park and pleasure ground. 40. Lodge. 41. Pinctum, upon lawn, introducing now and then groups of trees of a different character, in order to vary its monotony, and soften the dense, sombre tone which would otherwise present itself. It will also be necessary to blend a few of the pines into the adjoining forest planting, in order that the transition between tlic two may not be too great. 42. Rustic seat. 43. 43, 43. Forest walking ground. PLAN r^KV'];1.D r'ii'. u£MRAL Vfi.FMttS£JVJ£jTr 03 m 1~ ..._ ^_ ; '.I 1J 1 " vl «■ 1 1 PLATE 6 ■»-"* I t H i r,,ll,;/n ,< sum LCOl /.,. » y -■ ■ | H . - ■ -• LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS His Grace the Duke of Norfolk, Arundel Castle, Sussex. His Grace the Archbishop of York, Bishopthorpe. near York. The Eight Honourable the Earl of Carlisle, Castle Howard, Yorkshire. The Eight Honourable Earl Fitzwilliam, Wentworth Park, Yorkshire. The Eight Honourable the Earl of Effingham, The Grange, Yorkshire. The Eight Honourable the Earl of Dartmouth, Sandwell Park, Staffordshire. The Eight Honourable Lord Calthorpe, Ampton Park, Suffolk. The Eight Honourable Lord Feversham, Duneombe Park, Yorkshire. The Eight Honourable Lord Panmure, Dunkeld Park, Scotland. The Eev. John Dodson, Littledale, near Lancaster. William Beckett, Esq., M.P., Kirkstall Grange,' near Leeds. William Williams Brown, Esq., Allerton Hall, near Leeds. Arthur Lupton, Esq., Newton Hall, near Leeds. Sir George Goodman, Knt., M.P., Boundhay, near Leeds. Thomas William Tottie, Esq., Beech Grove, near Leeds. David Cooper, Esq., Shadwell Grange, near Leeds. T. P. Teale, Esq., Leeds. Joseph Teale, Esq., Leeds. John Upton, Esq., Brompton, near London. Michael Stocks, Esq., Catherine House, neat Halifax. Charles Yates, Esq., Birmingham. James Sanderson, Esq., Endcliffe Cottage, Sheffield. Frederick Thynne, Esq., Westminster, London. The Eev. C. A. Hulbert, Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield. Hamer Stansfeld, Esq., Burley Grange, near Otley. William Smith Dickinson, Esq., Pannal, near Harrogate. Charles Brook, Esq., Healey House, near Huddersfield. Charles Brook, Jun., Esq., Wood Cottage, Meltham, near Huddersfield. The Honourable Mr. Gough, Perry Hall, near Birmingham. Benjamin Hemsworth. Esq., Monk Fryston Hall, near Ferrybridge. W. Andrews, Esq., Bradford. Eobert Dymond, Esq., M.D, Bolton Hall, near Doncaster. W. W. Bagshawe, Esq., The Oaks, near Sheffield. Daniel Peckover, Esq., Wood Hall, near Bradford. 206 J. Rogers, Esq., Abbeydale, near Sheffield. Henry Forbes, Esq., Harrogate. Robert Milligan, Esq., M.P., Acacia, near Bradford. Titus Salt, Esq., Crow Nest, near Bradford. W. Murgatroyd, Esq., Bank Field, near Bingley. B. B. Popplewell, Esq., Beacon Hill, near Ilkley. The Rev. H. B. Smyth, Thornes Parsonage, near Wakefield. J. Riley, Esq., Birkby, near Huddersfield. Thomas Firth, Esq., Toothill. Bentley Shaw, Esq., Wood Field House, near Huddersfield. Joseph Hirst, Esq.. Wilshaw, near Huddersfield. Thomas Horsfall, Esq., Burley Hall, near Otley. W. P. Milner, Esq., Attercliffe, near Sheffield. Wilson Overend, Esq., Sheffield. T. W. Watson, Esq., Sheffield. J. T. Fisher, Esq., Marsden. Sydney Norris, Esq., Fixby Park. Richard Hurst, Esq., Miriield. Messrs. Batt and Rutley, London. Joseph Dent, Esq., Ribstone Park, near Wetherby. W. W. Walker, Esq., Boiling Hall, near Bradford. Edward Waud, Esq., Manston Hall, near Leeds. James Hamerton, Esq., Hellifield Peel, neai - Skipton. Wm. Tipping, Esq., Bank Hall, near Clitheroe. Thomas Nelson, Esq., Carlisle. Alderman Sidney, London. W. J. Horn, Esq., Carr House, near Sheffield. William Aldam. Jun., Esq., Frickley Hall, near Doncaster. William Jacomb, Esq., Mold Green, near Huddersfield. A. Wilson, Esq., Pitsmoor, near Sheffield. John Brooke, Esq., Arrnitage Bridge. John Crossley, Esq., Halifax. Edward Akroyd, Esq., Denton Park, neai- Otley. William Leigh Brook, Esq., Meltham Hall, near Huddersfield. John Waterhouse, Esq., Well Head, near Halifax. John Fullerton, Esq., Thryberg Park, near Rotherham. Joseph Robert Atkinson, Esq., Elmwood House, Leeds. The Venerable Archdeacon Musgrave, Halifax. Henry Akroyd, Esq., Halifax. George Wilson, Esq., Prinlaws, Fife, Scotland. Alexander Lawson, Esq., Bumturk, Scotland. George Higham, Esq., Brighouse, (2 copies). George Rogers, Esq., Priestley Green, neai - Halifax. D. B. Mouncey, Esq., Hillham Hall, near Ferrybridge. Samuel Waterhouse, Esq., Green Hays, near Halifax. 207 Mrs. John Allen, Huddersfield. Bernard Hartley, Esq., Allangate, near Halifax. James Stansfeld, Esq., Halifax. Charles Norris, Esq., Wood Hall, near Halifax. Thomas Varley, Esq., Edgerton House, near Huddersfield. B. B. Taylor, Esq., York House, near Huddersfield. William Haigh, Esq., The Shay, near Halifax. E. L. Betts, Esq., Preston Hall, near Maidstone, Kent. Robert Baker, Esq., Manston, near Leeds. Robert John Bentley, Esq., Finningley Park, near Bawtry. William Robinson, Esq., Settle. John Dixon, Esq., Knells, near Carlisle. G. G. Tetley, Esq., Daisy Hill, near Bradford. Messrs. Henderson and Son, Pine Apple Place, near London. William Butcher, Esq., Glossop Road, near Sheffield. F. W. T. Vernon Wentworth, Esq., Wentworth Castle, Yorkshire. Robert Younge, Esq., Grey Stones, near Sheffield. Corden Thompson, Esq., M.D., Sheffield. William Jeffcock, Esq., High Hazels, near Sheffield. William Martin, Esq., Undercliffe, near Bradford. John Jeats Thexton, Esq., Ashton House, Milnthorpe, near Lancaster. William M. Brown, Esq., Leeds. Joshua Pollard, Esq., Scarr Hill, near Bradford. Mrs. Bentley, Esholt House, near Leeds. Malcolm Ross, Esq., Manchester. Sir John Potter, Knt., Buile Hill, Manchester. William Fairbaim, Esq., Manchester. J. Tindale, Esq., Rose Villa, near Huddersfield. Robert Barnes, Esq., Brookside, Manchester. Charles Gascoigne Maclea, Esq., Blenheim Terrace, Leeds. William Greenwood, Esq., Wood House, near Ilkley. Anthony Titley, Esq., Hill Top, Headingley, near Leeds. P. W. Passavant, Esq., Knowsthorpe, near Leeds. William Henry Rawson, Esq., Hill House, Sowerby, near Halifax. R. E. Payne, Esq., Roundhay, near Leeds. Frederick Baines, Esq., St. Ann's, Burley, near Leeds. Captain Spong, R.N., Maidstone, Kent. James Holdforth, Esq., Burley Hill, Leeds. John Skelton, Esq., Moor Allerton, near Leeds. Robert Hudson, Esq., Acacia Villa, Roundhay. P. Davis Cooke, Esq., Gwysane, Mold, Flintshire. William Beverley, Esq., St. Ann's, Burley, near Leeds. John Horsfall, Esq., Bolton Royd, Bradford. Thomas Brooke, Esq., Northgate House, Honley, near Huddersfield. R. H. Singleton, Esq., Springfield Lodge, near Leeds. 20 S John Rhodes, Esq., Potternewton House, near Leeds. Charles Bousfield, Esq., Roundhay, near Leeds. Thomas Skclton, Esq., Headingley, near Leeds. William Meynell, Esq., Little Woodhouse, Leeds. Joshua Fielden, Esq., Stansfield Hall, Todmorden. E. J. Maude, Esq., The Old Hall, Knowsthorpe, near Leeds. Edmund Maude, Esq., Potternewton, near Leeds. Elward J. Teale, Esq., Woodhouse-lane, Leeds. William Hey, Esq., Roundhay, near Leeds. Lionel Knowles, Esq., Gomersal, near Leeds. Edward Wilkinson, Esq., Winmoor Lodge, near Leeds. John G. Sugden, Esq., Steeton Hall, near Keighley. William Bernhardt, Esq., Leeds. T. P. Crosland, Esq., Gledholt, near Huddersfield. Wm. Singleton, Esq., Park Place, Leeds. Joseph Ogden March, Esq., Beech Grove, Leeds. John Heaton, Esq., St. John's Cottage, near Leeds. Edwin Eddison, Esq., Headingley, near Leeds. William M. Maude, Esq., Knowsthorpe Hall, near Leeds. John Sykes, Esq., Headingley Hill, near Leeds. William Gott, Esq., Spring Bank, Harrogate. The Rev. J. A. Rhodes, Roundhay, near Leeds. John Wilkinson, Esq., Gledhow Mount, Potternewton. John Wilson, Esq., Roundhay, near Leeds. Thomas Wilks Lord, Esq., Bridgefield-place, near Leeds. Richard Harrison, Esq., Woodlesford House, near Leeds. Messrs. Perkin and Backhouse, Leeds. John Ripley, Esq., Cowper Villa, near Leeds. Samuel Hammond, Esq., Bridgefield-place, near Leeds. Major Spong, Boley Hill, Rochester, Kent. Dr. Ramshottom, Huddersfield. John Calverley, Esq.. Oulton Park, near Leeds. Edward Rawson, Esq., Ash Grove, near Halifax. George Hayward, Esq., Headingley. EDWARD BAINES AND SONS, PRINTERS, LEEDS. Deliver to: Qfit ».. I0jl\ *~] Returned to Circulation Desk ^J Returned to you from Inter-Library Loan _/ Returned to 115 Box _y Sent from *Circ. Desk for: suting Slip of I Library Lrculation Dept. 203-9-70 ^"S'yOf'l-UNOIS.URBANA ''I I II I II I , 30112039718280