146 THE FLORIST. 



of the kind where the plan comes decidedly under the eye, whatever 

 point it is observed from, it becomes, indeed, a necessity, in such 

 cases, that the masses of colour be not too far detached from each other, or 

 the unity of the arrangement is broken up and lost. At the same time 

 a compensatory amount of green is necessary, and this is supplied by the 

 broad margin, the slope, and the upper surrounding shrubbery and turf. 



In designing gardens of this kind, especial attention must be given 

 to proportioning their dimensions to the position they occupy, with 

 regard to the surrounding objects and circumstances, their nearness to the 

 points from which they are most conspicuously seen, and the extent of 

 flat ground which it is desirable to preserve open rather than occupy 

 with extensive planting. Special consideration must also be given to 

 the angle of the slope or batter, and the depth of depression below the 

 general surface. It sometimes happens to be an object not to have steps 

 or other easy means of entrance at any particular point or points, and 

 in such cases the slope should be very gradual ; while, on the other 

 hand, where due provision of this kmd is made, it is sometimes 

 requisite that the slopes should be very steep, to harmonise with the 

 precipitous nature of the position, or from its nearness to a noble 

 mansion, or from its having some intervening link or links between 

 it and the more naturally arranged grounds. The nature of the soil 

 must also be considered or suited to the slope, as the angle which would 

 allow of good sward growing upon one kind of soil, on another would 

 produce nothing, or nearly so. 



Perfect satisfaction in the arranging of anything of the kind depends 

 upon the careful consideration of every circumstance by which it is, or 

 may be, governed, and by allowing each to exercise its due influence on 

 the decision to be arrived at. 



The entrance to gardens of this kind may be of three kinds, — stone 

 steps, gravel slopes, or easy turf inclines. Where a passage to any 

 other portion of the grounds is likely to be made to any extent through 

 a garden of this kind, one of the two former modes should be preferred, 

 but when the pattern itself is cut out of Grass, if stone steps are not 

 adopted Grass should be used as an eas^y incline. Turf steps are an 

 absurdity, an impossibility. Artistical embellishment should ever have 

 subservience to natural laws, and nothing can militate more against 

 this canon than the attempt to produce perpendicular faces of green 

 sward. I have seen the thing attempted a thousand times, but never 

 have met with a satisfactory and successful example, or one that did 

 or would continue so in appearance and repair six weeks after it was 

 made, if it were more than a thing to be used as well as seen. Where 

 gravel is used as a groundwork for the pattern, the descent into it should 

 generally be of the same, and in such cases the incline should be suf- 

 ficiently flat to ensure the stability of the walk against heavy rain. 

 The walk in such cases is margined with turf having the same 

 inclination, and the difference between the angle of the walk and the 

 angle of the embankment is occupied by a transverse sloping triangular 

 piece of turf, mitred in the corners where the two slopes join. When 

 turf is used, it may be managed in the same manner, or the base 

 of the projecting portion may be the segment of a circle, meeting the 

 foot of the general slope on its chord hne. 



