PLANTING AND ARRANGEMENT OF TREES AND SHRUBS. 



the whole collection arranged with order and regularity ; so that the connecting lint 

 of natural allinity may be at once discovered between ininiediatc neighbors. In very 

 laro-e estates, or in botanical or other public gardens, these departments create a varia- 

 tion, and this is frequt-ntly a very pleasing one. They also furnish the beholder, at 

 one fiance, with a knowledge of the hardy ligneous species of every genus, tribe, or 

 order of plants, and the position they occupy in the natural system of botany. 



Arboretums are thus of great advantage to the scientific student, or to any one 

 really desirous of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the aspect, habits, varieties, and 

 affinities of arboreous jilants. By this arrangement, too, a more specific and discrimi- 

 nate cultivation can be aftbrded, with greater certainty and convenience. Nor is there 

 any other mode whereby a complete assortment may be conserved, which is desirable 

 in many respects. Yet, when we have said this, there remains nothing more to be 

 said in their favor. For they are entirely incompatible with beauty, with ornament, 

 and Avith the proper development or exhibition of the character of a plant. Indeed, 

 they are nothing more than living descriptive catalogues, experimental and observative 

 departments — and not at all to be thought of for limited pleasure grounds, whether 

 public or private. 



Now, if it be desirable to exhibit the charms and beauties of vegetation, we must 

 avoid arranging plants of any description according to affinity, or their position in any 

 system of classification ; for in landscape gardening there are two extremes to be 

 deprecated — dull monotony, and a slovenly, displeasing irregularity. This may seem 

 rather paradoxical, but it is nevertheless true. Local uniformity difters widely from 

 a comprehensive unity, and is confined to the particular beds or plots occupied by the 

 species of certain genera or tribes. These frequently assimilate so closely in appear- 

 ance, that in one place a bed of trees will be seen all evergTcen ; close by, a cluster 

 of dwarf shrubs, all flowering at the same time ; and cquall}^ near, in another direc- 

 tion, a group of the largest deciduous trees. In themselves all these are monotonous 

 and present a total lack of congruity, if viewed in connection and comparison with 

 each other. 



Nothing then can be more adverse to the genuine principles of landscape disposi- 

 tion, than the system above described. There must be diversity of outline, form, 

 color, season, and the duration of foliage and flowers, as absolute essentials to the 

 beauty of any scenery. Without them it appears dull, formal and constrained ; in 

 fact, unnatural : and much as theorists may afi'ect to despise imitating Nature, it is 

 after all the correct system, and the only successful one. 



But we are to remember that a garden is the medium which associates natui-al with 

 artificial objects — the mansion with the surrounding country. Its arrangement and 

 appearance should therefore be in precise accordance with this design. To plant 

 trees, then, en masse, or even in arboretums, without regard to size, appearance, or 

 their general character, is not only inadmissable, but intolerable, where all is required 

 to be conformable and harmonious. 



In planting ornamental trees and shrubs, (and no others should be allowed a jdace 

 in the pleasure garden,) they should be so arranged as to stand quite distinct from 



