ORNAMENTAL VASES AND CHIMNEY TOPS. 



41 



near the house, where the vases may be 

 seen in connexion with it ; or, at least, 

 where the architecture of the building har- 

 monizes with the highly artificial forms of 

 the vase. The simplest cottage may have 

 its vase ; but, where the building is small, 

 the rustic vase, made of bits of wood, and 

 filled with flowing plants, is in better keep- 

 ing than those made of any more highly 

 artificial materials. 



Mr. Loudon has written so ably on the 

 employment of vases in gardens, both in the 

 town and country, that we cannot do better 

 than to give his remarks in conclusion. 



"From the influence of fixed and ele- 

 vated vessels, or other permanent struc- 

 tures, for containing plants, in giving con- 

 sequence to them, has arisen, not only the 

 employment of stone vases, but even of that 

 description of rustic baskets and vases, for 

 containing flowers, now frequently placed 

 on lawns in extensive pleasure grounds, and 

 which are particularly suitable for cottage 

 gardens. But the satisfaction which rustic 

 vases give, in such situations, is far inferior 

 to that produced by fixed stone vases in 

 Sown gardens ; because, in the latter situa- 

 VoL. IIL 3 



tion, flowers of any kind are comparatively 

 rare and cherished ; whereas, in extensive 

 pleasure grounds in the country, where 

 there are beds of Pelargoniums, and other 

 flowers without end, it seems almost need- 

 less profusion to elevate them in vases. 

 Hence it is, that when stone or pottery 

 vases are introduced into gardens in the 

 country, they are very seldom filled with 

 plants of any kind. They are introduced 

 there as beautiful works of art, to give 

 pleasure, by their contrast, to the beautiful 

 works of nature with which they are sur- 

 rounded. 



" Another reason why vases of flowers 

 should be introduced into the little walled 

 gardens of streets is, that they harmonize 

 admirably with the masonry and architec- 

 tural forms with which they are surrounded . 

 For this reason, also, stone vases should be 

 sparingly introduced into pleasure grounds 

 in the country, except £.s appendages or or- 

 naments to architecture ; such as on the 

 parapets of terraces near the house, on the 

 stone borders, balustrades, etc., of architec- 

 tural flower gardens, &c. They should 

 never be set down on the naked ground; 

 and, above all, they should always have a 

 fixed and permanent character. This cha- 

 racter is given when a flower pot or vase is 

 set on a wall, so as to form a termination 

 to piers, pedestals, pilasters, or pillars of 

 any kind ; but place it on the coping of the 

 wall, in the interval between such piers, 

 &c., and its character becomes at once tem- 

 porary and unmeaning ; because there is no 

 obvious reason for placing a vase there at 

 all ; for limiting the number to one ; or for 

 not moving it to the right or left, or even 

 for not taking it away altogether, 



"If it be asked, why use vases in the 

 country at all, unless plants are to be put 

 in them? The answer is, they are em- 

 ployed as appropriate ornaments, as beauti- 



