FORMAL OR GEOMETRIC GARDENING. 
Formal gardening is a sort of compromise between natural 
gardening and architecture. As I am not an architect I scarcely 
feel competent to discuss the subject. Edward Kemp, a cele- 
brated English gardener, speaks of it in this manner,—‘‘Doubt- 
less the geometrical style is that which an architect would most 
naturally prefer; for it subordinates everything to the house, 
and is a carrying out of the principles common to both itself 
and architecture. A series of straight lines, joining one another 
at right angles, and of beds in which some form of a circle or a 
parallelogram is always apparent, or which fit into any regular 
figure, are, as just before remarked, the leading and most expres- 
sive features of this style. Flights of steps, balustraded walls, 
terrace banks, symmetry and correspondence of parts, circles, 
ovals, oblong and angular beds, exotic forms of vegetation, raised 
platforms and sunken panels are some of the materials with which 
it deals.” 
The formal style of gardening is adapted to the grounds of 
public buildings, especially those of classic design, and to small 
places where there is not room to produce any general landscape 
effect, such as homes in cities and towns. In all cases the archi- 
tectural idea is dominant and the vegetation is more or less sub- 
servient. 
Where the dwelling or public building is large a terrace is often 
made which may entirely surround it; at least it should do so at 
the front and sides. This may be of considerable width; it can 
join the level of the grounds by a sharp slope of turf or by a para- 
pet or wall, and in elaborate designs this is usually surmounted 
by a balustrade. This parapet and balustrade should be made 
of stone or concrete, as wood is too cheap-looking for such a place 
and it decays too soon. The terrace may be wide enough so 
that beds of low growing ornamental plants can be put out in it, 
or the whole may be closely cropped lawn. 
Usually the approach to the main building is broad and 
straight; the grounds are laid out in squares, parallelograms, 
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