. 
eo eS see 
— = > Ts 
1900 SUPPLEMENT—RECENT INTRODUCTIONS, &cC. 473 
Landscape Gardening—continued. 
over the top of the little board, and if he sees the top 
of the other two in even line, the level is obtained; 
while if he sees the second higher or lower than the 
third, it has to be lowered or raised accordingly. 
Where the soil has to be remoyed, a hole is made, and 
a peg inserted at the bottom and sunk to the right 
level; its top may be painted red. If, howeyer, soil has 
to be brought to that place—that is if the level of that 
particular spot has to be raised—the peg will have to be 
painted:on three sides only, the fourth being utilised for 
oe the height of the future level above the original 
soil. 
ApprRoAcHES. The ways of communication determine 
more than anything else the style of a garden. The 
principal points for consideration, in laying out approaches, 
are not numerous, but they are of the utmost importance. 
The communications between the entrance from the public 
road and the house, and between the latter and all other 
parts of the place, must be as convenient and as easy 
as possible. Their appearance must be harmonious and 
in accord with the style of the garden. They should 
always appear to lead direct to their destination, and 
any deviation should only arise from a decided obstacle. 
Approaches must be solidly established and well kept. 
The different ways of communication in a park or a 
garden are as follow: The drive, which may be straight 
or curvilinear; the walks, which may also be either 
straight or curvilinear, according to the style of the 
garden; and the paths and back road for the service of 
the house, of the garden, and of the stables. 
THe Drtve leads from the public road to the residence. 
If the estate is a large one, and the house is of pretentious 
appearance, and situated in flat country, a_ straight 
drive is advisable; but if the ground is undulating, a 
euryilinear drive is more appropriate. A straight drive, 
though imposing, is monotonous. A straight avenue 
must start from the centre of the house, and put the 
latter into relief. When the centre of a residence is not 
prominent or particularly deéorative, two ayenues may 
start. from each of the extremities of the front, each one 
becoming a centre. The space between the two avenues 
must on no account be planted with trees, though it 
may be turfed, and be brightened with flower-groups. 
The number of rows of trees on each side of an avenue 
may vary from one to four. If more rows than one are 
planted, they may be arranged in either squares or 
chequers. 
A drive with one or several curves is best adapted— 
in fact, the only suitable one—for undulating ground ; 
and it has to be closely studied after the site of the 
house has been chosen. ‘The site of the entrance from 
the public road must be determined according to the 
exigencies of the situation and the proprietor’s needs. 
Tf a curvilinear drive is chosen, it must, nevertheless, 
not deviate too much from the straight line. The entrance 
thereto must be as near ‘to the house as the natural con- 
ditions will allow. The curyes must be easy, forming broad, 
sweeping lines. Every change of curve must have its 
apparent reason—i.e., an obstacle, such as a tree which 
it is desired to conserve, a rock, or a wooded hill, which 
has to be allowed for. To increase the variety of a 
long drive, such ‘‘obstacles”” may be artificially created, 
The more undulating or hilly the ground, the more 
numerous must be the turnings, and each sweep of a 
curve must be hidden from the succeeding bend. The 
entrance from the public road must, if possible, be at 
right angles with the latter; and the commencement of 
the drive from tle public road, and also the house end, 
must be nearly level. The entrance ought not to be situated 
on a higher level than the house. The slope of the drive 
must, if possible, be regular, even, and continuous all the 
way along, except at the ends. It must not go up and 
down hill if this can be avoided, unless water has to be 
erossed or a hill to be turned. 
The gradient of a good drive must not exceed one in 
fourteen, and its width must be at least 14ft., so as to 
permit of two carriages passing each other. There must 
not be an open view of the house at the entrance of the 
drive; the house must only be seen from the points at 
which it will appear to its best advantage, through 
occasional openings between groups of trees. 
Trees bordering such a drive must not be planted at 
regular distances, as that would prove monotonous. They 
Vol. V. 
Landscape Gardening—continued. 
must be skilfully arranged in groups at alternately varying 
distances. 
A proper treatment of each end of the drive is of great 
importance. The custom in England differs from that of 
several continental countries—Franee in particular. In 
French gardens the drive very often divides, almost from 
the start, into branches, which go round a large lawn and 
meet again in front of the house, the general aspect 
remaining constantly similar. There is only one curve on 
each side, forming round the lawn a kind of regular track 
of a fairly decorative appearance when well treated, but 
still presenting—as M. Ed. André, in his famous work, 
“Art des Jardins,’ deplores—many serious defects, of 
which the principal is the uniformity of design. He says 
that the result of an invariable model applied to the 
most varied circumstances is to reduce the design to an 
artificial and inartistic proceeding, thongh he does not 
intend to prosecribe the bifurcated alley when applied to 
Fic. 503, APPROACH IN FRENCH GARDENS AFTER ANDRE. 
a suitable situation. Fig. 503 illustrates this type. The 
entrance (A) is opposite the house (B). The drive divides 
into the branches (C, C), The crossway (DD) is sur- 
rounded by groups of trees and shrubs. ‘The elliptical 
lawn is undulating ; the centre has been lowered and the 
verges have been raised. Beds (H, E) are planted with 
flowers, and trees are scattered about in various places. 
Everywhere regu- 
larity, with an 
apparent variety 
of aspect, pre- 
vails. 
As a rule in 
French gardens 
the drive goes 
round the house ; 
while in England 
this is not the 
case. The drives 
are not divided, 
but usually end 
in front of the 
house, there form- 
ing a narrowring. 
The interior of 
the garden or 
3P 
Fig. 504. APPROACH ArTER MAcInrosu. 
