34 OBSERVATIONS ON PLANTING ORNAMENTAL TREES. 



kind, and of the most beautiful sorts. The trees, also, should be 

 selected so as to correspond with the style of building. The villa 

 shows best when surrounded by light ornamental trees, such as the 

 birch, the acacia, the sumach, the laburnum, and cypress ; and a 

 clump of poplars may sometimes be introduced, so as to break the 

 line with good effect. The cottage may have more rustic trees ; while 

 to the castle belong the oak, the ash, and the pine : the mansion 

 admits of all at their proper distance, and in suitable situations. 



One of the most important things in planting is to attend particu- 

 larly to the shades of green, especially where the view from the house 

 or lawn catches the trees. Flowers, which Pliny calls the joys of the 

 trees, continue but for a short period in comparison to the duration 

 of foliage ; therefore the picture should be formed by judiciously con- 

 trasting the greens. Even the effect of perspective may be consi- 

 derably increased by the proper arrangement of hues. Trees whose 

 leaves are grey or bluish tint, when seen over or between shrubs of a 

 yellow or bright green, seem to be thrown into the distance. Trees 

 with small and tremulous leaves should wave over or before those of 

 broad or fixed foliage. The light and elegant acacia has a more 

 beautiful effect when its branches float over the firm and dark holly 

 or bay-tree. In some situations the bare trunk of trees may be 

 shown ; in some it should be concealed by evergreens and creepers. 

 Vines, also, may be suffered to embrace it, and form natural festoons 

 where the extent of ground will allow of wilderness scenery. In all 

 situations nature may be assisted, but should never be deformed by 

 clipping ; for ingenuity ought to be employed to disguise art, not to 

 expose it. 



The beauty of plants cannot be displayed when they are too much 

 crowded; as they are then drawn up into unnatural shapes. There- 

 fore the oftener open spaces can be admitted, the more will the 

 shrubs exhibit themselves to advantage, and the more cheerful will 

 be the walk ; for it becomes insipid and gloomy when confined for 

 any distance. The winds also claim our attention. Care must be 

 taken so to arrange the position of the trees, that only those gales 

 which are most congenial to the growth of particular plants should be 

 allowed access to them. 



The undulating appearance of a plantation will be considerably 

 assisted by a gradual progression from the lowest shrub to the highest 



