96 Xan^scape Hrcbitecture 



tree is surrounded with a fence, and although this 

 disturbs the general effect by being carried to excess, 

 I have frequently found that here and there a fence 

 is very picturesque, especially where the character 

 of the landscape changes, the fence in this case pre- 

 paring the mind for new impressions and affording 

 an easy transition to new scenes. 



"So for security's sake let our parks have an en- 

 closure high and strong, assuming that this is pos- 

 sible — for to be sure, just as French cookery books 

 very wisely begin their receipts with 'Ayez une 

 carpe, ayez un perdreau' etc., I preface my advice 

 with the proviso that, locality being favourable and 

 means at hand, the park should be enclosed. But 

 inasmuch as the heavier and bigger the wall, the 

 worse, as a rule, is its appearance, and bearing in 

 mind also that it is a great mistake to limit the field 

 of fancy by too familiar a view of its limits, a close 

 and broad plantation should hide the greater part 

 of it. If such a barrier is made by a wooden fence 

 it should never be seen, but suppHed with interesting 

 points at intervals, and a deep ha-ha, or ditch, along- 

 side, while all the abruptness of the hollow thus made 

 can be avoided by covering it with varied plantations. 

 The paths should only approach this ha-ha or ditch 

 when, for instance, by means of a small bridge, one 

 wishes to sally forth through an opening into the 

 surrounding country. The manner of screening the 

 bridge and the boundaries should be as varied as 

 possible. In one place the foliage should rim two 



