LEYELUNG AND LAYING OUT. 159 



3 feet, so that the soil could be entirely removed at pleasure. Where this is 

 attempted, such walls would form an excellent base for the edging to rest on ; 

 and where such an operation is unnecessar}', a layer of concrete 6 inches deep 

 will afford the requisite solidity and stability. Grouj^s of beds, or single 

 figures for roses, may often be edged and embellished over their tops with chaste 

 patterns, and Gothic or other arches of wire-work, to be covered with the 

 climbing varieties. Such erections, while objects of great beauty in them- 

 selves, also diversify the sky-outliue of our gardens, and i-elieve that mono- 

 tonous beauty which seems almost to be incident to our present methods of 

 furnishing them. The chiet flower-garden here is bounded on three sides with 

 arcades of roses, which I may again refer to when I furnish a plan, with the 

 mode of grouping for the calendar in Llay. 



374. Having thus endeavoured so to display the art of laying out grounds 

 as to enable every lover of a garden to form his own, and thus heig;hten his 

 enjoyment by adding to his other pleasures the high and satisfying pleasure 

 of pateniity, I will now furnish a few hints concerning other special depart- 

 ments. 



375. Heserve Gardens. — Utility, or fitness for the object in view, must be 

 the principle embodied in laying out this department. This, however, is 

 quite compatible with neatness and order ; in fact, these are well-nigh indis- 

 pensable to utility. To manage any piece of ground on the haphazard 

 rule-of-thumb want of principle is the surest mode of making it of the least 

 possible use. 



376. No better system of laying out a reserve garden can be adoj^ted than 

 making a few good walks through the ground, and forming the latter into 

 beds, say four feet wide, and any convenient lengths. Part of the ground 

 can be left without division into beds, for raising hollyhocks and other large- 

 growing plants, or for growing dahlias, &c., for exhibition or other special 

 pm'poses. The beds will be used for raising anmials or biennials, for propa- 

 gating choice varieties of pinks, carnations,- polyanthuses, occ. ; aitd for pro- 

 viding a reserve stock for vtabena borders and flower-beds, and performing any 

 operation that might render other departments unsightly. Roses might be 

 budded, choice shrubs layered, seedling rhododendrons, &c. nursed, uj) here ; 

 new varieties of all bedding-plants preserved — seedlings, flowers — and any or 

 every experiment to find out the capabilities of any given plant, made in this 

 department. Rich beds would also be provided for growing and layering 

 chrysaiithemums, salvias, &c., for potting in the autumn. I would not advise 

 the beds to be divided by any formal walks of gravel ; — allej s cut off" with the 

 spade, from one foot to 18 inches wide will suffice. The relative position 

 of beds and paths could then be changed every second year, and the whole 

 ground enjoy the benefit of the hig)>.est culture. In wet weather, a few 

 boards may be thrown down on the earth-paths by the men, when the}-- 

 come for the plants for transplanting, to keep the walk'-' clean. A dry soil — of 

 j^'teat importance everywhere else — is essentially neoessarj' here ; as the three 

 gieat agentjj in the germiuatioix of seeds are heat, moisture, i-nd air. An 



