55^ GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



ten tTionsand convergent rays,— not, however, to dazzle by their brightness, 

 offend by their gaudiness, nor puzzle and perplex by their inexplicable 

 kaleidoscopic-like confusion ; but to satisfy by their intrinsic beauty, please 

 by their charming variety, and tranquillize by their harmonious congruity. 



1717. To have a well-formed and nicely -filled garden is not enough,— it 

 must also be nicely arranged. Nay, the latter is even of much more im- 

 portance than the former. I yield to no one in admiration of be«:uty of form. 

 It is of the first importance that the outline of the beds, and their relation to 

 each other, should be good ; but it is of much gi-eater importance that the 

 colours with which they are filled should either harmonize or contrast with 

 each other. It is much easier to learn this by actual observation in the 

 garden than anywhere else ; and this is also the very best month in the 

 whole year to study the theory of effective grouping as illustrated by actual 

 practice. Every one who has the oppoi-tunity should visit the best garden to 

 which he can gain access,— pencil in hand. Those combinations of colours 

 that strike you as most efiective should be carefully noted down, as well as 

 those which are not efi"ective : the former entered as examples to be imitated ; 

 the latter, as warnings to be shunned. Try also to engage in conversation 

 with the gardeners where you visit, and di-aw out their reasons for certain 

 combinations. They are generally so generous and good-natui-ed, that in 

 ninety-nine cases out of a hundred they will give you, with free good-will, 

 information in a few minutes that it has taken them years to acquire. 



1 7 18. Supposing that some of our readers may not have access to any large 



gardens, they may all go to the best garden in the country Kensington ? 



No. — Crystal Palace ? No ; although they manage these matters well at both. — 



Do you give it up ? Yes Covent-Garden market ! By studying the bouquets 



in the windows there, imagining every compartment a separate flower-bed, — 

 the whole bouquet a complete flower-garden, — and the edging a fringing of 

 evergreen shrubs around the garden, to soften and tone down the efiect of 

 the brilliant colours, — you may acquire a thorough knowledge, if not a complete 

 mastery, of the art of arranging colours most effectively. Bouquets, thus 

 arranged in zones of colour, are equally as instructive as those that are divided 

 transversely into four, six, or eight compartments. It is only necessary to 

 enlarge the scale ; mentally transfer it to the ground, and carefully observe 

 the effect of various hues in certain relative positions to each other. After 

 exhausting these two modes of learning by example, — or, in their absence, 

 then something, perhaps a great deal, may be learned from a work of this 

 description. 



1 7 19. The whole principle of effective grouping is based upon the fact, ^that 

 all colours are more or less beautiful when placed in a certain relationship to 

 other colours. Flowers are verj' much influenced by their neighbours. It is 

 not good for them to be alone ; but better, infinitely better, to be alone 

 than in bad company : good congenial society brings out their best qualities. 

 All colours are strengthened and improved by harmonious contrast and 

 coDgruovis blending together. Certain flowers, when placed contiguously. 



