210 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND. 



use of, to help out a large design, and so if possible to cut down 

 the expense. 



I do not think that the pioneers of the landscape style 

 can be blamed for the abuse of it a few years later ; when the 

 real liower-garden, "the terrestrial Paradise" of flowers was 

 gradually banished, and instead of a garden encroaching on 

 a park, the park came up to the house, and the flower-garden 

 nearly disappeared. People were tiring of "Topiary" work, 

 which had so long been popular. Instead of cut hedges, alleys, 

 arbours, and a few standard trees, gardens were overcrowded 

 with a confusion of cut bushes, and it is not surprising that any 

 one with a love of the beauties of Nature, as she appears 

 in woods and fields, should long to see, at any rate, an 

 occasional tree left to grow in its own wild and graceful way. 

 " Our British gardeners," wrote Addison,* " instead of humouring 

 Nature, love to deviate from it as much as possible. Our Trees 

 rise in Cones, Globes, and Pyramids. We see the marks of the 

 scissars upon every Plant and Bush. I do not know whether I 

 am singular in my Opinion, but, for my own part, I would rather 

 look upon a tree in all its Luxuriancy and Diffusion of Boughs 

 and Branches, than when it is thus cut and trimmed into a 

 Mathematical Figure ; and cannot but fancy that an Orchard 

 in Flower looks infinitely more delightful than all the little 

 Labyrinths of the most finished Parterre." 



The next year (1713) Pope followed up this appeal for natural 

 gardens in the Guardian, with some more cutting remarks on the 

 fashion of " verdant sculpture." He supposes that " an eminent 

 town gardiner "... who has " arrived to such perfection, that 

 he cuts family pieces of men, women, or children in trees," has 

 sent him his catalogue of greens for sale. A most witty list of 

 trees follows; among them are "Adam and Eve in yew, Adam a 

 little shattered by the fall of the tree of knowledge in the great 

 storm ; Eve and the Serpent, very flourishing. St. George in box, 

 his arm scarce long enough, but will be in condition to stick the 

 dragon by next April ; A green dragon of the same, with a tail of 

 ground-ivy for the present. (N.B. — These two not to be sold 



* Spectator, 414, June 25lh, 17 12. 



