PLANT HOUSES. 



The plant houses, which are employed for the protection of beautiful and 

 interesting plants too tender to bear the open air in our climate, should be 

 very ornamental, and situated either in the flower garden, or in a part of the 

 pleasure ground connecting the flower garden with the mansion. Such 

 structures, when tastefully designed and judiciously placed, add greatly to the 

 beauty of the demesne. When they are to preside over the flower garden, they 

 should be placed near the boundary, (see General Plans), with a morning aspect 

 of any degree from nine to twelve o'clock, which is much better than facing 

 more to the west, though such an aspect would be allowable. Very often a 

 proper site presents itself when a wall is employed for dividing the offices and 

 yards from the private pleasure grounds, especially when it is in such a position 

 that the terrace walk passes directly in front of it, as represented in the General 

 Plans, or at the terminus of a terrace. Even in cases where the aspect is not 

 so good, yet with plenty of light and good management, plants may do well. I 

 have a strong objection to the antiquated practice of placing the plant houses 

 in the kitchen garden, either in the midst of forcing-houses, or alone, as at 

 Chatsworth, Harewood, Temple Newsam, and many other places. A great 

 portion of the most interesting plants are there grown in the kitchen garden, 

 far away from the house, and therefore comparatively unavailable as a resort to 

 the frequenters of the pleasure grounds. The associations of vegetables and 

 flowers are not the same. Every one feels this difference on visiting either 

 garden separately, and this feeling is increased when orchids and cabbages 

 come within the same range of vision. I have, if possible, a still greater 

 objection to see, as I sometimes do, imitative wild chess, with rock-work, 

 waterfall, stumps of trees, rocky staircases, &c, attempted within the limited 

 space of an elegant stove or conservatory. The two sets of ideas which this 

 combination suggests are really opposite one to the other ; and I cannot but 

 wonder when such incongruities are recommended by writers in our popular 



