14 ON LAYING OUT A FLOWER GARDEN. 



moons, halberds, chairs, &c. In such a system it is in- 

 dispensable to order that the compartments correspond in 

 formality, nothing being more offensive to the eye than 

 incongruous mixtures of character. 



The beauty of English gardening consists in an artful 

 imitation of nature, and is consequently much dependent 

 on aspect and locality. It is a desideratum where wood 

 and water can be combined with the flower garden, and 

 the practical eye can dispose of an object to advantage by 

 interspersing shrubbery and walks, that the combined ob- 

 jects form an agreeable whole. They are not to be disposed 

 with a view to their appearance in a picture, but to the use 

 and enjoyment of them in real life. 



We will now endeavour to give an explicit exposition of 

 a system adapted to our variable climate of extreme heat 

 and excessive cold. Where choice of aspects can be ob- 

 tained, preference should be given to a south-east or east; 

 but, if not, south or south-west, and, if possible, sheltered 

 by rising ground or full grown woods from the north-west 

 and north. But to lay down directions for a. flower garden 

 is not a little difficult, seeing that there cannot be any given 

 area or any description of local circumstances applicable 

 to all situations. A good soil is the sure foundation on 

 which to rear the grand floral superstructure, and the most 

 genial is a sandy loam : I mean by sandy loam a soil which 

 contains from one-sixth to one-tenth of sand ; and if on a 

 gravelly or sandy bottom, so much the better. Where the 

 general surface is gently undulating, it will greatly add to 

 the beauty of arrangement ; if access to a spring can be ob- 

 tained, it will prove a desideratum in completing the whole: 

 it can be available for a fish-pond or an aquarium, or can be 

 converted into a swamp for the cultivation of many of our 

 most beautiful and interesting native plants, such as Haba- 

 naria, Lilium, Sarracenia, Dionea, &c., and on the margin 

 of which (if partially shaded) can be planted the beautiful 

 varieties of Azaleas, and the splendid flowering Rho- 

 dodendron, which, by the by, are almost entirely neglected 

 in all our floral decorations. With many, the arrangement 

 of a flower garden is rather a matter for the exercise of 

 fancy, than one calling for the application of refined taste : 

 true, it may be said there is no mathematical law to guide 

 the designer, so that if he avoid incongruity of arrange- 



