10 Landscape Gardening 



The seat of the late Judge Peters, about five miles from 

 Philadelphia, was, 30 years ago, a noted specimen of the 

 ancient school of landscape gardening, Its proprietor had 

 a most extended reputation as a scientific agriculturist, and 

 his place was also no less remarkable for the design and 

 culture of its pleasure-grounds, than for the excellence of 

 its farm. Long and stately avenues, with vistas terminated 

 by obelisks, a garden adorned with marble vases, busts, 

 and statues, and pleasure grounds filled with the rarest 

 trees and shrubs, were conspicuous features here. Some of 

 the latter are now so remarkable as to attract strongly the 

 attention of the visitor. Among them, is the chestnut 

 planted by Washington, which produces the largest and 

 finest fruit; very large hollies; and a curious old box-tree 

 much higher than the mansion near which it stands. But 

 the most striking feature now, is the still remaining grand 

 old avenue of hemlocks. Many of these trees, which were 

 planted 100 years ago, are now venerable specimens, ninety 

 feet high, whose huge trunks and wide spread branches are 

 in many cases densely wreathed and draped with masses of 

 English Ivy, forming the most picturesque sylvan objects 

 we ever beheld. 



Lemon Hill, half a mile above the Fairmount water-works 

 of Philadelphia, was, 20 years ago, the most perfect speci- 

 men of the geometric mode in America, and since its de- 

 struction by the extension of the city, a few years since, 

 there is nothing comparable with it, in that style, among 

 us. All the symmetry, uniformity, and high art of the old 

 school, were displayed here in artificial plantations, formal 

 gardens with trellises, grottoes, spring-houses, temples, stat- 

 ues, and vases, with numerous ponds of water, jets-d'eau, 

 and other water-works, parterres and an extensive range of 

 hot-houses. The effect of this garden was brilliant and 

 striking; its position, on the lovely banks of the Schuyl- 

 kill, admirable; and its liberal proprietor, Mr. Pratt, by 

 opening it freely to the public, greatly increased the popular 

 taste in the neighborhood of that city. 



On the Hudson, the show place of the last age was the 



