40 Landscape Gardening 



THE PicTURiisgrii in Landscape Gardening aims at the 

 production of outlines of a certain spirited irregularity, sur- 

 faces comparatively abrupt and broken, and growth of a 

 somewhat wild and bold character. The shape of the 

 ground sought after, lias its occasional smoothness varied by 

 sudden variations, and in parts runs into dingles, rocky 

 groups, and broken banks. The trees should in many 

 places be old and irregular, with rough stems and bark; 

 and pines, larches, and other trees of striking, irregular 

 growth, must appear in numbers sufficient to give character 

 to the woody outlines. As, to produce the Beautiful, the 

 trees are planted singly in open groups to allow full expan- 

 sion, so for the Picturesque, the grouping takes every variety 

 of form; almost every object should group with another; 

 trees and shrubs are often planted closely together; and 

 intricacy and variety - - thickets - - glades - - and under- 

 wood - - as in wild nature, are indispensable. Walks and 

 roads are more abrupt in their windings, turning off fre- 

 quently at sudden angles where the form of the ground or 

 some inviting object directs. In water, all the wildness of 

 romantic spots in nature is to be imitated or preserved; and 

 the lake or stream with bold shore and rocky, wood-fringed 

 margin, or the cascade in the secluded dell, are the charac- 

 teristic forms. The keeping of such a landscape will of 

 course be less careful than in the graceful school. Firm 

 gravel walks near the house, and a general air of neatness in 

 that quarter, are indispensable to the fitness of the scene 

 in all modes, and indeed properly evince the recognition of 

 art in all Landscape Gardening. But the lawn may be less 

 frequently mown, the edges of the walks less carefully 

 trimmed, where the Picturesque prevails; while in portions 

 more removed from the house, the walks may sometimes 

 sink into a mere footpath without gravel, and the lawn 

 change into the forest glade or meadow. The architecture 

 which belongs to the picturesque landscape, is the Gothic 

 mansion, the old English or the Swiss cottage, or some other 

 si riking forms, with bold projections, deep shadows, and 

 irregular outlines. Rustic baskets, and similar ornaments, 



