52 Landscape Gardening 



in them the silent rest of nature, and behold in their leaf- 

 less spray, and seemingly dead limbs, an annual type of 

 that deeper mystery - - the deathless sleep of all being. 



By the judicious employment of trees in the embellish- 

 ment of a country residence, we may effect the greatest 

 alterations and improvements within the scope of Landscape 

 Gardening. Buildings which are tame, insipid, or even mean 

 in appearance, may be made interesting, and often pictur- 

 esque, by a proper disposition of trees. Edifices, or parts of 

 them that are unsightly, or which it is desirable partly or 

 wholly to conceal, can readily be hidden or improved by 

 wood; and walks and roads, which otherwise would be but 

 simple ways of approach from one point to another, are, by 

 an elegant arrangement of trees on their margins, or ad- 

 jacent to them, made the most interesting and pleasing 

 portions of the residence. 



In geometric gardening, trees disposed in formal lines, 

 exhibit as strongly art or design in the contriver, as regular 

 architectural edifices; while, in a more elevated and en- 

 lightened taste, we are able to dispose them in our pleasure- 

 grounds and parks, around our houses, in all the variety of 

 groups, masses, thicket, and single trees, in such a manner 

 as to rival the most beautiful scenery of general nature; 

 producing a portion of landscape which unites with all the 

 comforts and conveniences of rural habitation, the superior 

 charm of refined arrangement, and natural beauty of 

 expression. 



If it were necessary to present any other inducement to 

 the country gentleman to form plantations of trees, than 

 the great beauty and value which they add to his estate, 

 we might find it in the pleasure which all derive from their 

 cultivation. Unlike the pleasure arising from the gratifi- 

 cation of our taste in architecture, or any other of the arts 

 whose productions are offered to us perfect and complete, 

 the satisfaction arising from planting and rearing trees is 

 never weakened. 'We look," says a writer, "upon our 

 trees as our offspring; and nothing of inanimate nature can 

 be more gratifying than to see them grow and prosper 



