THE FORMATION OF A TOPIARY 

 GARDEN 



THE Topiary, Dutch, or Formal Garden, as it is some- 

 times called, belongs to a period long since gone by. 

 It is uncertain who was the first person to introduce the 

 formal garden into England, and it is doubtful whether 

 this style of gardening had its origin in Holland or in 

 France. 



The present Gardens of Levens Hall were laid out 

 between the years 1701 and 1704; but it is pretty 

 certain that the art of Topiary gardening was practised 

 in England before the gardens at Levens were re- 

 modelled in that style. 



Before the year 1704, Monsieur Beaumont, who had 

 been already employed by King James II. to lay out the 

 gardens of Hampton Court Palace, was engaged by 

 Colonel James Graham, at that time Treasurer to James 

 II., to introduce the art of Topiary work into his gardens 

 at Levens, and it is probable that these two places were 

 the first in this country in which the genuine art was 

 practised. Beaumont, it may be mentioned, was a pupil 

 of the famous Le Notre. 



The laying out of any garden in which clipped trees 

 are intended to be the principal feature, is open to a 

 serious objection the only objection, as I think, that 

 can reasonably be entertained against Topiary work. I 

 allude to the very great length of time it takes to bring 

 the Topiary Garden to perfection. It is certain that the 

 individual who takes both trouble and pains to lay out 



37 



