AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



45 



Garden continued. 



admit of the division and arrangement of the inclosure 

 being carried out in a uniform manner, the latter allowing 

 a much larger surface of wall exposed to a southern 

 aspect than the former an important consideration in 

 many localities, as the borders share the same advantage. 

 Whether the walls should be direct north and south, or 

 facing a little to one side, is a matter on which opinions 

 differ. If set on an angle from the south, they 

 should certainly face a little in an easterly direction, to 

 obtain the full benefit of the sun's rays before midday. 

 Fruit-trees, suitable for all aspects, may be selected so 

 as to cover both sides if desired. Thus, the walls having 

 a southern aspect, should accommodate Peaches, Nec- 

 tarines, Apricots, and some of the best Pears ; the eastern 

 would do for Plums and good hardier Pears that are too 

 tender for succeeding in the open ; the western for more 

 Plums and Cherries, also for Apricots in some localities ; 

 and the northern for Morello Cherries, late Gooseberries 

 and Currants. In northerly or extreme cold districts, some 

 of the first-named of these trees require a glass cover- 

 ing as well. The proper levels for every main point 

 will be one of the first conditions to be fixed in laying 

 out, and this, on a large scale, will necessitate the use of 

 instruments that are seldom kept by gardeners. Such 

 main points should be decided so as to insure a means of 

 drainage and other necessaries before any of the positions 

 for the walls are fixed, and they should be disposed so 

 that the intermediate spaces may be regulated from them, 

 and the whole work proceed on a definite system thus 

 arranged at the outset. Generally, three or four main 

 walks, intersected with others at right angles, are sufficient 

 for any walled-in Kitchen Garden, the quarters thus 

 formed being sub-divided, for convenience, with paths cut 

 in the ground. The fruit-tree borders should be at least 

 10ft. or 12ft. wide, and the outer main walk should follow 

 their limit at that distance from the wall. Trained fruit- 

 trees are usually placed parallel with the main walks, suffi- 

 ciently far back to form the boundary for other borders 

 that should preferably be utilised for growing Roses and 

 hardy flowers for cutting, or for some crop such as a 

 salad. In many Gardens, a range of forcing houses through- 

 out a good portion of the length is thought desirable, 

 and they usually present a fine appearance if built on 

 a plan and of a size proportionate with the surroundings. 

 In most instances, it is, however, advisable to place the 

 glass structures by themselves, just sufficiently far apart 

 to admit of all equally sharing a full amount of sunshine 

 and light. This allows of all being more conveniently 

 connected with a heating apparatus without having re- 

 course to an unnecessary number of boilers. Additional 

 space will usually be required for fruit culture beyond 

 that inside the Garden walls, and an adjoining site should 

 be selected, if suitable, and included within the boundary 

 fence. The soil, subsoil, draining, &c., will need similar 

 attention to be bestowed as in the interior or any other 

 part of the Garden where such trees are planted. Where 

 a good orchard is at command for the supply of Apples, 

 &c., a material advantage is gained in the Garden, by an 

 extra amount of land being available for vegetable culture. 

 It is always best to allow crops plenty of room to develop 

 themselves, as the soil in the intermediate spaces may 

 be more easily cleaned, and the produce will invariably 

 be of a superior quality. 



Shelter. An important requisite in connection with, the 

 site selected for a Kitchen or Fruit Garden, is shelter. 

 The most destructive winds are those from the East and 

 North-east to North-west. If natural shelter from these 

 quarters'can be procured at the outset, so much the better; 

 but otherwise, a screen must be prepared in some way. 

 to neutralise the force of the wind, and to render its 

 effect on tender vegetation less dangerous. This is most 

 effectually provided by planting a double avenue of 

 trees, or forming a wide plantation, so as to include 



Garden continued. 



trees or shrubs that are of a quick-growing nature, and 

 are known to succeed in the locality. Scotch Firs, Pinus 

 austriaca, P. Laricio, and several others of this family, 

 Poplars, Larches, Elms, &c., may be freely used where 

 they are known to succeed. Garden walls, 10ft. or 12ft. 

 high, afford some shelter to the part inclosed ; but the evil 

 effects of cold, cutting winds have always to be guarded 

 against, not only for the sake of outside plants, but also 

 for those in forcing or other warm structures. South- 

 west winds are frequently very rough and destructive. 

 It is also advisable to provide a shelter from these, but 

 it should be further away, so as to avoid excluding sun 

 and light. High trees of any description are not desir- 

 able near the southern exposure. Those recommended 

 for planting on the northern and eastern sides may com- 

 mence at a distance of about thirty yards from the 

 Garden boundary. 



FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. By 

 these terms reference is made to departments entirely 

 devoted to the cultivation of flowers, shrubs, and trees 

 of an ornamental character, selected and arranged with 

 the natural scenery, &c., around, to form a place of 

 resort for interest and pleasure at all times. A Flower 

 Garden is considered an indispensable adjunct to every 

 residence; combined with Pleasure Grounds, it has a 

 more extensive significance as applying to that adjoin- 

 ing or surrounding a mansion. It must, of necessity, be 

 within easy access, so that the most attractive parts 

 may be seen from the windows, or reached in a short 

 time from the outside. The embellishment of Flower 

 Garden beds, and the continued attention required to 

 keep all in good order throughout the year, most 

 seriously affect the other departments where the num- 

 berless plants have to be prepared, especially if carpet- 

 bedding is introduced. Where the means at command 

 for storing and growing these plants are totally inade- 

 quate for supplying enough to properly fill the space, 

 it would be better to reduce the number of beds, or 

 to devote some of them to select hardy perennials, 

 than to attempt too much with an insufficiency of 

 material, and so destroy the effect of the whole. This 

 is a matter requiring attention when first planning and 

 laying out a Flower Garden. The extent of Pleasure 

 Grounds may be as much as desired, or according as 

 the woods surrounding the mansion will admit. They 

 are frequently made to form a connection between this 

 latter and some other building or permanent place of 

 interest, such as the Kitchen Garden. Apart from the 

 natural scenery and the free use of ornamental trees and 

 shrubs, the introduction of many hardy flowering plants 

 may be recommended, as suitable positions for their 

 development may, perhaps, be better found here than 

 in the Flower Garden proper. The various tastes pos- 

 sessed by proprietors or their friends, with the size of 

 the establishment and the extent to which gardening may 

 be carried, will each have an effect on individual cases, 

 and prevent the following remarks from being more than 

 those of a general character. It is well, if possible, to 

 avoid extremes in the matter of taste, as there is plenty 

 of room for all styles, if restricted to places in which 

 they are appropriate. 



Site and Extent. Most of the mansions built some 

 two or three centuries ago are situated in a valley or 

 the lower part of an extensive park. A somewhat ele- 

 vated position is now invariably chosen, as the great 

 importance of fresh air has become more fully recog- 

 nised. Extended views of landscape are usually selected 

 for the front or principal outlook; and as these already 

 exist, and, perhaps, form part of the design in fixing 

 the site for the building, neither of them should be 

 selected for the Flower Garden, if another place in the 

 vicinity can be obtained without interfering with that 

 which exhibits natural beauty in itself. An open expanse 



