AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



47 



Garden continued. 



symmetrical style is adopted. Geometrical designs may 

 also be cut in grass, although some prefer Box or 

 other edgings. Figure gardening was for a long time 

 greatly in vogue; the various scrolls were represented 

 by different shrubs and coloured gravels, the numerous 

 narrow walks between being also gravelled. The ground- 

 plan of the Garden of the Tuileries in the time of 

 Louis XIII. (see Fig. 75) may be interesting as indicating 

 the extent to which the system was carried out in France. 

 Its existence in this country is now almost entirely 

 limited to Gardens of historic interest, the general use 

 of turf having become more prevalent, with the result 

 that a great improvement has been effected in the majority 

 of instances, as the plants and flowers were previously 

 subordinate to the edgings and walks surrounding them. 



The method of laying out will be the next proceeding, 

 after the points already noticed are decided, and the 

 preliminary work of draining, levelling, &c., is accom- 

 plished. The design on paper, if to be accurately repre- 

 sented on the ground, should be prepared to a scale that 

 may be easily divided, and the enlargement calculated. 

 A Garden, in the shape of a square or parallelogram, of any 

 size, may be more readily laid out than one with an 

 irregular outline. The necessary tools will be a tape 

 measure and measuring rod, a strong line, and some 

 pegs. A right-angled triangle, a pair of wooden com- 

 passes, and a large T-square, are also useful instruments. 

 A system of exactly gauging and marking everything, 

 must be adopted where there are many figures to be 

 shown in relation to each other. The outside boundary 

 should be measured out into equal distances of one or 

 more feet, according as it may be practicable to divide 

 the plan ; and if these points are marked with pegs, 

 and the positions of all the walks similarly fixed, a 

 foundation will be formed that will facilitate the means 

 of obtaining the other references required. Where there 

 are several walks, it would be advisable to mark all the 

 corners, and insert a few pegs to define their bound- 

 aries on both sides. If it is necessary that a main walk 

 should proceed at considerable length, quite straight, an 

 ordinary line is not a certain guide. Upright stakes, 

 about 6ft. high, specially prepared and painted white, 

 with a broad band of black or red near the top, are most 

 useful. When the two ends are fixed by having a stick 

 driven in at each, the intervening space may be accu- 

 rately marked by others from the sight obtained from 

 either end. If a long curve or sweep is to be laid out, 

 the ends must first be known, and, if possible, a few 

 points between. This may also be marked by similar 

 stakes ; but one side is usually obtained by laying a rather 

 heavy line with the hand, and afterwards measuring the 

 width from it for the other. Gardens vary so much in 

 size, shape, and other respects, that it would be impos- 

 sible to give advice applicable to all alike. The fore- 

 going remarks refer to some of the principles adopted in 

 laying out the Flower Garden or walks in the Pleasure 

 Ground, but other methods may be necessary in instances 

 where these cannot be applied. The Pleasure Ground, as 

 a rule, has only one main walk, sometimes formed of 

 gravel, and at others of a broad expanse of turf. The 

 principal recommendation for gravel is that, if properly 

 laid, it may be walked on in weather and seasons when 

 turf would not be dry enough. In forming Pleasure 

 Grounds, much may be done with trees and shrubs that 

 not unfrequently exist beforehand, by arranging and 

 grouping others, so as to more fully exhibit the true 

 character of those growing in a natural state. Avenues, 

 glades, and vistas, with an irregular outline running into 

 the surrounding woods, terminating with some speci- 

 men tree or other object in the distance, and clumps of 

 massive Ehododendrons, placed far enough from the walk 

 to show their beauty when in flower: these should be 

 some of the leading characteristics. The planting of 

 conifers and other ornamental trees should be restricted 



Garden continued. 



to such as are known to succeed in the locality, as 

 climate and soil greatly affect them everywhere. The 

 permanent positions for these should be selected, so that 

 plenty of room is allowed them to develop, and nothing 

 of interest eventually hidden in consequence. A group 

 of conifers, planted wide enough apart to avoid over- 

 crowding, and surrounded by an open lawn, always has 

 a more striking appearance than when the same number 

 are placed about singly over an extended area. 



American Garden. This title signifies an open space 

 in the Pleasure Ground, or some other part of the Flower 

 Garden, wherein a collection of chiefly American plants, 

 or those whose progenitors came from that country, are 

 grown. Many of the most beautiful of hardy flowering 

 shrubs are included amongst these, and others, of a hard- 

 wooded nature, that are usually cultivated and thrive 

 under similar conditions. The Ehododendron and hardy 

 Azalea are shrubs largely grown, and both are now re- 

 presented in endless and beautiful varieties. Heaths in 

 variety, Ledums, Kalmias, Gaultherias, and many others 

 of a like character, all help to constitute a collection of 

 interesting shrubby plants that cannot fail to be admired. 

 They require a light peaty soil, and will not succeed if 

 chalk is present, or if the drainage be defective. For 

 plants of this description, the usual and necessary plan, 

 where the natural soil is heavy, is to specially prepare 

 beds with peat and leaf soil, which, on the other hand, 

 need not be of a great depth where the sub-soil is light 

 and porous, as none of them are of a deep-rooting nature. 



Sub-tropical Garden. Where means are at command, 

 sub-tropical gardening should be adopted in summer so 

 far as the number of plants and suitable situations admit. 

 It is imperative that the latter should be well sheltered 

 from rough winds, as these soon destroy the fine foliage 

 of the plants used. If a suitable site can be obtained 

 in the Flower Garden, it is preferable, as forming a con- 

 trast to the ordinary flowering subjects used in the other 

 beds. Large plants, such as some of the hardier palms, 

 tree ferns, Musas, &c., in pots or tubs, present a fine 

 appearance when plunged outside ; but these require 

 considerably more room to keep them in winter than can 

 be allowed in any except very extensive places. Many 

 other plants are, however, available that may be raised 

 from seed or cuttings each spring, and these form, in 

 suitable situations, a commendable addition. They require 

 a deep rich soil and more light than palms, &c., which 

 make but little growth outside. Sub - tropical plants, 

 such as Acacia lophantha, Cannas, Eucalyptus globvlus, 

 Grevillea robusta, Melianthus major, Ricinus in variety, 

 Solanums and Wigandias, with many others, are all of 

 easy culture, and are very effective on account of their 

 varied and attractive foliage. 



Hardy Perennial Garden. After a long season of 

 comparative neglect, the large and very important class 

 of herbaceous and other hardy perennial plants once 

 cultivated are again assuming their proper position in 

 many Gardens, by having an extensive border or other 

 space specially devoted to their accommodation. An 

 open situation and a rich soil are preferred by the 

 majority. Shelter, afforded by trees or by other means, 

 is advisable, supposing the former are not near enough 

 to overhang and cause shade, or for their roots to im- 

 poverish the ground. Many of the choicest alpine plants 

 require partial shade and thorough drainage. These 

 succeed best in positions such as the nooks and corners 

 of rockwork ; consequently, the latter is a useful and 

 oftentimes requisite addition. Herbaceous plants are not 

 unfrequently disliked on account of the appearance nearly 

 always presented by some of the tops dying away. There 

 are, however, always others to form a succession and 

 prolong the ' flowering season ; and it must be remem- 

 bered that the decaying tops should only be partially 

 removed, as they form the natural protection for the 

 roots in winter. Sufficient interest should be developed 



