Chap. XV.] WINTER GARDENS. 229 



to admit of free and agreeable promenading. To try to imitate 

 the forests of Brazil by compelling the spectator to scramble over 

 the rotten remains of trunks of fallen trees, rough stones, and 

 withered Fern-fronds, would be the height of absurdity. And those 

 interminable tortuous walks are equally opposed to good taste, 

 with the rectangular paths which remind us of the system and 

 order of a purely botanic garden. There is a happy medium to 

 be studied. 



An outer circular or slightly devious walk near the well- 

 clothed side-walls or lights should surround the central area, 

 where the eye rests upon choice specimens standing out distinctly 

 upon a carpeting of Selaginella denticulata, trailing Commelynaceae, 

 Lippia repens, Tradescantia, and other plants which readily form 

 a close and compact verdure. The space between the walks and 

 the walls should be filled with dense masses of foliage efiectually 

 concealing the stems of the plants, and rising gradually from the 

 walk outwards ; and the centre should show isolated trees and 

 little groups upon an open lawn of creeping-plants. The detached 

 specimens must not be planted indiscriminately in the central 

 area, which is surrounded and intersected by the walks. They 

 should be grouped in combinations or planted singly, according 

 to size and foliage, and in such a way that the view between their 

 trunks is uninterrupted ; and at the same time their heads should 

 harmonise together in colouring and outline. 



A ground-plan of our ideal winter-garden is given in this 

 chapter with numbers indicating the positions for the plants 

 enumerated as suitable. 



Instead of undulating the surface in an infinity of insignificant 

 hillocks, as in M. Varocque's winter-garden, we recommend 

 limiting it to two intercepting dells. A longitudinal one from 

 the rockery, terminated by a bower, under which are placed a 

 table and seats, and ending, at the side-entrance, in a single 

 hollow, of which the pool or basin is the lowest point. From this 

 pool to the fiower-bed No. 94, the ground rises slightly, and the 

 cross walk curves towards the middle in agreement with the 

 lower ground. The boundary walk is of the same level throughout, 

 except towards the rockery, where it rises and terminates in four 

 or five rustic stone steps leading to the alcove. The beds Nos. 94, 

 r23, and 1(J7, should be elevated about two feet above the 



