36 LANDSCAPE GAEDENING. 



ceding the development of the natnral style. It was 

 more nscd there than in Italy, and without the related 

 features of the Italian style. Topiary work consists in 

 the clipping of trees or shrubs into more elaborate arclii- 

 tectural or statuesque forms, such as to make whole 

 arbors, statues, and often ingeniously grotesque tigures. 

 If it is useful anywhere it may be brought into the 

 architectural garden ; but its extravagances are always 

 unbearable, and are now haply out of vogue. 



The introduction of stairways, balustrades, urns, 

 fountains and statues in a much-frequented garden, sup- 

 posing the articles to be in themselves pleasing, must 

 always be a satisfaction to the human habitues. The 

 eye delights in them all. So that when we have quite 

 laid aside the attempt to deceive the senses into a feeling 

 of rural solitude, and are working along professedly 

 artificial lines, nothing gives greater pleasure than well- 

 executed and well disposed architectural and sculptur- 

 esque features. This proposition needs no argument or 

 exj)lanation. It is self-evident, but none the less preg- 

 nant for its obviousness. 



The colors which seem most in unison with archi- 

 tectural gardening are the deep green monotones in the 

 clipped walls and columns. A mixture of colors in 

 these would spoil forever their dignity and repose. A 

 spotted wall or a variegated C(jlumn would be an absurd- 

 ity. But sharp contrasts are in some places also useful, 

 as in the practice of setting white marble statues against 

 walls of the darkest green. For the blossoming plants 

 which are sometimes used in beds or pots, bright and 

 contrasting colors are to be chosen. This practice is 

 also entirely the opposite of that employed in the nat- 

 ural style, where the most delicate gradations of greens 

 and grays are contrived. 



A terrace always presents two or three parallel lines, 

 according to its construction. These should be exactly 



