veyed impressions of grandeur and magnificence, without necessitat- 

 ing patient waiting for effects produced by artificial plantations, which 

 require time for their development and a higher appreciative taste for 

 their enjoyment. 



The Eoinans also devoted much attention to culinary vegetation, and 

 carried their knowledge of science and the arts into such countries as 

 they colonized, so that a great degree of wealth and enlightened pros- 

 perity accompanied their footsteps to an extent that the world has 

 rarely seen equaled. 



With the reign of the emperors commenced the decline of the empire. 

 The reign of barbarism was triumphant, and the finest palaces, coun- 

 try houses, and gardens were destroyed. For five centuries the monks 

 were almost the only class who cultivated gardens and kept alive the 

 culture of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal herbs during the 

 dark ages. To them we are indebted for the preserving and handing 

 down of the arts of gardening and architecture. 



It was not until the middle of the fifteenth century that the arts of 

 peace and commerce were so prosperous as to awaken a love for the fine 

 arts ; and the examples of former grandeur that still remained, together 

 with traditions of ancient magnificence, stirred up a desire of imita- 

 tion, and Italian gardening attained a perfection and standing that are 

 still recognized and distinguished among rural improvements. 



STYLES OF LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



There are two very distinct modes of laying out grounds, known as 

 the geometrical and the natural. Various terms have been used from 

 time to time by descriptive writers on these subjects to designate styles, 

 but they are all easily referred to one or the other of these modes. 

 Under the geometrical may be placed the formal, Eomau, architectural, 

 and ancient, as well as the Italian, French, and Dutch varieties of this 

 style, tinder the natural we may, in a similar manner, place the gar- 

 denesque, modern, irregular, English, and graceful. 



A third style is commonly included, but has never been very suc- 

 cessfully defined, either practically or hypothetically ; that is, the pic- 

 turesque. The former two are sufficiently comprehensive for the pres- 

 ent purpose. 



THE GEOMETRICAL STYLE. 



In the earlier ages of the world the possessor of wealth exhibited 

 his riches by surrounding his residence with such improvements as were 

 most distinctive from the common scenery of the country. Hence gar- 

 dens were ornamented with ballustraded terraces of massive masonry, 

 magnificent flights of steps, elaborately decorated arcades, costly foun- 

 tains, architectural grottoes, and lofty, clipped hedges arranged with 

 niches and recesses for the display of statuary. His less wealthy 

 neighbor contented himself by substituting a sloped grass bank for the 



