JAN.] 55 



THE PLEASURE, OR FLOWER-GARDEN. 



Ornamental Deaigns, and Planting. 



THE district commonly called the Pleasure, or Flower-Garden, 

 or Pleasure-ground, may be said to comprehend all ornamental 

 compartments, or divisions of ground, surrounding the mansion ; 

 consisting of lawns, plantations of trees and shrubs, flower com- 

 partments, walks, pieces of water, &c. whether situated wholly 

 within the space generally considered as the Pleasure-Garden, or 

 extended to the adjacent fields, parks, or other out-grounds. 



In designs for a Pleasure-ground, according to modern garden- 

 ing ; consulting rural disposition, in imitation of nature ; all too 

 formal works being almost abolished, such as long straight walks, 

 regular intersections, square grass-plats, corresponding parterres, 

 quadrangular and angular spaces, and other uniformities, as in an- 

 cient designs ; instead of which, are now adopted, rural open spa- 

 ces of grass-ground, of varied forms and dimensions, and winding 

 walks, all bounded with plantations of trees, shrubs, and flowers, in 

 various clumps ; other compartments are exhibited in a variety of 

 imitative rural forms ; such as curves, projections, openings, and clos- 

 ings, in imitation of a natural assemblage ; having all the various 

 plantations and borders, open to the walks and lawns. 



For instance, a grand and spacious open lawn, of grass-ground, 

 is generally first presented immediately to the front of the 

 mansion, or main habitation ; sometimes widely extended on both 

 sides, to admit of a greater prospect, &c. and sometimes more con- 

 tracted towards the habitation ; widening gradually outwards, and 

 having each side embellished with plantations of shrubbery, clumps, 

 thickets, &c. in sweeps, curves, and projections, towards the lawn ; 

 with breaks or opens of grass-spaces at intervals, between the dif- 

 ferent plantations ; together with serpentine gravel walks, winding 

 under the shade of the trees : extended plantations ought also to be 

 carried round next the outer boundary of the pleasure-ground, 

 when extensive ; in various Openings and closings, having gravel 

 walks winding through them, for shady and private walking ; and 

 in the interior divisions of the ground, serpentine winding walks, 

 and elegant grass openings, ranged various ways, all bordered with 

 shrubberies, and other tree and shrub plantations, flower compart- 

 ments, &c. disposed in a variety of different rural forms, in easy 

 bendings, concaves, and straight ranges, occasionally ; with inter- 

 vening breaks or opens of grass-ground ; both to promote rural di- 

 versity, and for communication and prospect to the different divi- 

 sions ; all the parts of the pleasure-ground being so arranged, as 

 gradually to discover new scenes, each furnishing fresh variety, 

 both in the form of the design in different parts, as well as in the 

 disposition of the various trees, shrubs, and flowers, and other or- 

 naments and diversities. 



