POINTS.] 



PEACTICE 0¥ HOllTICULTUEE. [plan of a gaiidex. 



orangeries at Kensington and Versailles, 

 facing the south and south-west. It follows, 

 from this arrangement, that those walking on 

 the terrace round the flower-garden, look 

 down on its arena of grass, and beds of trees 

 and shrubs on the one hand ; and outwards 

 towards the splendid park scenery on the 

 other. The effect thus produced is dignified 

 and grand, and well suited both to the castle 

 and the situation. The slope is grass ; and 

 the greater part of the level surface of the 

 ::yarden is in grass also, with beds of shrubs and 

 flowers parallel to the walks. There is also a 



slope of turf from the inner edge of the 

 terrace to the level arena of the garden. 

 Several years after the foundatioii of this 

 garden, it received the addition of a number 

 of marble vases and some statues, nine of 

 which were in m'Jirble, and seven in bronze. 

 Some of these are I'rom the antique ; but the 

 others resemble those seen in the French 

 gardens, laid out in the time of Louis XIV' 

 A fountain was also erected in the centre of 

 the garden ; and additional improvements are 

 still being made to this royal domain, which 

 is the finest in Enjjlaud. 



CHAPTER III. 



POINTS IN A GAKDEN ; PLAN; SIZE ; FORM ; WATEE-SUPPLY ; SITUATION' ; SOIL ; "WALLS ; SLIPS AND 

 KING-FENCE ; SHELTER, ; HOT-HOUSES ; THE MEL0>f-GE0UND ; DISTRIBUTION OP THE GARDEN" AREA. 



j setting out to make his Italian conquests, 



POINTS IN A GARDEN. ^.[^g^ j^g swept the legions of the Austrians 



Peevious to the planting of a garden, there : before him. He planned and calculated; 



foresaw, conquered, and entered the capi- 

 tals of his loes, and even predicted where 

 battles should be fought between the con- 

 tending forces, and whicli actually did take 

 place on the very spots, as indicated by black 

 and red- headed pins on the maps of the 

 countries through which he was to lead his 

 armies. Although the designing of a garden 

 is a much more humble effort than the plan- 

 ning of a campaign, still it ought to be con- 

 sidered of sufficient importance to those who 

 are to enjoy its fruits, to induce them to 

 make a draft of its general features in 

 tlieir own minds before they commence to 

 form it. Indeed, everything connected with 

 this part of it should be clearly set down 

 upon paper. "A well-arranged plan," says 

 Mr. C. Mackintosh, " is as necessary in com- 

 mencing a garden, as in beginning to build a 

 mansion, if unity and system are things worth 

 caring for. The whole of the projected ar- 

 rangements of a garden should be laid down 

 onpajjer, and submitted to competent examina- 

 waathus that Napoleon I. acted previous to his I tiou. The execution of the diflerent parts 

 93db 



are various points to which attention should 

 be given, and which will indeed, to a large 

 extent, absolutely determine the manner in 

 •which it must be arranged and laid out, in 

 order that its space may be thoroughly 

 utilised, both as regards beauty, and the 

 fruits, vegetables, and flowers with which it 

 is intended to be stored and adorned. The 

 principal of these points comprise Plan, Size, 

 Form, Water-supply, Situation, Soil, Walls, 

 Slips, and Eing-feuce ; Shelter, Hot-houses, 

 the Melon-ground, and the Distribution of the 

 Area. 



PLAN. 



Whatever is to be carried out with taste, 

 skill, or enterprise, no matter of what cha- 

 racter it may be, the mind should previously 

 form a clear conception upon, at least, its prin- 

 cipal features, if for no other purpose than to 

 impart greater vigour to action, and ensure 

 greater certainty of success. It is thus that 

 every general conducts his campaigns. It 



