8TYI E.J 



PRACTICE OF II OKI" I CULTURE. 



[fLOWKR OAIlDHNfl. 



CIIAPTEIl !>:. 



style; BKTTISn FI.OWKR OAHPRKS ; SOIL; «I!AVi:i,-WAI,K.S ; TUB SHRlTHnKIlY ; MOKRH OF PnOPAOA* 

 TION ; rKKK.NMAL I'LANTS ; UIKN-NIAL I'l.ANTS; ANNIAL I'LA.NTH ; TIIK IIVACINTIC; TILIP ; UANLN- 



CULUS ; anemone; naucissu's ; lily; dahlia; otheu florist's fluwkils ; oalknuaii. 



STY LE. 

 The jxroat Coiide, utter spciulltif:; half of t1)e 

 mature manhood of hia life in war, strategy, 

 polities, and intrigue, fell back upon the culti- 

 vation of a flower garden, as bein<T the most 

 delightful of all out-of-door amusemeuta; and 

 there are tens of thousands of men, who, 

 although they have never had the chance of 

 becoming Coiid^s, pass much of their recrea- 

 tive hours in the tending of flowers. It is, 

 therefore, not altogether, as some think, an 

 occupation only suited to employ the leisure 

 of ladies ; although there is no fairer sight than 

 to see a beautiful Proserpine trimming her 

 flowers beneath tl)e golden beams of an early 

 spring or summer morning. The principles of 

 gardening, however, are both vague and evan- 

 escent. "As flower gardens," says Mr. Lou- 

 don, "are objects of pleasure, the principle 

 which must serve as a guide in laying tliem 

 out, must be taste. Now, in flower gardens, 

 as in other objects, there are different kinds of 

 tastes. These, embodied, are called styles, or 

 characters ; and the great art of the designer 

 is, having fixed on a style, to follow it out 

 unmixed with other styles, or with any devia- 

 tion which would interfere with the kind of 

 taste or impression which that style is calcu- 

 lated to produce. Style, tiierelore, is the 

 leading principle in laying out flower gardens, 

 as utility is in laying out the culinary garden. 

 As objects of fancy and taste, the styles of 

 flower g.irdens are various. Tlie modern stvle 

 is a collection of irregular groups and masses, 

 placed about the house as a medium, uniting 

 it with the open lawn. The ancient geome- 

 tric style, in place of irregular groups, em- 

 ployed symmetrical forms ; in France, adding 

 statues and fountains ; in Holland, cut trees 

 and grassy slopes ; and in Italy, stone walls, 

 walled terraces, and flights of steps. In some 

 situations, these characteristics of parterres 

 may, with propriety, be added to or used 

 instead of the modern sort, especially in flat 



situations; such as aro cndospd by high 

 walls ; in towns ; or where the princi{):il build- 

 ing or object ia in a stylo of architecture w Inch 

 will not render these appendages incongruous. 

 Tliere aro other characters of gardens, such as 

 the Chinese, which aro not widely different 

 from the modern ; the Indian, which consist 

 chiefly of walks under shade, in square grass; 

 the Turkish, which abound in shady retreats, 

 boudoirs of roses and aromatic herbs ; and the 

 Spanish, which are distinguished by trellis- 

 work and fountains : but these last gardens 

 are not generally adapted to this climate ; 

 though, from contemplating and selecting 

 what is beautiful or suitable in each, a style 

 of decoration for the immediate vicinity of 

 mansions, might be composed preferable to 

 any one now in use." 



BRITISH FLOWER GARDENS. 

 In Britain two varieties of flower gardens 

 have principally prevailed; one in which the 

 ground is composed of turf, and the pattern, 

 so to speak, exhibits a variety of figures cut 

 out on the turf, and planted with shrubs and 

 flowers: the other when the flower beds are 

 separated by walks, usually covered with 

 gravel, without having any grass whatever. 

 As a matter of course, situation should, in a 

 great measure, determine which of these is to 

 be chosen ; but when the garden is to be viewed 

 from the windows of the house, or any other 

 elevated point from which the whole or a con- 

 siderable portion of the design may be per- 

 ceived at once, preference should be given to 

 the former. Where the surface is irregular, 

 and the situation more distant, and par- 

 ticularly if the flowers are to be taken as the 

 primary objects of interest or admiration, the 

 choice should be given to the latter. The 

 situation of the flower garden must be 

 governed by the nature of the lawns, and the 

 site of the house or mansion to which it 

 ia attached. As to form, the flower garden 



9bl 



