4 THE VILLA GARDENEP.. 



the use of a pit, vvliich requires no other glass than the sashes which form its 

 roof. The amusement and the products which such a pit, in the hands of an 

 ingenious amateur, is calculated to afford, are almost without end. Small 

 salading may be produced in it throughout the whole winter. Chicory roots 

 (though this may be accomplished in a common cellar) may be made to throw 

 out their blanched leaves, which form the most delightful of all winter salads, 

 at least to our taste ; tart rhubarb or sea-kale may be forced in pots ; as may 

 parsley, mint, and other herbs. Bulbs may be forced ; and a bloom of China 

 roses may be kept up throughout the winter. But, perhaps, the most import- 

 ant use to which such a pit can be applied, in a small garden, is to preserve 

 throughout the winter, and to bring forward in spring, pelargoniums, fuchsias, 

 salvias, calceolarias, verbenas, and other fine exotic flowers, and also half-hardy 

 and tender annuals, for turning out into the flower-garden, or into the miscel- 

 laneous border, in the beginning of summer. 



These are a few of the absolute enjoyments to be derived from a country 

 house and garden ; and we shall next notice anothei-, which flows from the 

 same source, hut which may be called relative or incidental. The opportunity 

 which a garden affords to its possessor of acquiring a scientific and practical 

 knowledge of plants is a source of great interest, not only in his own garden, 

 but wherever else plants may come in his way ; whether in a wild state, in 

 gardens, exposed for sale in markets, or delineated and described in books. 

 Another source of incidental enjoyment is that which will arise from the 

 acquirement of some knowledge of gardening, and of rural architecture as an 

 art of design and taste. How great a source of enjoyment this is, and how 

 great an interest it enables its possessor to take in landscapes, and in architec- 

 ture, generally ; or, in short, wherever he sees a house or a tree ; those only 

 can know who have gone through the necessary preparation. 



There is scarcely such a thing to be found as a lady who is not fond of 

 flowers ; but it is not saying too much, to affirm that there are very few ladies 

 indeed who are competent to lay out a flower-garden ; though the skill required 

 to do so is within the capacity of every woman who can work or embroider 

 patterns for tha different parts of female dress : and, supposing a female to have 

 grown up without the slightest knowledge of the art of working a pattern, or 

 of tracing out a flower-garden, it Avould certainly be much easier for her to 

 acquire the latter art than the former. The result, in both cases, might be 

 obtained almost without instruction, provided the party desiring to form the 

 dress, or the flower-garden, had a clear idea of what was wanted. But, while 

 every female understands this in regard to dress, and, consequently, can suc- 

 ceed in adapting embroidery to her clothes, whenever she finds it necessary, 

 very few have any distinct idea of what a flower-garden ought to be ; and, 

 hence, we seldom or never see them produce a satisfactory design for one, 

 without the aid of a professional man. We venture to assert, that there is not 

 any lady who can design a pattern, and embroi'der a gown, that might not, in 

 a few hours, be taught to design flower-gardens with as much skill and taste 

 as a professional landscape-gardener ; and so as to produce incomparably 

 better results than are now generally to be seen in the flower-gardens of 

 the great majority of British country residences. 



If we can succeed in rendering every lady her own landscape-gardener, 

 which we are confident we can do, we shall have great hopes of effecting a 

 general reform in the gardening taste, not only of this country, but of every 



