COUNTEY VILLAS. 211 



during severe weather. Where the style was Gothic, the wall might be 

 covered with a series of piers and intersecting arches; and, if the piers and 

 imposts of the arches were covered with ivy, and the rest of the wall with 

 deciduous plants, the effect, more particularly in winter, would be very strik- 

 ing. An excellent plan for varying such a wall is, to form the ground plan 

 in a zigzag line, with piei's at the angles ; in which case, tlie length of e^ch 

 angle may be 10 ft., and the deviation from a straight line from 2 ft. to 3 ft. 

 In going along the walk in front of such a wall, one series of angles would 

 meet the eye ; and in returning, another series. Another plan is, to have the 

 wall straight, and a temporary or permanent roof projecting from it. In this 

 case, if the roof were permanent, it ought to be composed of glazed sashes, 

 which might be taken off in the summer season, and used for growing melons, 

 leaving the pillars and rafters which supported the sashes, as fixtures ; and 

 these might be covered with rapidly-growing climbing plants. Such a roof 

 ought to extend over the walk, in order that the latter may be used during 

 rainy weather in summer ; and that, during the most severe frosts in winter, 

 it may afford a somewhat more temperate place for taking exercise than in 

 the open air. The most complete glazed veranda of this kind would be one 

 where the whole of the skeleton framework, as well as the sashes, might be 

 removed in summer, without leaving any marks to disfigure the scene, and 

 replaced every autumn. A temporary veranda, in which the framework is to 

 be covered with hurdles clothed with thatch, or with canvas fixed to frame- 

 work or oiled paper, forms a very good protection for plants while in their 

 dormant state ; but requires to be removed much sooner in spring when they 

 begin to grow, than a glass roof ; because, when the plants begin to grow 

 under an opaque roof, they become etiolated and blanched for want of light. 

 In general, conservative walls should be flued, in order to give the gardener 

 the jjower of assisting the ripening of the wood in autumn ; and, in this case, 

 the fireplace might be conveniently situated behind the wall, as indicated in 

 the plan jig. 120., at ^, where it is placed in the corner of the stable build- 

 ings. A conservative wall may often form one of the sides of a range of 

 office buildings; and this is the case with a part of the wall we are now 

 describing, which forms the side wall to the stable {t) and coach-house (fi). 



307. The conservatort/, it will be observed, has a south-east aspect ; while 

 the conservative wall, and the forcing structures (m) in the reserve garden, 

 front directly to the south. By turning to the plans/^s. 107. to 116., it will be 

 seen that the distant views from the lawn front of the house, and from the 

 walk in front of the conservative wall, are equal to any obtained from other 

 parts of the grounds. Several designs for conservatories will be given in an 

 after part of this work. 



308. TTie situation of the circular flotver-garden at k in fig. 119., and I in 

 fig. 120., is good in every point of view. It is completely sheltered from the 



north and east by the conservative wall and the kitchen-garden wall; and the 

 side next the south is open for the free admission of the sun and air through- 

 out the year. The walk from the flower-garden along three sides of the kit- 

 chen-garden, and leading to the point n, is made straight, and parallel to the 

 walls ; being, as we consider it, governed in direction by the latter. The 

 space between the wall and the walk is a border, which may either be devoted 

 to ornamental shrubs and flowers, the wall being covered with half-hardy 

 ligneous plants ; or it may be planted with culinary vegetables, and the wall 



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