SMALL COUNTRY VILLAS. 



243 



parapet wall, ornamented with vases. This terrace-walk, though not so higli 

 a^ that represented in the figure, should still be at least 5 ft. above the level 

 of the flower-garden, in order that the spectator may look down on it in such 

 a manner as to see the shapes of the beds. We have observed, in a preced- 

 ing page, that wherever the figures forming a flower-garden are regular or 

 symmetrical, to be seen in their full beauty, the eye should be so elevated, as, 

 when looking down on them, to be able to comprehend the entire shape of 

 each bed. What the height of the eye ought to be, to do this, may always 

 be determined beforehand, by ascertaining the width of the flower-garden 

 or symmetrical figure, the distance between the beds, and the position of the 

 spectator. In general, the angle made by a line drawn from the farther 

 edge of the most distant bed to the eye of the spectator, should not be less 

 than 15°; and hence, taking the height of the human eye at 5 ft., a square 

 or circular symmetrical flower-garden, of 40 ft. in diameter, ought to be 

 surrounded by a walk raised to the height of at least 4^ feet above its 

 level ; while a flower-garden of double the size ought to be surrounded 

 by a walk 9 ft. high. When a parterre of symmetrical beds is to be planted 

 with low shrubs, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, kalmias, &c., the surround- 

 ing walk ought to be made higher, in proportion to the anticipated growth of 

 the plants. These rules, the correctness of which no person of any expe- 

 rience will, we think, dispute, show that, when very large spaces are to be 

 laid out as flower-gardens, symmetrical figures need not be attempted, except 

 near the walk, where they will be immediately under the eye, unless they are 

 so situated as to be seen from different heights. Hence, in very extensive 

 designs, such as Jig. 137., two systems of symmetrical figures are adopted ; 

 one near the margin of the walk, to be seen from the terrace immediately 

 adjoining; and the other in the centre, to be seen from more elevated and 

 distant points of view. If the reader will always bear in mind, that, to see 

 any figure distinctly, the rays of light reflected from the most distant points 

 of it must meet the eye of the spectator at an angle of 15° ; and that this 

 angle will not be obtained by an individual, whose eye is 5 ft. from the 

 ground, at a greater distance than 20 ft., he will never be at a loss. 



Fig. 138. shows the different heights which a terrace-walk requires to be 

 above the level of the flower-garden, according to the size of the garden. 



340. A rosarium might easily be formed in the sunk garden shown in fig. 

 137., by planting the dwarf roses in the beds nearest the walks ; and the 

 standard roses in the beds in the centre ; arranging the others by planting 

 trees of different heights, so as to give the clumps a sloping appearance, with 

 the highest plants in the centre. The plants may be selected from the lists of 

 roses to be given in an after part of this work. 



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