388 THE VILLA GARDENER. • 



Fig. 242. shows the same view as proposed to be altered. In this view, 

 a shows the steep rocky bank as it will appear when the trees are cut away ; 

 h, patches of furze, left for the encouragement of game, at the request of the 

 proprietor ; c, a conical hill rising in front of the more distant ridge d. As 

 in this scene, as it actually exists, there are numerous trees of transplantable 

 size, of thorns, horsechestnuts, limes, elms, and sycamores, all very favour- 

 ably circumstanced for removal, most of the additional outstanding trees in 

 groups, shown h\Jig. 241., maybe transplanted from one part of the grounds 

 to another, so as to produce immediate effect at comparatively little expense. 



469. The Connexion of the House with the Grounds. — It is allowed by all 

 authors who have written on landscape-gardening, since the days of Uvedale 

 Price, that the want of artistical connexion between the house and the grounds 

 is the most glaring defect in English country residences. Houses are very 

 generally seen rising abruptly from a surface of naked gravel or turf, or par- 

 tially disguised by a few trees or shrubs, accompanied perhaps on the lawn 

 front by some flower-beds. The offices at one end of the house, and the 

 green-house or some other projection at the other, are commonly half or 

 entirely hidden by masses of plantation, so that nothing is seen of the main 

 body of the edifice but the two fronts ; and even these have their architec- 

 tural effect often greatly injured by single trees immediately before them. 

 The principal circumstance which has led to the want of connexion between 

 the house and grounds in English residences is, the sudden and inconsiderate 

 revolution introduced by the modern system of landscape-gardening ; by 

 which all the ancient terraces and mural barriers were indiscriminately swept 

 away, in order to give place to the characteristic features of the new style, 

 viz., the undulating surface, and apparently unlimited extent of smooth lawn, 

 the winding approach-road, and the ha ! ha ! ditch, or the invisible wire 

 railing, which separates the lawn from the park. The powerful influence 

 of novelty rendered this arrangement satisfactory at the time ; but, after 

 a certain period had elapsed, the incongruity of so much art being found in 

 juxta-position with what was avowedly simple nature, was felt to be absurd. 

 Attempts were now made to connect the house with the gi-ounds by means 

 of trees, partly scattered round it, close up to the doors and windows, and 

 partly in masses of close plantation. In the course of twenty years, the trees 

 and shrubs having grown up, this also was found an unsatisfactory mode; the 

 trees obstructing the views of the surrounding landscape from the house, and 

 of the house from the surrounding landscape ; and, besides, rendering the 

 house gloomy and damp within. It was now felt that it was not only neces- 

 sary to connect the house with the grounds, but to connect it in a harmonious 

 manner; and, instead of bringing the two extremes of highly refined archi- 

 tecture and simple nature in immediate contact, by planting trees close to 

 the house, it was thought advisable to introduce, as a medium between the 

 trees and the arcliitecture, certain architectural appendages, either useful or 

 ornamental; and gradually to unite these with the woody scenery of the 

 p'ace. The most general appendage of this sort, and one which is applicable 

 to the smallest houses as well as the largest, and which, in our opinion, 

 scarcely any country house ought to be without, is a plinth round the outside 

 wall, from which the walls of the house should appear to rise. This plinth, 

 on the smallest and simplest scale, may be from 1 ft. to 2 ft. high, projecting 

 from 2 in. to 4 in., and be continued round the house: beyond this there may 



