290 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



Rhododendrons, the common and mountain laurels, may be 

 made to flourish. The Virginia Creeper, and other beautiful 

 wild vines, may be planted at the roots of some of the trees 

 to clamber up their stems, and the wild Clematis so placed 

 that its luxuriant festoons shall hang gracefully from the pro- 

 jecting boughs of some of the overarching trees. Along the 

 lower banks and closer margins, the growth of smaller plants 

 will be encouraged, and various kinds of wild ferns may be 

 so planted as partially to conceal, overrun, and hide the rocks 

 and stumps of trees, while trailing plants, as the periwinkle 

 and moneywort, [Lysatnachia iiimitniilaria,) will still far- 

 ther increase the intricacy and richness of such portions. In 

 this way, the borders of the lake will resemble the finest por- 

 tions of the banks of picturesque and beautiful natural dells 

 and pieces of water, and the effect of the whole when time 

 has given it the benefit of its softening touches, if it has been 

 thus properly executed, will not be much inferior to those 

 matchless bits of fine landscape. A more striking and artis- 

 tical effect will be produced by substituting for native trees 

 and shrubs, common on the banks of streams and lakes in 

 the country, only rare foreign shrubs, vines, and aquatic 

 plants of hardy growth, suitable for such situations. While 

 these are arranged in the same manner as the former, from 

 their comparative novelty, especially in such sites, they will 

 at once convey the idea of refined and elegant art. 



If any person will take the trouble to compare a piece of 

 water so formed, when complete, with the square or circular 

 sheets or ponds now in vogue among us, he must indeed be 

 little gifted with an appreciation of the beautiful, if he do not 

 at once perceive the surpassing merit of the natural style. 

 In the old method, the banks, level, or rising alike on all 



