EMBELLISHMENTS. 349 



We are well aware that from the comparative rarity of any- 

 thing- like a highly kept place in this country, the want of this, 

 which is indeed like the last finish to the residence, is scarce- 

 ly felt at all. But this only proves the infant slate of Land- 

 scape Gardening here, and the little attention that has been 

 paid to the highest details of the art. 



If our readers will imagine, with us, a pretty villa con- 

 veniently arranged and well constructed, in short, complete 

 in itself as regards its architecture, and at the same time, 

 properly placed in a smooth well kept lawn, studded with 

 groups, and masses of fine trees, they will have an example of- 

 ten to be met with, of a fine place, about which, however, there 

 is felt to be a certain incongruity between the house, a highly 

 artificial object, and the surrounding grounds, where the pre- 

 vailing expression in the latter is that of beautiful nature. 



Let us suppose, for further illustration, the same house 

 and grounds with a few additions. The house now rising di- 

 rectly out of the green turf which encompasses it, we will 

 surround by a raised platform or terrace, wide enough for a 

 dry, firm walk, at all seasons : on the top of the wall or bor- 

 der of this terrace, we will form a handsomae parapet, or 

 balustrade, some two or three feet high, the details of which 

 shall be in good keeping with the house, whether Grecian 

 or Gothic. On the coping of this parapet, if the house is 

 an elegant one, we will find suitable places at proper inte- 

 vals, for some handsome urns, vases, etc. On the drawing- 

 room side of the house, that is, the side towards which the 

 best room or rooms look, we will place the flower-garden, 

 into which you descend from the terrace by a few steps. 

 This flower-garden may be simply what its name denotes, 

 a place exclusively devoted to the cultivation of flowers, or 

 (if the house is not in a very plain style, admitting of little 



