Review of Loudonh Gardener''s JMagazint. 69 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. The Gardener^s Magazine and Register of Rural and 

 Domestic Improvements. Conducted by J. C. London, F. L.S., 

 H. S., &:c. In Monthly Numbers. 8vo., Is. 6d. each. No. 

 LXVI and LXVII, for September and October. 



The first article in the September number is a continua- 

 tion of " Notes on Gardens and Country Seats," by the 

 conductor, and contains an account of the celebrated Font- 

 hill Abbey, which occupies eight or nine pages. This place, 

 when occupied by Mr. Beckford, several years since, was 

 one of the finest in Britain. He spent immense sums of 

 money upon it, stated to be, on good authority, £1,600,000, 

 (about $7,000,000). Since his time, however, it has been 

 fast declining, and suffered to run to neglect, so as hardly to 

 be recognised for what it was formerly. 



Article II is the fourth of a series of designs for laying out 

 a flower garden, to which is appended an improved design, 

 with remarks by the conductor — of no value to our readers, 

 without the accompanying plans. 



The third article is also a plan for a flower garden : to 

 this the following excellent remarks are added, which are 

 deserving of a careful perusal, by those who have small 

 gardens, and wish to embellish them in a high degree : 



" hi laying out a mixed or shrubbery flower-garden, much may be 

 done in a small space, to give variety and effect, particularly if a small 

 stream of water can be led through it. In this case, close planting- is nec- 

 essary, in order to give as much variety to the walk as possible, by pre- 

 venting its being seen in long distances : a rustic erection or two placed 

 in the line of the walk, to walk through, and covered with creepers, with 

 a recess in the centre, furnished with a seat and table, may be appropri- 

 ate for such a garden ; and the streamlet, if it can be brought in, flowing 

 over a small cascade, or issuing- from some figure, it will be all the bet- 

 ter ; and then it may be conducted to a pond for gold and silver fish, or 

 for an aquarium ; and at some distance, towards the extreme end, it may 

 be widened, to afford an apparent necessity for a bridge, which may be 

 thrown over it with the assistance of the roots of large trees, on the 

 sides of which creepers may be introduced. A mass of rockwork, in an 

 appropriate situation, will add to the effect, also a few vases, with other 

 embellishments. These, with the walk around properly arranged 

 through the shrubbery, with beds of flowers here and there in the open- 

 ings placed on its margin, and a few clumps, with shrubs in the centre, 

 with a few dotted upon the grass, will make a very engaging retreat, 

 and may be accomplished in the space of a half or three quarters of an 

 acre, which, if of ati oblong shape, is all the better." 



Article VI is a description, with engravings, of a moss- 

 house erected at Murtle, in Aberdeenshire. We extract the 

 following account of the same : 



