NINETEENTH CENTURY 295 



would not be ineffective," and " to produce broad effects of 

 colour . . . double Furze, Rhododendrons, Laburnums, Lilacs, 

 etc., and if within the pleasure-grounds. Hydrangeas, Dahlias, 

 or even patches of showy geraniums, might be added." At 

 the same time, he thinks the " smoothness " of the " banks 

 around the water should be a leading feature." 



The collection of flower - beds was not complete in the 

 early Victorian garden without a flower-basket. This fre- 

 quently took the form of a series of diminishing circles of 

 rustic woodwork, raised to the height of several feet, the 

 lowest ring being some 12 or 15 feet in diameter, each tier being 

 planted with rows of geraniums or other gaudy flowers during 

 the summer. 



In a large number of gardens the old herbaceous borders 

 had already been ejected when the landscape style became 

 the rage, so the new system known as " bedding out " did not 

 (except in a few old gardens) actually displace existing flowers. 

 The old were already relegated to the background, while the 

 thrilling beauty of the more tender new introductions de- 

 manded recognition. Thus the obvious plan seemed to be to 

 show them off for at least some part of the year. Just as the 

 soft shades of the tapestry worked by Elizabethan ladies gave 

 place to the crude colours of " Berlin wool," the tones in the 

 garden seemed subject to the same influence, and changed 

 from grave to gay. 



Where new gardens were being laid out, the Italian style 

 was chosen, as being best suited to the new bedding system. 

 Like all previous fashions, which had in turn been adapted 

 from foreign countries, it was not slavishly copied, but the 

 main ideas — the terraces, flights of steps, fountains, balus- 

 trades, and regular flower-beds — were all carried out. The 

 chief architects who brought this into vogue were Nesfield, 

 Pax ton, and Barry. 



There is a very large folio volume by A. E. Brooke in 

 which are depicted what were then considered the finest 

 gardens in England.^ Most of them are Italian in design, and 

 the beds are filled with these gaudy but perishable flowers. 

 Among the number he illustrates may be mentioned Woburn, 

 ^ Gardens of England. By A. E. Brooke, 1858. 



