Paet III. SLOPING AND LEVEL GROUND. 3^7 



and if the balustrade and the vases placed on each of its 

 piers are backed by cedars of Lebanon or other evergreen 

 trees, planted at some little distance behind them, the con- 

 trast of their white colour and the dark green of the trees 

 will be by no means disagreeable. If the entire removal 

 of the descent is not allowable, a slight inclination may be 

 left from the terrace wall towards the house ; but whenever 

 it is practicable a perfect level is better adapted for the 

 geometrical garden ; and, as a general rule, this kind of 

 garden should never be laid out on sloping or uneven 

 ground ; and whenever there is a fall of the ground it should 

 be laid out in a succession of gardens or terraces, each on a 

 perfectly level space. On the upper level (separated from the 

 newly-made lower garden by the terrace wall) may be another 

 dressed garden, between the terrace and the cedars ; and in 

 order that the cedars may approach in one part rather nearer 

 to the balustrade, that corner of the upper garden may be 

 made to form an acute angle with them ; or some other 

 arrangement may be devised, according to the nature of the 

 ground. {See woodcut 62, in next page.) 



A dressed garden of less pretensions may be projected in a 

 level spot, and merely bounded by a slight trench and by a 

 low wall with pierced work of bricks in patterns, or with 

 half-circles formed of half main-drain tiles (Plate vi.), or 

 even by a low dipt evergreen hedge. These are sufficient 

 to define its limits, and the beds may then be formed of the 

 same geometrical patterns as in other dressed gardens. But 

 this does not really merit the name of terrace-garden, and is 

 only a substitute for it which may be attached to a house of 

 very moderate pretensions. 



Some are satisfied that the patterns of the geometrical 

 gardens should be laid out in turf, or have grass walks 

 between each instead of gravel; and it is certainly easier 

 to cut beds in turf, as in a level lawn, than to lay out 



