LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



557 



if th M. 



.; 01 



Thtfcmo* 

 nlof ed~ 

 *muUd- 



a tame flat, but eipecially from its opposite, a flat 

 abounding with deformities. In effecting all those pur- 

 poses, the same principles apply. The first thing to 

 fix in the mind is the desired surface, or that style of 

 natural ground which is bt?t to be imitated. The 

 next thing is to examine on what parts, forms, and 

 line*, the natural beauty of this ground chiefly depends ; 

 if undulating, whether the concave or the convex pre- 

 vail* ; if broken ground, whether horizontal and per- 

 pendicular, or curved and inclined lines prevail. These 

 are then to be imitated in the improvement, ever keep- 

 view the important principle of a whole as the 

 end of connection, and the other principles we have 

 diacomed as the means of producing it. 



1. Tlte removal of accidental deformities, forms one of 

 the commonest operations on ground. Old quarries 

 ar.d other pits, utelea* cattle ponds, open drains, 

 mound* of earth, marks of ridges, are to be considered 

 of this description. As they have bet n raised by art, so 

 in dispersing them, the best general rule is to restore 

 the natural surface ; but sometimes the remains offences 

 are so numerous, that advantage may be taken of the 

 earth to be removed, and some variety given to a sur- 

 face otherwise dull and featureless. If the fence con- 

 lists of a great number of turns of different lengths, by 

 removing both the mound and part of the surface en 

 each aide of the drain, a small winding hollow or vale 

 may be formed : the effect of which may be heightened, 

 by placing the earth removed on adjoining indications 

 of natural eminences ; not so as to form knolls, but so 

 a to connect and harmonise with the prevailing idea 

 of expression. The root simple and obvious improve* 

 merit of exhausted quamet and dry pits, is to plant 

 them ; but this, though it will form a series of pleasing 

 scenes, is not always consistent with the general ex- 

 TMMBII to be created, and such groups as would arise 

 from these spot*, might destroy breadth of light and 

 connection, independently of excluding distant ob- 

 jects. In this case, they must be filled up by under- 

 growths, or by lowering the adjoining surface in such 

 a way, as not to interfere with general effect, or a suf- 

 ficient descent for the surface water. Where broken 

 ground enters into the idea of the composition to be ef- 

 fected, open drams, or hollow pits, afford fine sources 

 of picturesque beauty, especially if the ground is dry, 

 or can be readily under-drained. This character, how- 

 ever, can seldom be introduced as an original feature ; 

 but in ground naturally leading to abrupt and broken 

 lines, it may be more desirable to improve this expres- 

 sion, than attempt creating a more poliihed surface. 



In cases of this sort, almost every thing depends on 

 the introduction of wood, copse, and verdant rough- 

 newes, to harroonue the broken surface ; for mere bro- 

 ken ground, without a character of luxuriance and wild- 

 MM communicated by wood, is seldom better on a small- 

 er scale than a surface deformed by scar*. 



2. Natural tntmpt or txcrttcencrs are not uncommon 

 in many grounds which have not been subjected to ag- 

 ricultural improvement. When these are not large, the 



of fallowing with the plough will remove them ; 

 they are of some magnitude, they may often be- 

 sources both of polished and picturesque beauty. 

 If they are numerous and so distributed, as that by the 

 removal of some, and the enlargement through that 

 of others, they may give an impression of undu- 

 especially if situated on a naturally irregular 

 If on a declivity, and covering rocks or huge 

 a mixture of flowing lines with abruptnesses 

 may be happily introduced. 



3, A varied but yet dull turface, may often be im- 

 proved by a skilful artist. By studying the character 

 indicated by nature, it will generally be found, that 

 the deficiency of expression, is owing to the hollows 

 being in part clogged up, either naturally or by long 

 continuation under the plough; and the swells lowered 

 in a corresponding degree by the same process. In 

 this case, the obvious improvement is to remove earth 

 from the hollows, and place it on the eminences, ever 

 keeping in view the natural expression, and avoiding 

 to end the improvement by leaving the hollows gut- 

 ters, and the eminences pointed ridges. This sort of 

 improvement is not a very obvious one, though often 

 attended with surprising eft'ects, for every foot of depth 

 taken from a hollow, and laid on an adjoining hill, 

 adds two feet to the height of the latter. 



4-. In recluse scenes, immediately under the eye, art 

 may create a sort of miniature of beautiful ground. Man 

 is but a puny object, compared to those of inanimate 

 nature. He may overlook a distant hill separated by 

 low ground ; but a mound of three paces in height, 

 placed near the eye, confines the view, and nil other 

 objects being shut out, acquires, if apparently a work 

 of nature, a degree of importance in his imagination. 

 Winding walks, four feet below the surface, will sup- 

 ply earth for accompanying them by wavy hills or 

 swells eight feet high. If these hills or swells are form- 

 ed and connected, so as to produce a varied and natur- 

 al-like whole, with every change of position, a very 

 suitable basis will be raised for a picturesque shrubbery, 

 or flower garden. It was to this sort of art that Pope's 

 garden at Twickenham was indebted for so great a va- 

 riety of beauties in a small space ; and the flower gar- 

 den at Lord Harcourt's, at Nuneham, near Oxford, 

 was laid out under the eye of Mason the poet, on the 

 same principles. 



All these observations, will be understood as refer- 

 ring to grounds near the house. Distant scenes of a park, 

 hills or mountains, are only to be improved by wood ; 

 and these remarks, in so far as they extend, will sug- 

 gest not what is to be removed, but what must be con- 

 cealed. Many excellent remarks on this part of the 

 subject, are to be found in the picturesque tours of Mr. 

 Gilpin, referring to ranges of hilly scenery in different 

 parts of the country, of much of which he has given 

 views. With respect to ground, as respects garden 

 scenery, almost the only writer who has treated of it at 

 length, is Mr. Wheatley, whose excellent book so fre- 

 quently referred to by all succeeding writers on gar- 

 dening, ought to be in the hands of every man of taste. 

 In the chapter on ground in that work, the author con- 

 cludes with a salutary caution which ought ever to be 

 taken in connection with the wisest rules, " a caution 

 which has more than once been alluded to, must al- 

 ways be had in remembrance ; never to suffer general 

 considerations to interfere with extraordinary great cf- 

 fectt, which rise superior to all regulations, and perhaps 

 owe part of their force to their deviation from them. 

 Singularity causes at least surprise, and surprise is al- 

 lied to astonishment. These effects, are not, however, 

 attached merely to objects of enormous size ; they 

 frequently are produced by a greatness of style and 

 character, within such an extent as ordinary labour may 

 modify, and the compass of a garden include. The 

 caution therefore may not be useless within these nar- 

 row bounds; but nature proceeds still farther, beyond 

 the utmost verge to which art can follow, and, in scenes 

 licentiously wild, not content with contrast, forces even 

 contradictions to unite. The grotesque discordant 



Of the M. 



terials of 

 Gardening. 



Ground. 

 A varied 

 but yet dull 

 surface. 



Recluse 

 scenes. 



Distant 

 scenes. 



