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 14 ! ; %y& FLOWER WRDEN* COMPANION. 



ART. 2. Laying out the Flower Garden and Planting. 



It is difficult to give a correct method, for laying out flower 

 gardens, owing to the diversified opinions of different persons, 

 which are much at variance with each other. Some say that 

 nature should be copied, as much as possible ; others contend 

 that formal lines and geometrical figures, such as circles, ovals, 

 &c., are best. 



The extent and location of the ground, and the varieties 

 of plants which are to be cultivated, are the principal points 

 to be considered in the laying out of flower gardens ; these, 

 with a few general rules, may guide almost any intelligent 

 person to perform the work with good taste and propriety. 



In small pieces of flat ground, intended for fancy flowers 

 of low growth and habit, the geometrical order may be very 

 consistently followed, as, the space of ground being small, a 

 regular varied order is the most pleasing. In laying out 

 such parterres, the ground should not be too much cut up 

 into small walks and beds ; but they should be in number and 

 size in proportion to the size of the plat of ground to be 

 planted. Regard should be always had to have a well pro- 

 portioned central bed, either of an oval, circular, or other ap- 

 propriate figure ; from this other uniform beds may emanate, 

 in proportion, in a geometrical order. The walks of such 

 beds should be from two to three feet wide, and the beds may 

 be double the width across, in the centre, as that of the walks. 

 A good criterion is, that in a small flower garden the beds 

 should be no wider than a person can reach into the centre, 

 from the walk, to cut the flowers, without treading upon the 

 beds. 



Where the ground is intended to be planted with annual 

 flowers only, or especially for the culture of bulbous rooted 

 plants, as hyacinths, tulips, and hardy bulbs, it may be laid 

 out into four feet beds, with two feet alleys or walks. 



At country residences, where a large extent is appropriated 

 to this department, many convenient and pleasing appendages 

 can be judiciously introduced; as rustic arbors, rustic seats, 



