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Garden Calls : — 



118 



containing the best views, is in our opinion a prevailing error in the 

 arrangement of country residences. There are exceptions, but in general 

 the best view which every house affords ought not to be enjoyable other- 

 wise than from the windows of the best rooms. This once adopted as a 

 principle will readily point out the subordinate arrangements. 



The pleasure-ground here owes every thing to art, and is beautifully 

 arranged. The masses of shrubs and flowers were more finely tufted, and 

 more "profusely covered with blossoms, than any we have seen during our 

 excursions this year. The only masses that came up to them in point of 

 compactness, were those in the Duchess of Gloucester's American garden 

 at Bagshot ; but as these were exclusively American shrubs, and mostly out 

 of flower, and those at Westdean peat-earth shrubs mixed with flowers, a 

 comparison cannot properly be made. There is a certain age or size at 

 which American shrubs, in masses and mixed with flowers, look better than 

 at any other ; from which it may be inferred, that when this kind of orna- 

 mental scenery attains a certain age, if the expression of youth and 

 beauty is meant to be continued, it should be taken up and replanted. 

 Among the contrivances adopted for giving interest to the walks, and to 

 separate one scene from another, are portions of walk covered with arched 

 trellis work. One of these is grown over with climbing roses ; another with 

 laburnums, which in the flowering season has a remarkably fine aspect, few 

 colours looking so well in the shade as yellow, because, with the exception 

 of white, none suffer so little from the absence of light. This laburnum 

 trellis has a new feature, that of a table border of trellis work (/g. 118. a) 

 intended to be covered with ivy : we have no 

 doubt its effects will be good, especially in 

 winter. We must remark some circum- 

 stances in the construction of garden trellises 

 which should never be neglected : they should 

 be ample in their dimensions, strictly geome- 

 trical in all their forms, and most accurately 

 and substantially executed. Nothing can be 

 more miserable in its effect on the eye than a 

 low narrow archway, the supports leaning in 

 different directions, and the curve of the 

 ground plan and of the roof in no marked 



style of determinate lines. The most accurate carpentry and smith 

 work ought always to be employed in such structures, otherwise they had 

 much better be omitted as garden decorations. Some attempt forming 

 trellises over walks with long hazel rods ; but nothing can be meaner than 

 the effect. Such rod trellis-works or arbours are at best fit for a cottage- 

 garden, or a hedge alehouse. We would refer in proof of this to a quarter 

 of a mile of this description of structure in the garden of one of the most 

 wealthy of British noblemen, were it not for hurting the feelings of his very 

 worthy gardener, who, we believe, erected them from the desire of saving his 

 master's pocket. We have sometimes thought of recommending Wistan'a 

 Consequana for arched trellises ; but as the purple blossoms of this plant 

 require a good deal of light, it is better adapted for arcade trellis-work in 

 which the sides are open, or for wire umbrellas. (Vol. IV. p. 168.) There is 

 a rustic house here very well managed, and made of some consequence by 

 being placed on a raised basement ; not a bad cascade, but the bed of the 

 stream below it rather too regularly studded with grotesque stones ; some 

 very fine specimens of broad-leaved elms; one or two large limes; a very 

 large Aralia spinosa; several tree rhododendrons which live in the masses of 

 the other species with very little protection; and various large hollies. 



The kitchen-garden contains the largest Elruge nectarine tree in England 

 (Vol.1, p. 174.), still in a very healthy state. The soil of the garden is 

 thin loam on chalk, Mr. Bowers, two or three years ago, finding a number 



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