Observations on Landscape- Gardening. 87 



the course of a few years, the pines grow over the path, and must be pruned ; 

 afterwards the under branches drop off, and the stems are left naked ; while, 

 below, the badly grown grass and stunted foreign trees neither present a 

 picture of lovely nature, nor one which the art of the landscape-gardener 

 should produce.* Where the subject is more earnestly and more extensively 

 pursued, unsightly stagnant water is turned into running brooks; and abridge, 

 made of the rough stems of the birch, with suitable arches, is thrown across 

 the gentle stream ; a few vistas are cut through the forest to produce beauti- 

 ful views ; and here and there a temple and a ruin are erected, though, also, 

 the former usually too soon becomes what the latter is intended to represent. 



" * This, in some degree, is the highest point of perfection ever reached in 

 such an undertaking ; and which, indeed, only causes us to regret that such 

 good land is not cultivated for a more useful purpose. 



" ' This innovation is often laughed at with more or less reason ; and, when 

 it is attempted, there is seldom any improvement made j and, therefore, I 

 repeat, that when large and expensive gardens are laid out with the greatest 

 care, they only bear testimony that the art of landscape-gardening in Ger- 

 many has not, at present, advanced one step. There are, indeed, some 

 exceptions, but they are but very few ; and I know of none which, like the 

 English gardens, I could hold up as a model.' 



" When the grounds are perfectly well laid out and finished, it seldom 

 happens that they are long kept in that state j and, therefore, they do not look 

 well long. The groups of trees and shrubs are soon neglected, and the grass is 

 badly managed, and unseasonably mown ; so that, in the course of a few years, 

 the whole thing falls to decay, and no longer resembles a park. In large parks, 

 the greatest attention is paid to the grass for its utility ; but how unpardon- 

 able it is, that in small ornamental gardens, where the best sorts of grasses 

 are sown, as English ryegrass, species of Poa and ^grostis, Phleum, &c., the 

 turf is so carelessly managed, and the grass suffered to grow so long, that it is 

 completely spoilt. Why such a grass-plot is not mown every eight days, if 

 the weather permit, and also swept and rolled, as in England, I cannot under- 

 stand. Probably the reason is, that, in general, the proprietor keeps cows or 

 goats, or the grass is the perquisite of the gardener ; so that the small grass- 

 plot is not regularly mown, but only as much is cut every day as is necessary 

 for the cattle. Nothing is so unsightly as a grass-plot, near a house, mown 

 here and there at different times, and therefore looking so ill, that the whole 

 has the appearance of a barren heath, instead of a piece of velvet. I also 

 agree with the author, when he says that the Germans never display either 

 exalted ideas, taste, or decoration, in the laying out and keeping of our 

 pleasure-grounds. Sometimes this is the fault of the proprietor; but more 

 generally it arises from the want of sense and taste in the gardener. 



" The first section of Prince Puckler Muskau's book treats of the funda- 

 mental idea and plan of pleasure-grounds. It is short and conclusive. The 

 author then continues his subject in the following manner : — 



" ' In my (opinion, landscape-gardening, when on a great scale, must be 

 directed by a fundamental idea. I must be allowed here to use the word idea 

 as is customary in common conversation, and not according to the new system 



" * It is to be lamented that unsuitable trees are too often planted by the 

 road sides, or in groups ; and I was lately astonished to see that Taxodium 

 distichum had been considered as a shrub, and thickly planted by the side of 

 the road. If there had only been a few of them, it might have been supposed 

 that the gardener had made a mistake ; but, unfortunately, they are innumer- 

 able. Whoever knows much about these trees, or even has seen them in all 

 their beauty at Worlitz, will be astonished how a tree which grows to the 

 height of 80 ft. in its native country (America) could be considered as a 

 shrub. I saw, also, several other trees used in like manner, of which I shall 

 say more another time. — Otto^ 



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