"doith Trees and Shrubs. 415 



5 ft., let the ground among them be covered with turf. Still, 

 however, keep them apart, bj thinning and pruning, that each 

 may show its individual shape. Never in any case allow them 

 to become crowded and confused, and injui-ious to each other, 

 as they are in a common wood ; for that is to forget the distinc- 

 tive character of a garden. 



With these two reasons for discontinuing the practice of 

 planting flowering plants otherwise than in beds or groups in 

 open airy situations by themselves, we shall at present conclude ; 

 because it is enough to enforce one point at a time ; but we shall 

 just hint at another principle, to be worked out at a future op- 

 portunity : it is, that, as a garden is a work of art^ and a scene 

 of cidtivation, every plant or tree placed in it should be so placed 

 as never to be mistaken for a tree or plant placed there by nature 

 or accident^ or as to prevent the practices of cidtivation from being 

 applied to it. Hence all plants in beds or flower borders should 

 be sown or planted at regular intervals, so as that each plant 

 may form a distinct bush of itself, and be covered with flowers 

 on every side, as far as its nature admits, from the ground to its 

 summit. Exceptions there are in favour of creeping and trailing 

 plants ; but even these ought never to be allowed to crowd each 

 other ; for that is contrary to the requisites of good culture, and 

 the beauty of art and design. 



There are so very few gardens and pleasure-grounds in which 

 the above principles are not sinned against, that we shall not 

 refer to any private garden as an example. A public garden, 

 however, may be referred to without giving offence, we trust, to 

 any one ; and we shall, therefore, at once point to that of the 

 Horticultural Society at Chiswick, as conspicuously exhibiting 

 all the faults which we have been arguing against in this article. 

 This garden, with reference to our positions, instead of being an 

 example to be imitated, may, perhaps, do more good as a beacon 

 to be avoided, by enabling us, by a reference to it, to point out 

 more clearly what we mean. The arboretum of that garden, 

 for all practical purposes, may, as far as respects flowers, be 

 considered a shrubbery. Now, in one part of it, we have a 

 dug border of roses under a strip or marginal plantation of 

 acers, oaks, elms, &c. ; in another we have dug clumps of thorns 

 of different species, the ground under them being planted with 

 paeonies ; in a third we have a collection of Pyrus in a dug 

 clump, the surface of which is covered with Gih'a capitata 

 sown broadcast. Last year this arboretum was disfigured by 

 dahlias, pelargoniums, &c. We recommend the young gar- 

 dener to look at these clumps, and at all the others; to consider 

 \vhat we have said on the subject ; and to endeavour to determine 

 whether we are right or wrong. We also recommend him to 

 look at the flower-garden, and to determine, after the principles 



