458 Design for laying oul and itlanting a Floisoer-Gardeti. 



which are formed of lines and scrolls of box, and in which the 

 figures formed by the lines of box are every thing, and the 

 plants, when any are planted in them, are frequently more 

 a deformity than a beauty. We speak only of parterres 

 lor the display of fine herbaceous flowers ; and for this purpose, 

 of all the plans which we have given to the reader in this 

 volume, hitherto, we decidedly prefer fig. 51. p. 357. 



We entirely agree with the Young Gardener, that there 

 ought to be no trees in such a flower-garden as he has designed, 

 and not even a single shrub on the grass. Planting single 

 shrubs among beds of shrubs and flowers is good, where the 

 ultimate intention is to cover the dug clumps, containing the 

 shrubs, with their branches, or to turf the ground over up to 

 these branches ; but single shrubs create confusion, and inter- 

 fere with unity of expression, where a lawn is covered with beds 

 in which nothing but herbaceous flowers are grown. The want 

 of this unity of expression is at present strikingly exemplified in 

 the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park, where, in the 

 south-east angle, a portion of lawn, recently added to the 

 gardens, displays, in patches or singly, standard roses, orna- 

 mental trees, low shrubs, dahlias, carnations, heartseases, pelar- 

 goniums, fuchsias, and many other plants, all counteracting the 

 effect of one another ; but each, no doubt, admired separately 

 by those who look only to parts or details, without reference to 

 general results, or their cooperation in forming a whole. 



We may here observe, with reference to the circular beds in 

 fig. 51., that if they were to be formed in a loose sandy soil, 

 we would surround every one of them underground with a 4-in. 

 wall of brick, carried up to within a few inches of the surface. 

 In short, we would make each bed a small well or pond of 

 3 ft. or more in depth ; and this would not only preserve the 

 correct circular form at the surface, but it would admit of 

 changing the soil in which the plants were grown at pleasure. 

 This changing of the soil, not merely to the depth of 3 ft, but, 

 in some cases, to the depth of 4 ft., or 5 ft., is essential to grow- 

 ing some plants in the very best manner ; and unless they are 

 grown in the very best manner, it is surely hardly worth while 

 to display them in a flower-garden. In a strong clayey soil, on 

 a level surface, bricking or otherwise walling the insides of 

 flower-beds is unnecessary ; but in most others we are persuaded 

 that it would be ?i very great improvement. 



Hitherto it has been a very great mistake in landscape-gar- 

 deners and amateurs, to seek only for picturesque beauty ; or, 

 at all events, to seek for that description of beauty in scenes 

 altogether unfit to produce it, and in which it would be contrary 

 to reason to attempt its production. It is this fancied necessity 

 for having picturesque beauty everywhere which has led to the 



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