648 Remarks on laying out 



It is almost unnecessary to observe, that the different kinds 

 of scientific gardens might all be combined in one enclosure, pro- 

 vided it were sufficiently large ; and, also, that the landscape- 

 gardens, and gardens for recreation, might, M^here the extent 

 admitted, be also included in one. In general, however, unless 

 the space is very ample, a zoological garden is better by itself ;^ 

 and the same may be said respecting the gardens for recreation 

 and refreshments. Landscape-gardens may, to a certain ex- 

 tent, display an arboretum ; but can in a very limited degree 

 answer any other purpose of scientific gardens. We shall first 

 lay down some principles which are common to all these gar- 

 dens ; next, give a short outline of the mode of designing each ; 

 and we shall give, in our succeeding volume, a plan and descrip- 

 tion of a design for a public garden, with a priced list of the 

 trees and shrubs to be planted in it, which we have lately made 

 for the corporation of an English town, and which is at this 

 time (Nov. 1835) being carried into execution. 



The first general principle, universally applicable in laying 

 out a garden, is — that, as every garden is a work of art, Art 

 should be every where avowed in it. The idea that nature is 

 the great object of imitation in what are called English gardens 

 has led to much error, from the expression not being correctly 

 understood. Nature is to be imitated ; but, as we have repeat- 

 edly stated, neither in gardening, nor in painting, nor in any 

 other art considered as a fine art, is it to be imitated in such 

 a manner as that the result shall be mistaken for nature it- 

 self. It is true that nature is imitated, in some arts, with a view 

 to produce objects which shall be so like natural ones, as, at a 

 very short distance, to be mistaken for them : for example, in 

 the art of forming, colouring, and clothing wax figures of 

 human beings ; or of forming and colouring wax figures of fruits ; 

 but these arts have no claim to be entitled fine arts. It may be 

 said that the modern style of laying out grounds is assuredly an 

 imitation of nature, as compared with the ancient, or geometri- 

 cal style ; and, undoubtedly, it is so : but still, as the use of 

 language implies, it is the imitation of nature in a garden, not 

 the bare imitation of nature. Certain smooth and beautiful 

 portions of turf, and groups of trees, which occur in nature, 

 are imitated, and adapted for the use of man, in lawns and 

 pleasure-grounds ; but they are always separated from such 

 imperfections as accompany them in nature; or the trees which 

 form the groups are of foreign kinds, so as to give the work 

 produced the character of art : in short, to rank it as the pro- 

 duction of man. The most beautiful and picturesque pleasure- 

 ground in England could never for a moment be mistaken for a 

 piece of natural scenery : it is seen at once to be as much the 

 work of art as a French geometrical garden ; but of art em- 



