Landscape-Gardeners and Garden Architects. 215 



improvements, they draw up a report, for which they make a charge, according 

 to the supposed ability and willingness of the employer to pay. However 

 common this mode of charging may be, both among professional men and 

 tradesmen, it is very unjust in principle. The richest man should not be 

 charged more for any description of object than the poorest. 



Some landscape-gardeners purposely charge a very low price per day, in 

 hopes of getting employment, and of making it up by a high charge for plans, 

 and by getting a per-centage from the nurserymen, or other tradesmen, who 

 are employed to execute the work. This is also a very unfair mode, and, like 

 the other, frequently leads to disputes. No professional man ought to receive 

 any per-centage from a tradesman, under any circumstances whatever. 



Both in England and Scotland, it is customary for nurserymen to give plans 

 for laying out grounds, building garden structures, &c. ; and as, in such cases, 

 they generally get the work to execute, the plans are not charged for. In 

 other cases, a regular charge is made by the nurseryman for his time, say at 

 the rate of one, two, or three guineas a day; and the party for whom the plan 

 is made is at liberty to have it executed by whom he chooses. If he employs 

 the nurseryman who made the plan to execute the whole, the charges for the 

 plan, time, examining the grounds, &c, are deducted from the account for 

 executing the work ; and if he is only employed to execute a part of the plan, 

 then only a proportionate part of the expense of making it is deducted. 



There is a branch of landscape-gardening which is, to that profession, what 

 building is to architecture, and is called new ground work; and the under- 

 taker of it is called a new ground workman. This department is chiefly of a 

 mechanical nature, and consists in carrying plans into execution, more especially 

 in cases where there is much ground to remove, as in forming pieces of water, 

 new kitchen-gardens, &c. The persons who undertake this department 

 frequently make plans, and charge for them on the same principle as nursery- 

 men do, deducting the whole or part of the charge, as they may execute the 

 whole or part of the work. The celebrated Mr. Brown acted both as land- 

 scape-gardener and new ground workman ; but Mr. Repton only in the former 

 capacity. 



Some professional men have a regular charge per day while employed on 

 the grounds ; and, after having acquired on the spot all the information neces- 

 sary to enable them to make such a plan as they consider necessary, they agree 

 beforehand with the proprietor to make this plan for a certain sum. This is 

 a very commendable mode, as tending to prevent surprise on the part of the 

 employer, who may know nothing of the usual charges for plans; and, con- 

 sequently, when that charge amounts to more than he had any idea of, very 

 disagreeable consequences to both parties must necessarily ensue. 



Some landscape-gardeners, after charging for their plans, &c, undertake to 

 see the work executed under the direction of a foreman, either for so much 

 for the entire work, for so much a year while it lasts, or for their usual charge 

 per day for the time occupied in making professional visits, while the work is 

 going on, corresponding with the foreman, examining his accounts, &c. Some, 

 instead of charging a certain sum per day for superintending the execution of 

 the work, charge a per-centage in the manner of architects; but this we consider 

 an objectionable mode, since the remuneration bears no necessary relation to 

 the talent employed ; and as to the idea of available responsibility, unless the 

 professional man finds actual securities, men of property, his individual security 

 is of no practical value. Even architects are now very seldom remunerated 

 by a per-centage, but generally by a fixed sum, or so much a year while their 

 plans are being executed. 



It has been objected to the mode of charging by the day, that it puts the 

 professional man on a footing with the common labourer; and those landscape- 

 gardeners who are of this opinion, when consulted, make known previously 

 what they will charge for a professional visit of a certain time, including what- 

 ever sketches they may make, or written directions which they may prepare, 

 during that time ; and if there should be any other plans required which the 



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