the Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens. 313 



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second place, little or no attention has been paid to planting out 

 the boundary wall, which ought to be so screened as in no case 

 whatever to be detected by the visitor. The effect of grouping 

 throughout the ground is generally well managed, as far as the 

 beauty of the plan goes; but, as the natural and broken form of 

 these groups (which are only imaginary) could not possibly be rea- 

 lised without many years' growth, and also can only be effected by 

 allowing the shrubs and trees naturally to break the lines of the 

 beds, or dug compartments, in which they are first planted ; and 

 as the beds would be generally under notice, and form principal 

 features in the ground for many years, some having always to re- 

 tain their form, it is of the utmost consequence that the shape of 

 these beds, or dug compartments, should be of the most beautiful 

 and graceful forms possible ; therefore not one step towards plant- 

 ing ought to be taken until a satisfactory plan is given, showing 

 the form or shape of every part to be planted. 



There appears to be no specific arrangement made for the 

 arboretum, more than that it is stated to be formed in groups 

 over the ground, according to the Linnsean system. Now, I 

 think it impossible, amongst such a multiplicity of walks and 

 scattered groups of trees and shrubs, to pursue the plants in re- 

 gular order, without its proving too intricate and perplexing to 

 afford that interest and pleasure to the spectator it would other- 

 wise do, if properly arranged ; and, further, there would be a dan- 

 ger eventually of some of the large-growing trees becoming too 

 bulky, and thus overshadowing some interesting spot or im- 

 portant object, which object could not be relieved without taking 

 down a tree or trees; and, in doing this, of course, such spe- 

 cimens would afterwards be wanting to the arboretum. The 

 arboretum ought to be looked to as one grand feature in these 

 grounds, and the site here offers an opportunity of one being 

 formed to equal, nay, I may say, to surpass, any other public 

 arboretum in England. The course I should take would be, to 

 commence at one of the entrances to the gardens, and range skirt- 

 ing under the boundary wall screen all round the garden, until 

 it meets the entrance from which it started. This I should 

 arrange on lawn between the boundary plantation and the 

 principal walk, forming groups of each family in the gardenesque 

 manner, dividing them by broad spaces of lawn, and placing 

 all the dwarf shrubs nearest the walk ; and thus the stranger 

 could not fail to command a ready view of every individual tree 

 and shrub, without the help of a guide. 



It is a great omission, also, that there is no arrangement 

 made for a general flower-garden or one for florist's flowers, for 

 the exhibition of rare and showy kinds, as they seldom fail to 

 create general attraction. These ought to form principal com- 

 partments in the pleasure-ground. The botanical arrangements 



