708 Summary View of the Progress of Gardening, 



vidual. Every thing in a garden which is referable to taste is 

 as much a matter of reasoning, judgment, and experience, as 

 those matters which relate to culture ; and the disposition and 

 outline of a flower-bed ought to be such as can be accounted 

 for on rational principles, no less than the particular mode by 

 which any species of tree is pruned or trained. When any 

 object is to be obtained equally well by more ways than one, 

 as, for example, when it will be equally suitable to lay out a 

 flower-garden in a system of circles, of ovals, or of squares, then 

 the preference given to one of these figures over the others 

 constitutes the taste of the individual, and in so far may be said 

 to depend on his fancy : but, whatever taste may be adopted, it 

 must be governed by the laws and rules of the composition of 

 lines and forms ; which have no more dependence on the taste 

 of the individual, than the laws and rules of grammar have on 

 the subject of a discourse. 



In comparing one garden or country residence with another, 

 the young gardener has not only an opportunity of improving 

 himself in matters of design and taste, but also in culture; because 

 different soils and situations, different degrees of knowledge 

 and experience in the gardener, and different kinds of wants and 

 wishes on the part of the proprietor, lead to the production of 

 different kinds and quantities of crops, and different degrees of 

 order and keeping. In every point of view, therefore, it is desir- 

 able for gardeners and amateurs to visit as many gardens as 

 possible ; and the object of our remarks on those which we have 

 visited is, not only to direct attention to these gardens, for the 

 sake of particular points of interest or excellence which they 

 exhibit, but to teach the art of observation and enquiry, generally, 

 to the young gardener. 



Among the various articles which, in our Table of Contents 

 (p. iii.), will be found classed under the head of General Subject, 

 those of most interest we consider to be the notices of gardens 

 in the North and West Ridings of Yorkshire (the writer of 

 which is an excellent practical gardener), and our own notices 

 made during our professional tours. Among the latter, Chats- 

 worth and Elvaston Castle afford some instructive lessons in 

 culture, as well as some original ideas in matters of construction 

 and of taste. The garden of Mr. Bonham, though occupying a 

 mere speck of ground, shows what may be effected in a mini- 

 mum of space in the country; as that of Mr. Ingpen (Vol. XIV. 

 p. 4:56.) does what may be accomplished in town. We have 

 since seen, in Chapel Street, Edgeware Road, a miniature 

 town garden very similar to that of Mr. Ingpen, where its 

 proprietor, Mr. Allen, has shown a degree of taste and floricul- 

 tural knowledge rarely to be met with in a London householder. 

 Mr. Allen's garden walls are now covered with a splendid show 



