from June 28. to August 16. 1840. 301 



that is, in a flower-garden by themselves, either in mixed beds 

 or borders, or in symmetrical or picturesque figures with one 

 kind in each figure ; and by this means we would preserve an 

 allusion to simple rural nature in some parts of the scenery, 

 and create the richest artificial scenes in others. 



The groups of trees and shrubs here are so very closely 

 planted, that the plants are drawn up with naked stems, and are 

 already becoming unsightly. The appearance in winter, when 

 they are without foliage, of masses of naked rods must be any 

 thing but agreeable. To make the most of these masses, they 

 should have been planted much thinner, and consisted of a much 

 greater number of kinds, both of ti'ees and shrubs, and especially 

 of evergreens. 



Bellevue, near Sevres^ the villa of M. Oudier, was laid out for 

 some mistress of the royal family, before the first revolution; the 

 gardener could not recollect the name. It contains two or three 

 acres of ground, considerably varied, with a piece of water judi- 

 ciously placed, rockwork, and some garden buildings in the style 

 of the Petit Trianon. Among the trees are almost the only spe- 

 cimens of Quercus pedunculata that we saw in the neighbour- 

 hood of Paris. In the stove and greenhouse are some rare 

 plants, recently brought from London and Belgium, and a toler- 

 able collection of Cacti. In the open garden there are many 

 dahlias, and a number of seedlings of /Salvia patens, 4 ft. high, 

 and beautifully in flower. The same fault is committed here as 

 at Surenne, viz., the distribution of flowers all over the place. 

 The lawn is watered by a portable forcing-pump, to which a 

 leather hose, pierced with holes, and terminating in a copper 

 rose, is attached. The gardener considers that he can do more 

 work with the common watering-pot. 



Belleville, at Meudoji, the villa of Madame Gabrielle Oudier, is 

 of greater extent than Bellevue, and it has a magnificent pro- 

 spect, with Paris in the distance; but it has the same fault, of 

 being rendered monotonous about the house by borders of 

 flowers along the carriage road, as well as on the garden front. 



The Chateau de Meudon is a small royal palace destined for 

 the children of the crown, and occupied during the latter period 

 of Napoleon's reign by his son. The view from the terrace over 

 Paris, and to the wood of St. Gloud on the right, far surpasses 

 any thing of the kind in the neighbourhood of Paris. There is 

 scarcely any flower-garden, but there is an extensive natural 

 wood of Quercus sessiliflora, pierced with narrow shady alleys in 

 all directions, with some broad open avenues. Along one of 

 these has been a hedge of spruce fir, which has been thinned 

 out, and plants left at regular distances to take the form of trees; 

 these have all shot out several leaders at the same height from 

 the ground, and have now rather a singular appearance, which 



