JOURNAL OF HORTICULTTTEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t May 2, 1865. 



true one. It so happens, however, that in "E. A. L.'s " plan 

 it was desirable to lengthen the bed more one way than the 

 other, owing to the space on which it had to be out. The 

 bands, consequently, were run round the two circles, 13, 13, 

 and not round 12, 12. 



The plan I have given is purely geometrical, and is adapted 

 to fill any space where there are no very definite outlines, 

 although, of course, it would fill a square or a circular piece of 

 ground very well. 

 It will also answer 

 either as a centre 

 or outside in a set 

 of three beds to 

 fill a long terrace. 

 Three distinct sets 

 of beds, the two 

 •outside ones being 

 similar or nearly 

 similar, vei-y often 

 fill a long terrace 

 garden or paral- 

 lelogram better 

 than one continu- 

 ous figure. IMy re- 

 marks may seem 

 chiefly to apply to 

 geometrical gar- 

 dens on grass. I 

 admit that with 

 Bos and gravel 

 greater in-egula- 

 rity is admissible ; 

 but, still even with 

 scroll-beds, X think 

 that onehalf ought 

 to be made to ba- 

 lance the other as 

 nearly as possible, 

 and no scroll-bed 

 ought to be made 

 so large as to re- 

 r(uire planting in 

 different divisions. 



Of course, to the 

 end of time there 

 will be " quoi hom- 

 ilies, tot sententim." 

 I do not think, however, we differ very much on the 

 whole, unless it is with the exception, that I am still an 

 advocate for creepers against a house, except in cases of 

 large mansions or houses with a good deal of architectural 



border looking untidy, or desolate, in the winter. I think 

 few lovers of Roses would like to be without them on the 

 walls of their houses. Of course, my remarks do not apply to 

 large mansions with gravelled terraces, balustrades, &c., in 

 front, but to nine-tenths of the ordinary run of country 

 houses. In fact. I only know of one or two near here, one 

 of which is Castle Howard, the seat of Lord Carlisle, that 

 would not be better of a few creepers, as Roses, &c. I am 



not an advocate 

 for smothering a 

 house with Ivy and 

 other rambUng 

 creepers, but to 

 have a few choice 

 creepers and keep 

 them distinct, as 

 Roses, Wistaria, 

 and Trumpet Ho- 

 neysuckle, &c. — 

 X. Y. Z. 



P.S. Since writ- 

 ing the above, I 

 have found a trac- 

 ing of a garden 

 which I designed 

 and cut out last 

 year, and I send it 

 instead of making 

 any new design, as 

 it exemplifies what 

 I have said with 

 respect to three 

 sets of beds form- 

 ing a good plan for 

 a long level ter- 

 race. This plan 

 was cut out on a 

 terrace about 45 

 feet broad facing 

 the house, a broad 

 gravel walk lies 

 between the house 

 and the terrace, 

 which is sunk 

 about 2 feet below 

 the walk, and 

 slopes very slightly 

 fi-om one end to the other, the fall being about 1 in 100. The 

 walls of the house are trellised, and there is a border in 

 front, the trellis and border being continued beyond the 

 house parallel to and up to the end of the terrace. Beyond 



^!^'7«^ 



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A A, RaisctI Bcc'fi. 



n, Ornamcntol Vase. 



beauty. My own ie a new house, and I flatter myself not 

 unsightly, Viut when there were two or three hundred blooms 

 of Gcnc'ral .Tacquominot all ovit at once on plants which I have 

 trained up the bonae, itwaa more adorned than by the best 

 architectural features. When bedding plants are used in 

 the borders where the creepers grow, other plants can, mth- 

 out very much trouble, be made to supply their place during 

 the winter and spring months. Variegated Arabia is a per- 

 manent cdjjing that looks well nearly all winter, and a few 

 bulbs and spring flowers, and small plants of variegated 

 cvergreena — aa Hollies or Boi interspersed, will prevent the 



the teiTace to the south, at a lower level, is another terrace 

 lor croquet, surrounded by a few standard Roses in small 

 round beds which carry on the eye from the garden above. 

 I will not trespass on your space by any further explanation, 

 but send the plan as it is. 



[Wo quite agree in most of what you advance. As to 

 the plans, we have no doubt the round group will look well 

 wlien planted. In our opinion tbo circle is not only the 

 simplest but the most beautiful of figures ; the oyo never 

 tires in looking round it, and there are no jutting corners. 



