60 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July IS, 1872. 



each other or with the natural features of the landscape. What 

 I find fault with, and wish to see altered, is the unseemly 

 jumble of trees so often met with. No guiding principles having 

 been observed in planting, things beautiful in themselves are 

 comparatively dull and uninteresting through the want of 

 thought or taste in their arrangement, or even displeasing 

 through incongruity. Now, I am quite ready to admit that it is 

 easier to condemn that which exists, than to lay down any pre- 

 cise rules by which the uninitiated may attain the end which 

 seems to me so desirable. I seek variety and contrast, but it must 

 be variety and contrast with harmony. The professional man, 

 when engaged to x^ut the finishing touch on a garden or estate 

 by planting, if properly imbued with the importance of his task, 

 should master all the natural beauties and defects of the spot to 

 be dealt with, including its accompaniments and surroundings, 

 and then study to increase the beauties and remedy the defects. 



"Whether the beautiful or the picturesque predominate natu- 

 rally, it should not be reduced, but heightened by every possible 

 effort of art, and only varied by the introduction of other features 

 of beauty in such manner that they may not rival or overpower, 

 but remain subservient to, this dominant natural feature. Allow 

 me to offer apractical illustration of this remark. Iwas recently 

 engaged to make suggestions for the improvement of a park 

 which had at no distant period been increased in size by the 

 addition of some outlying fields, and had never, so far as I could 

 observe, been brought under the hands of the landscape gardener. 

 The dominant feature observable in this old park was the 

 picturesque ; the surface was variously undulated, and there 

 was a broad sedgy stream with hoary trees overhanging its 

 banks winding through it, and quitting it near the principal 

 entrance. Here was a lodge to which the picturesque extended, 

 but not in the fulness of beauty to be found within. By plant- 

 ing groups of some of our most beautiful and more regular trees 

 around this building a new feature was introduced, affording 

 variety and contrast without destroying or marring the effect of 

 the natural beauties within. Again, when adding the fields to 

 the park, the hedgerows which had been left greeted the sight 

 on every hand with hard unsatisfactory lines of trees in positions 

 and of a character quite out of harmony with the surroundings. 

 These lines were broken by removing some of the trees and 

 grouping around others. Again, in the immediate vicinity of 

 the mansion, where there was an impression of barrenness, 

 symmetrical trees were introduced, working those of irregular 

 forms outwards towards the park in such manner that the 

 picturesque and beautiful were gradually and insensibly blended. 

 I offer this as a general example of the way in which trees may 

 be used so as to produce the best effect in the landscape.. 



When planting in the vicinity of a dwelling-house, whether it 

 be a mansion or a cottage, we often find ourselves under con- 

 siderable restraint, because the form of the trees requires to be 

 in harmony with the character of the building. It may not he 

 necessary to consider every style or order of architecture as re- 

 quiring a different assortment of trees ; for our purpose it 

 suffices to divide the whole into Perpendicular, of which the 

 Gothic may be given as an example, and the Horizontal, which 

 is fitly exemplified by the Italian style. Irregular, round- 

 headed, and weeping trees are in character with either, but the 

 laminate and round-headed are most pleasing to my mind in con- 

 nection with the Perpendicular, and the columnar and irregular 

 with the Horizontal. If the building be low, tall-growing trees 

 should be avoided, and the round-headed, the laminate, and 

 weeping are especially desirable, because they direct the eye 

 horizontally and downwards. It should ever be borne in mind 

 that the presence of lofty trees in proximity to a low building 

 has the undesirable influence of still further depressing it. 



As examples of the grouping of these representative trees, the 

 irregular and columnar and the irregular and weeping will, I 

 think, be most frequently available in association. Two Scotch 

 Pines and a Weeping Willow, or a Scotch Pine and two Lom- 

 bardy Poplars, make a nice group when variety of form, colour, 

 and character are required. There is, however, scarcely any 

 limit to the variety that may be obtained by the combination of 

 these representative trees, but to make the best of them two 

 things are necessary — a wide knowledge of the nature and 

 appearance of the trees, and a correct taste in order to combine 

 them in such a way that they are not only in contrast but also 

 not out of harmony with each other or their surroundings. 

 When the irregular or varied dominate in the surrounding tree 

 scenery, separate groups of the "round-headed," the "larni- 

 . nate," the "columnar," and the "weeping" may often he 

 sparingly introduced with good effect. 



2. On the Form of the Spray and Ramification of Trees. — 

 This is a matter of less importance than the form or oiitline of 

 the tree, because it is only distinguishable when immediately 

 under ihe eye, whereas the outline of the tree produces an 

 effect on the landscape from a considerable distance. For 

 some purposes trees are divided into evergreen and deciduous, 

 the former holding their leaves perpetually, the latter losing 

 them annually on the approach of winter. Although the spray 

 and ramification vary considerably and equally in both, we 



need here only entertain the question so far as it appertains to 

 deciduous trees, as, the evergreen trees retaining their leaves 

 perpetually, the spray and ramification are almost concealed by 

 them. 



I give here as examples the spray and ramification of four 

 trees — the Oak, the Elm, the Lime, and the Beech, having chosen 

 them because they are well known and readily accessible. It 

 should , however, be remarked, that there are others differing as 

 widely in form and character. To those who find an interest in- 

 tracing the wonderful variety in the vegetable kingdom, there 

 is here an ample field for observation and reflection. Scarcely 

 two trees, scarcely two branches can be found alike. 



The change of a deciduous tree from the leafy to the leafless 

 state is a change in form and character, and hence a new sort 

 of variety. A deciduous tree in leaf is seen in outline only ; 

 when denuded of its leaves it shows also in section. Deciduous 

 trees are not only more varied in character than evergreens, but 

 they are also more pictorial. There is the early and late bud- 

 ding of the leaves, the varied tints of which give colour to the 

 tree scenery of spring; there are the fully developed leaves of 

 summer, the changing and brilliant hues of autumn, and 

 lastly, the interesting variety of the spray and ramification 

 visible in the leafless trees in winter. 



Permit me to remark here, that in my judgment there is no 

 gain in rej ecting either evergreen or deciduous trees when plant- 

 ing. Evergreens, as a rule, are massive and heavy ; deciduoixs 

 trees are light. Evergreens alone produce gloom, deciduous 

 trees alone baldness — a judicious combination of the two is pro- 

 ductive of higher results than can be obtained by the exclusive 

 use of either. 



3. On the Form of the Leaves. — The effect of the form of the 

 leaves, although more marked than that of the spray and rami- 

 fication, is not appreciable at any very great distance. It is„ 

 however, a most important feature from a near point of view. 

 In garden scenery it is scarcely less important than the form or 

 outline of the tree. Leaves are numerously divided by botanists,, 

 but for our purpose the following divisions seem to me to suffice. 



1. Needle-shaped — Pine 4. Cut-leaved — Plane. 



2. Lanceolate — Willow. 5. Compound — Black Walnut. 



3. Round-leaved — Lime. I 



Here, as in the outline of the tree, the intermediate forms are 

 innumerable. In garden and shrubbery planting a most com- 

 plete effect may be produced by an arrangement founded on the 

 forms of the leaves alone. But so rich and various is the 

 material at our command here, that is by no means necessary 

 to restrict ourselves to this one feature, trees and shrubs often 

 producing beautiful summer flowers, coloured spring and au- 

 tumn leaves, or winter berries. 



With regard to the arrangement of trees and shrubs according 

 to their leaves, violent contrasts should, I think, be avoided. I 

 would not place a tree with needle-shaped leaves in juxtaposition 

 with one bearing large, round, or heart-shaped leaves. Eor 

 example, a Scotch Pine (needle-shaped), and a Willow (lanceo- 

 late), in association, would please me better than a Scotch Pine- 

 and a Lime (round-leaved). Some compound leaves associate 

 well enough with the needle-shaped, and others produce a better 

 effect associated with the round or cut-leaved. _ The lanceolate 

 is, perhaps, the most useful and accommodating form, as ifc 

 stands well in contact with almost any of the others. Any one 

 desirous of obtaining a full and accurate knowledge of this art 

 would, however, gain more correct knowledge in a single hour 

 by walking among the objects to be dealt with, and placing- 

 them, mentally or otherwise, in juxtaposition, than could be con- 

 veyed by a week's writing or talking. 



I will give two or three instances where I have been enabled 

 to some extent to carry out the views I have endeavoured to- 

 enunciate, and these may be inspected by any who may be in- 

 clined to pursue the subject. 



In carrying out improvements in the Temple Gardens, Lon- 

 don, it was required of me to hide out from the view of the 

 Parliament Chamber a block of unmeaning buildings on the 

 other side of the river. The variety of trees was limited by the- 

 climate of London ; and further, a huge Catalpa stood in the- 

 way — a tree of historic fame. As this could not be removed, 

 the round formal head of the Catalpa was brought in closest 

 contact with trees of irregular form, and its broad leaves were 

 associated with trees bearing compound leaves. Around it were 

 grouoedthe Ailanlhus, Horse Chestnut, and Mountain Ash, with- 

 an undergrowth of Aucuba, Phillyrea, Silver Euonymus, and 

 Box, parted by various deciduous flowering small trees and 

 shrubs, as Lilacs, flowering Currants, double Sloes, double- 

 flowering Peaches, and. the like. 



I have recently been engaged by the Metropolitan Board of 

 Works to carry out improvements at Hamilton Place, London- 

 Here, again, I was limited in my choice of trees and shrubs by 

 the climate of London. Evergreens and shrubs were arranged 

 as to form and colour, so far as it was possible to do so under 

 the circumstances. A hue of trees planted by the side of the. 

 railings bounding Park Lane was planted as follows : — Scarlet 

 Horse Chestnut and Mountain Ash alternately; Turkey Oak, 



