Persian Gardens 



After what I have said of the number and beauty 

 of the flowers in Persia, one might easily imagine 

 that the most beautiful gardens in the world are to 

 be found there; but this is not at all the case. 

 * * * The Gardens of the Persians consist com- 

 monly of a grand alley or straight avenue in the 

 centre, planted with plane * * * \yhich divides the 

 garden into two parts. There is a basin of water in 

 the middle, proportionate to the garden, and two 

 other lesser ones on the two sides. The space 

 between them is sown with a mixture of flowers in 

 natural confusion, and planted with fruit trees and 

 roses ; and this is the whole of the plan and execution. 

 They know nothing of parterres -and cabinets of 

 verdure, labyrinths, terraces and such other orna- 

 ments of our gardens. The reason of which Is, that 

 the Persians do not walk in their gardens, as we do ; 

 but content themselves with having the view of them, 

 and breathing the fresh air. ^ir John Chardin. 



Exclusiveness in a garden is a mistake as great 

 as it is in society. Alfred Austin. 



The Dutch style of laying out gardens,'introduced 

 into England by William III and Mary, is not unlike 

 the French, but everything is on a smaller, almost 

 too minute a scale ; and much care is expended upon 

 isolated details and ornaments (often trivial), such 

 as glass balls, coloured sands and earths, flower-pots 

 innumerable, and painted perspectives; and the 

 garden is usually intersected with canals degenerating 

 into ditches. Grassy slopes, green terraces and 

 straight canals are more common in Holland than 



