ii6 Hints ON Landscape Gardening 



expense are still required. The great losses that 

 I suffered for years through war and other un- 

 toward circumstances have obliged me since then 

 to proceed slowly, yet I hope to see the main 

 part of the work completed within ten years, 

 with the exception of some of the buildings, 

 which I perhaps must leave for my descendants 

 to complete. Until then, therefore, I request all 

 who visit the park not to expect too much, and 

 to suspend, for the greater part, their judgment 

 on its present condition, and perhaps to rely more 

 upon my book than on my achievements; since 

 they might take for completed what is only pro- 

 visional, and much would seem a failure to the 

 expert which is only permitted to remain because 

 more important matters necessarily precede its 

 definite removal.' 



It is hardly possible to lay out a park with suc- 

 cess in sections ; that is, to complete entirely one 

 part before beginning with the next. On the con- 

 trary, for the artistic interests of the whole, as 

 well as for economy of time and money, every- 

 thing must, so far as it is feasible, progress in 

 unison; almost, one may say, as good strategy 

 will unite troops from various positions for the 

 decisive battle, so here the goal will be reached 

 by converging from all sides, not piecemeal. 



■ Thus, I was recently blamed by a very capable expert for planting 

 too many kinds of trees together and for laying out too few groves. He 

 was right, but had not considered that only the plants which are happi- 

 est in their growth are destined to remain; the others will be removed; 

 and that groves should be constructed where the growth has reached its 

 best period, and that until then the trees have been properly treated. 



