FLOWER-GARDENS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



269 



in the other instance showing against the sky- 

 line. 



Fountains or basins are sometimes placed in 

 the centre of geometrical flower-gardens, but 

 generally with questionable taste. If introduced 

 in such situations, they should on no account be 

 so large as to be out of proportion with their 

 immediate surroundings, or they will have the 

 effect of reducing the importance of the latter. 

 A fountain and basin may frequently be intro- 

 duced with better effect at the junction of 

 several walks, and where, in addition, the water 

 will be convenient for use. As a general rule 

 a basin with or without a fountain should be 

 surrounded with a gravelled or paved area, as 

 a stone kerb, however handsome it may be 

 fashioned, looks out of place when it springs 

 direct from a lawn. As a means of preserving 

 a connection of the architectural with the living 

 objects around, means should be found to intro- 

 duce sparsely foliage and flowering plants at 

 the margin. This may readily be done by con- 

 structing a few bays of a size commensurate 

 with that of the basin, with a kerb similar to 

 that. If bays are objected to as adding to the 

 cost of construction, then vases can be employed 

 instead. The use of bronze or lead in the con- 

 struction of the fountain is to be recommended 

 on the score both of durability and sightliness; 

 that of iron is generally condemned. 



II. Formation of Pleasure-Grounds. 



In the laying out of the pleasure-ground so 

 much depends upon the size of the estate and 

 the natural disposition of the ground — whether 

 it is at a considerable elevation, more or less 

 undulating, or low-lying, or level, or whether 

 affected by local circumstances, that it is impos- 

 sible to give any useful rules or instructions 

 except such as are of a very general character. 

 The extent and architectural style of the man- 

 sion, and the near or distant views, have to be 

 considered in every case, so that to give complete 

 details would be out of the question. In laying- 

 out new grounds, before anything is attempted 

 the site and plan of the mansion or residence and 

 of the necessary offices should be decided on, in 

 order that the ground-work may not be delayed 

 by alterations, or the planting and general ar- 

 rangements interfered with when once the work 

 has been commenced. It is of course desirable to 

 have the building operations in a forward state 

 before the ground-work is commenced. If the 

 grounds have to be commenced contemporane- 

 ously with or before the building of the mansion, 



it is very desirable that the landscape-gardener 

 and the architect settle the respective levels of 

 the chief entrances to the house; as on this 

 matter being once and for all settled, the levels 

 of the chief walks and carriage roads will de- 

 pend. It is from these points that they start; 

 and having been fixed by means of stout long 

 iron bars driven into the soil, and further con- 

 trolled by some other pegs driven into the soil 

 some distance away at the same levels, all 

 chance of mistakes arising are avoided. 



Having decided upon the number and direc- 

 tion of the walks, large and small, the position of 

 the boundaries and the contour of the land to be 

 included in the grounds and garden, the ground- 

 work proper may be commenced. Except in 

 gardens where the amount of ground -work 

 is large, and its removal costly owing to dis- 

 tance and quantity, the levelling usually re- 

 quired consists of taking sufficient soil from the 

 higher parts to fill up the depressions and in- 

 equalities of the ground, and in obtaining easy 

 undulations of surface when once fairly away 

 from the parts adjacent to the mansion. These 

 parts should form a level or nearly level pla- 

 teau from which the mansion rises; and the 

 walks hereabouts should be mostly straight and 

 broad in proportion to the size of the building. 

 There is no necessity for having the front door 

 or carriage entrance on the same level as that 

 leading directly into the garden, but there 

 should, on fairly level land, be no great differ- 

 ence, small differences admitting of easy ad- 

 justment. The levelling being completed in the 

 rough, the sites of shrubberies and plantations 

 should be pegged out according to plan, and 

 the land trenched and manured, and its depth 

 added to by carting or wheeling the soil dug 

 out from the future walks over the surface. 



One of the first considerations will be the 

 position of such trees as are required to give 

 effect and to afford the required shelter. The 

 selection of those that are to stand near the 

 building must be ruled by the style of architec- 

 ture. If the mansion is in the Gothic or pointed 

 style, the trees that occupy the most prominent 

 positions right and left, as seen from the front 

 of the building, should be of a broad spreading 

 habit, such as the Beech, Oak, Chestnut, Cedar of 

 Lebanon, or Plane, these at once affording the 

 required contrast to the lines of the architecture. 

 Where the mansion is of the Grecian or Italian 

 styles the trees that are to hold similar positions 

 should be altogether different in habit, such as 

 Conifers of a hardy character, viz. Douglas 

 Fir, Abies Nordmanniana, A. grandis, Sequoia 



