20 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



A proper treatment of each end of the drive is of great 

 importance. The custom in England differs from that of 

 several continental countries — France in particular. In French 

 gardens the drive very often divides, almost from the start, into 

 branches, which go round a large lawn and meet again in 

 front of the house, the general aspect remaining constantly 

 similar. There is only one curve on each side, forming round 

 the lawn a kind of regular track of a fairly decorative appear- 

 ance when well treated, but still presenting, as M. Ed. Andre, 

 in his famous work, " L'Art des Jardins," deplores, many serious 

 defects, of which the principal is the uniformity of design. 

 He says that the result of an invariable model applied to the 

 most varied circumstances is to reduce the design to an 



artificial and inartistic proceeding, though he does, not intend 

 to proscribe the bifurcated alley when applied to a suitable 

 situation. Fig. 17 illustrates this type. The entrance (A) is 

 opposite the house (B). The drive divides into the branches 

 (C, C). The crossway (DD) is surrounded by groups of trees 

 and shrubs. The elliptical lawn is undulating ; the centre has 

 been lowered and the verges have been raised. Beds (E, E) 

 are planted with flowers, and trees are scattered about in 

 various places. Everywhere regularity, with an apparent variety 

 of aspect, prevails. 



As a rule in French gardens the drive goes round the house ; 

 while in England this is not the case. The drives are not 

 divided, but usually end in front of the house, there forming a 

 narrow ring. The interior of the garden or park is hidden either 



Fig. 18. — Approach after 

 Macintosh. 



Fig. 19. — Approach after 

 Hughes. 



