Book II. 



FORMING THE SHRUBBERY. 



SOS 



immediately at the house, or be joined to it by the flower-garden ; a secondary requisite 

 is, tliat however far, or in whatever direction it be continjied, the walk be so contrived as 

 to prevent tlie necessity of going to and returniiig from the principal points to which it 

 leads over the same ground : but as this is a matter which must be arranged in the general 

 disposition or laying out of the residence, it need not be here entered on. 



61. '53, The extent of the modern shrubbery must depend more on the extent of that place 

 of which it is a part tJian on any other principle, and it is, or ought to be, so blended with 

 the flower-garden lawn, as scarcely to admit of its quantity being estimated apart. Where 

 the proportion of pleasure -ground, which may be judiciously apportioned to a residence^ 

 depends so much on the ground's surface, and on the character or style of the whole seat, 

 notlaing definite can be laid down in the way of rules. The walks in the pleasure-ground 

 should generally exceed a mile or two for the sake of recreation ; but what proportion of 

 these should be in open lawn, and what in flower-garden, or along tlie margin of a shrub- 

 bery, is too vague a question to receive any useful answer. Local circumstances and the 

 character to be created must determine every thing. It may be mentioned as a charac- 

 teristic distinction between the ancient and modern shrubbery, that the former was 

 of limited extent, compact form, situated near the house, and that the length of walk was 

 made up by repetition of parallel and cross walks. The whole of these had little distant 

 prospect, and were generally more sheltered and shaded than is suitable for our climate ; 

 whereas, in the modern shrubbery, the length is made up by stretching out the walk to a 

 distance ; and air and ventilation, as well as views and prospects, are obtained by its being 

 planted chiefly on one side. Such shelter and shade as is deemed requisite for the walk 

 is obtained by the introduction of scattered trees along its open margin. 



6134. Soil. "Shrubs, in general," Nicol observes, "thrive very well in ordinary 

 garden-land, and better in light than in heavy soils. Most shrubs, likewise, do well in 

 ground a foot in depth ; but it is always advisable to trench to the full depth of the soil, 

 previous to planting, if that were even two feet. Manure is seldom bestowed on shrubs, and 

 if the soil be not far below mediocrity, it is seldom necessary, provided the ground be 

 otherwise well prepared, and be meliorated by trenching or digging. In the case of plant- 

 ing screens, where it is desirable to have them effectual as soon as possible, or in planting 

 favorite shrubs in particular situations, every justice should be done to the soil in prepar- 

 ing and enriching it, either with manure or by the addition of fresh earth. Those who 

 are curious in collections of certain shrubs, prepare or choose certain soils for them. 

 Evergreens, for the most part, thrive well in loam of a middling texture ; but some kinds 

 do better in mossy humid earth, as the azalea and rhododendron. Deciduous shrubs, in 

 general, thrive well in light loams or sandy soils ; but ceitain kinds flower better in rich 

 mellow earth, as the moss-rose and the robinia." 



6135. Walks. " The conducting of walks," Nicol says, " through the shrubbery, is 

 a matter both of conveniency and of taste : of conveniency, when the shrubbery is merely 

 a passage from one place to another, or a narrow screen to the garden. In the former 

 case, the walk should be simple and direct : in the latter case it may be circuitous ; and 

 if there be any variety in the ground, it ought to lead to particular points of view. The 

 walks, however, should seldom cross one another ; they should rather take off at oblique 

 angles ; nor should one run parallel to another within view. It is proper to show off the 

 shrubs, but too many walks perplex. Their breadths may be various. If short, they 

 should be narrow ; if long, and if a considerable reach be caught at once, they should 

 be broad. A medium may be taken at five feet, the extremes being three and eight. 

 They may be of turf or of gravel ; but the latter is always most wholesome, and most 

 agreeable in winter." In the ancient style, where the shrubbery, or umbrageous scene 

 {Jig. 551. a), often enclosed the flower-garden {b), both being situated in front of the 

 house (c), the walks {d) were laid out in arbitrary geometrical shapes, crowded and nur 

 merous, to afford sufficient space for recreation, and varied by niches (e), boudoirs (^f), 

 salons 'g) , and other open parts to give variety. 



6136. Fence. Local circumstances must, in almost every case, determine the sort of 

 exterior or boundary-fence most proper for the shrubbery or pleasure-ground ; the inte- 

 rior, or that on the open side, should, in almost every case, be one of the inconspicuous 

 kind ; either light iron-railings, moveable hurdles of wood or iron, or the sunk-fence. 

 Where the shrubbery is not a boundary plantation, a light fence may include it on both 

 sides ; but so much depends on locality and other arrangements, that the subject cannot 

 be profitably discussed separately from that of laying out the entire residence. Under 

 the geometric style, the business of fencing the shrubbery or woody scene, was very sim- 

 ple, the whole being generally surrounded by a high wall. '* Fences of all kinds," 

 Abercrombie observes, " are rather necessary and useful as instruments of shelter and 

 security than to be chosen as materials of ornament. Whether the view tenninates on 

 the fence, or is directed beyond it, the effect on the scene, at best, is negative : thus, a 

 fence is sometimes made higher than its proper use requires, merely to shut out something 

 more unsightly ; and, in judiciously employing that capital invention, the sunk-fence or 



3 y 2 



