vu.] 



SHRUBBERIES. 



231 



be two or three hoeiiigs to prevent weeds from growing, and a 

 nice raking once a week to take up any leaves that may have 

 fallen ; for no trees or flowers will be seen to advantage unless 

 they stand upon a spot that is in neat order. Shrubs should not 

 be too much crowded, by any means ; it cramps them in their 

 growth, makes their shoots feeble, makes their bloom imperfect, 

 and they hide one another : a shrubbery should not be a mass of 

 indistinguishable parts : but an assemblage of objects each clearly 

 distinguished from the other. The distribution should be such 

 as to ensure bloom in every season that bloom can be had ; and, 

 through shade is in some cases desirable, flowering shrubs to be 

 beautiful must not be shaded, except in instances so l^ew as not to 

 warrant the supposition that there is ever to be a departure from 

 the general rule. 



318. If there be water, every eye tells you that it ought to be 

 bordered by grass ; or, if of larger dimensions, by trees the 

 boughs of which touch its very edge : bare ground and water do 

 not suit at all. It was formerly the fashion to have a sort of canal 

 with broad grass-walks on the sides, and with the water coming 

 up to within a few inches of the closely-shaven grass ; and 

 certainly few things were more beautiful than these. Sir 

 William Temple had one of his own constructing in his gar i en, 

 at Moor Park. On the outsides of the grass-walks were borders 

 of beautiful flowers. I have stood for hours to look at this canal 

 for the good-natured manners of those days had led the proprietor 

 to make an opening in the outer wall in order that his neighbouis 

 might enjoy the sight as well as himself ; I have stood for hours, 

 when a little boy, looking at this object ; I have travelled far 

 since, and have seen a great deal ; but I have never seen anything 

 of the gardening kind so beautiful in the whole course of my life. 



319. The present taste is on the side of irregularity : straiglt 

 walks, straight pieces of water, straight rows of trees, seem all to 

 be out of fashion; but, it is also true that neatness, that real'y 

 flne shrubberies and flower-gardens, have gone out of fashion at 

 the same time. People, however, must follow their own tastes n 

 these respects ; and it is useless to recommend this or that manner 

 of laying out a piece of ground. I proceed, therefore, to speak 

 of the propagation and management of shrubs, in the first place ; 

 and shall then give a list of the several shrubs, mentioning under 

 each name any thing worthy of particular attention. 



