PART VIII. PICTURESQUE PLANTING. 



491 



American ground, or the flower garden. Hence the invention 

 of pleasure gardens, the attention paid to them, and the origin of 

 the conservatory. One of the most effectual ways of rendering 

 these scenes still more interesting than they generally are, is by 

 introducing a greater variety of shrubs ; many beautiful sorts of 

 which are frequently unknown to those who order from the nur- 

 sery ; and hence, not unfrequently, either the most common sorts 

 only are planted, or others not suitable to the situation, soil, or 

 climate. It is not to be supposed, thatbeautiful specimens of each 

 kind of shrub are to be met with at any single place. But from 

 different places, in various Quarters of the island, there is abun- 

 dant evidence that the whole list, to be had in this country, will 

 prosper in our climate, and assume very fine forms, which from 

 their variety are valuable and interesting. But while I thus re- 

 commend the introduction of shrubs into certain kinds of plea- 

 sure grounds, let me caution the gardener against planting them 

 in the usual manner; viz. by mixing all the sorts indiscri- 

 minately together in every part of the scene*. 



* Nothing can display a greater want of judgment than the practice of those 

 gentlemen who get only a general plan from a professional person, and then send 

 for a nursery-man to fill up the plantations or shrubberies with trees. How is it 

 possible that any plan can be executed agreeably to the artist's ideas by such a 

 practice? Yet this always takes place where artists, ignorant of trees, give in ideas 

 for improvement : such as drawing-masters, painters, architects, and such profes- 

 sors of art as Mr. Repton. 



