774 



OPEN FLOWER-GARDEN. 



Borne affairs when crossing the carriage-ap- 

 proach. For this there are only two alterna- 

 tives ; either the inconvenience of the gates 

 must be submitted to, or the sheep and deer 

 must be permitted to feed up to the front door, 

 which, in places of large extent,!is no doubt the 

 most desirable; the shrubbery and dressed 

 ground being protected with wire-fencing so 

 carried that no obstruction may occur in the 

 approach. 



In the disposal of the terrace on the garden 

 fronts of the house, we may remark, that in the 

 case of a small villa residence, one terrace may 

 be, and no doubt is, often sufficient ; while, in 

 the case of larger structures, two or more may 

 be required — much, however, depending on the 

 inclination of the ground as it recedes from the 

 house ; or the provision made by keeping the 

 principal floor-level sufficiently high to admit of 

 the various descents being carried out, as if in 

 reality the terraces were necessary for the 

 finishing of the grounds around. To excavate 

 the ground to a greater depth than that of the 

 natural level, where the last terrace terminates, 

 would, in most cases, produce distortion, and 

 justly create ridicule. The same care should 

 be taken lest the terminating terrace be kept 

 at too high a level, and, as it were, in the air. 

 In the latter case, under certain circumstances, 

 return terraces may be adopted, descending so 

 that the last may nearly unite with the grounds 

 immediately in front of it. In situations where 

 the ground in front is level, or nearly so, with 

 the principal floor of the house, the stone ter- 

 race, with a proportionable balustrade, should 

 run parallel with the building, and on the same 

 level with the garden entrance-door ; and that 

 terrace may be carried round the ground in- 

 tended for the principal flower-garden, and at 

 the same level, substituting gravel, however, 

 for stone pavement, where the side terraces join 

 the main one, but carrying the parapets on both 

 sides of the walk all round. The space enclosed 

 may then be excavated to the extent of 3 feet, 

 and the parterres laid out in geometric figures 

 upon a grass ground, if the extent be large, say 

 exceeding two acres ; but if not exceeding half an 

 acre, it had better be laid on a gravel ground, 

 with stone or slate margins to the beds. The 

 same holds good with spaces of less dimensions. 

 When grass is introduced in such gardens, it 

 should be limited to broad verges, separating 

 the walks from the parterres. Flights of stone 

 steps should descend from the centre, and also 

 from the two ends of the principal terrace, and 

 unite with that in front, ascending by the same 

 means, thus admitting of a gravelled walk sur- 

 rounding the ground parallel with the terrace 

 above, and half its breadth distant from the 

 surrounding parapet. In large spaces, similar 

 gravel-walks should intersect the ground at 

 right angles with the surrounding ones, to ad- 

 mit of a sufficiently dry promenade when the 

 ground is to be traversed. Where these walks 

 intersect each other, circular spaces of gravel 

 should be introduced, and on them fountains 

 or sculptural ornaments should be placed. If 

 the ground can be rendered sufficiently dry by 



drainage, many of the flower-beds may be sunk 

 in the panelled manner, which will afford shel- 

 ter to the plants from the wind should the situ- 

 ation require it. A parterre garden in this style 

 will be viewed with advantage from the ter- 

 races which surround it, and more especially 

 from the principal windows, which are in gene- 

 ral on the second floor. The stone terrace here 

 described adjoining the house, and the double 

 line of parapets along the other three sides of 

 the garden, will form the architectural accom- 

 paniments ; the geometrical parterres, foun- 

 tains, or sculpture, with the straight broad gra- 

 vel walks, will form, as it were, its episode. 



The proper management of terraces is a diffi- 

 cult matter, and is evidently less understood 

 now than formerly. The architectural student 

 and landscape-gardener would do well to con- 

 sult " James's Translation of La Blond on 

 French Gardening." The great errors fallen 

 into in the present day are, either carrying 

 them too far, or not carrying them out far 

 enough. One general rule should, however, 

 never be lost sight of — namely, if the planes 

 or level spaces between them are to be laid 

 out in parterres, or otherwise planted, the 

 upper parapet should not be carried so high 

 as to hide the others, or their planes, when 

 viewed from the upper terrace, or from those 

 points from which the whole is to be viewed 

 at once. In the case of grass terraces this is 

 a less difficult matter, as the greater length 

 given to the slope in each will throw out the 

 level parts so far as to be readily seen. An- 

 other general rule, we think, may be offered, 

 namely, that the upper or principal terrace 

 should be of stone, with its pavement, close 

 parapet, or open balustrade, and correspond- 

 ing coping. Those under it may be of grass, 

 on the score of economy, at first erection, but 

 their keeping will in time amount to their ori- 

 ginal cost in stone. The terminating terrace 

 should finish with a retaining wall or ha-ha of 

 sufficient height to render the rest secure against 

 the intrusion of cattle, and also to form the 

 line of demarcation between the highly-dressed 

 or artificial and the natural grounds. Terraces 

 are as much a work of art as the mansion they 

 are connected with, and to attempt to unite 

 them by means of artificial sloping banks of 

 turf, by whatever gradations, with the natural 

 ground around, is, in fact, deserting art, and 

 vainly endeavouring to embrace nature. The 

 line of separation between the lowest or extreme 

 terrace may, in cases where the grounds beyond 

 harmonise in level with it, be a single ha-ha 

 fence ; but when otherwise, that ha-ha should 

 be finished at top with a -parapet or balustrad- 

 ing not less than 2 feet in height. The end 

 terminations of all terraces — that is, where they 

 join with the natural banks into which they 

 run, or where they are stopped by abrupt de- 

 clivities, as well as their lengths, breadths, and 

 angles of inclination — can never be correctly de- 

 termined by general rules ; much, therefore, in 

 these respects, must be left to the discretion of 

 the artist upon the spot. 



The proper situation for the principal flower- 



