10 



BOOK OF THE GARDEN. 



ing in Britain ; and to Professor Lindley 

 gardeners owe much, for his labours in the 

 higher walks of botanical and horticul- 

 tural literature. The establishment of 

 provincial botanic gardens — as those at 

 Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Man- 

 chester, Hull, &c. — and the formation of 

 horticultural societies in almost every 

 town in the kingdom, together with a 

 more general diffusion of education 

 amongst operatives, have all tended to 

 place the horticulture of Britain above 

 that of any other country in Europe. 

 Nor has the sister island been alto- 

 gether behind, as we have the fine bota- 

 nical gardens of Trinity College and 

 Glasnevin, near Dublin, both conducted 

 by eminent curators — the former under 

 the direction of Dr Mackay, assisted by 

 Mr Bains; and the latter solely man- 

 aged by Mr Moore. 



Belfast has also a botanic garden, 

 which, although supported upon the same 

 principles as other provincial gardens of 

 the same kind, stands pre-eminent above 

 all of them in high keeping and richness 

 of collection. 



Scotland possesses gardens, and their 

 remains, supposed to be coeval with some 

 of the most ancient in England — of which 

 that at Barncleugh may be given as an 

 example. Yet, from causes we need not 

 refer to, gardening, as an art of design and 

 taste, has made less rapid progress there 

 than in England. Still, in the cultural 

 departments, she is not behind her richer 

 and more favoured neighbour. The 

 construction of gardens and the erection 

 of hothouses began early to be attended 

 to, as will appear from our previous re- 

 marks ; and although these are upon a 

 less magnificent scale compared with 

 Chatsworth, Trentham, &c, still we have 

 gardens of more than ordinary merit. 

 Those at Dalkeith and Drnmlanrig are 

 by far the most extensive : the flower 

 gardens at the latter place are equal in 

 extent and keeping to any others in the 

 empire ; and were it not that they are 

 somewhat deficient in sculptural and 



artistic decorations, they would vie with, 

 if not surpass, any in Britain. On the 

 table-land on which the fine old baro- 

 nial castle stands, the geometric style is 

 carefully preserved on the east and west 

 sides, covering a very considerable space ; 

 while on the south a spacious terrace- 

 walk, of great length and breadth, 

 stretches itself out, enclosed by a rich 

 stone balustrading, over a parapet wall 

 upwards of twenty feet in height. Under 

 this wall two flights of sloping grass 

 terraces descend, the grounds in front of 

 each being laid out in strict accordance 

 with the upper grounds. Beyond this 

 the gardenesque style occurs ; while be- 

 yond it the picturesque style leads the 

 eye imperceptibly into the natural 

 grounds in the distance. Nor are these 

 splendid gardens upon a limited scale — 

 they extend over a surface of upwards of 

 twenty acres ; and the effect, when seen 

 from the terraces around the castle, is 

 imposing and grand. These gardens, as 

 they at present exist, have all been de- 

 signed by the present Duchess of Buc- 

 cleuch, whose taste in matters of art is 

 only equalled by her great amiability, 

 benevolence, and high moral worth. 



The most perfect specimen of a flower 

 garden in Scotland, although upon a 

 small scale, is unquestionably that of 

 Tyndal Bruce, Esq. of Falkland, at Nut- 

 hill. This garden is truly a work of art, 

 the conception of a master mind ; and, so 

 far as it was finished when we saw it, is a 

 very perfect model of the modern Italian 

 style. It surrounds nearly three sides 

 of the mansion, and is enclosed within 

 parapet walls, with highly ornamental 

 balustrading, vases, &c, while fountains 

 and other artistic objects are placed with 

 great taste and judgment throughout. 



The botanical gardens of Edinburgh 

 and Glasgow rank high amongst similar 

 institutions, and are ably conducted. 

 The former was one of the first established 

 in Britain ; and certainly, in point of col- 

 lection, ranks next to the royal gardens 

 at Kew. 



