92 



GARDEN WALLS. 



They are placed on sloping ground, and 

 range in five ranges or lines, due east and 

 Fig. 81. 



west, at the distance of 7 yards from each 

 other — the southernmost being 5 feet high, 

 and the northernmost 7 — composed of im- 

 bricated boards pitched over to give them 

 durability : the supports are set on (not 

 in) blocks of stone, which are sunk in the 

 earth, and firmly laid on solid founda- 

 tions." Such walls, we ought to observe, 

 are available on one side only for the 

 purpose of training trees against, a circum- 

 stance that will ever be an objection to 

 them. Wooden walls, formed of well- 

 seasoned larch, will last for many years ; 

 and we apprehend that it would be 

 advantageous to have the uprights made 

 of cast-iron, set in stone blocks, with their 

 sides grooved to the depth of 2 inches, 

 and the boarding, 2 inches thick, let into 

 the grooves, but not fastened to them : 

 the whole boarding could thus be removed 

 daring winter, and the blossoming of the 

 trees be retarded until the danger of 



spring frosts was passed. The uprights 

 would require, however, to be not more 

 than 4 or 5 feet apart, so as to prevent 

 the boarding from warping. If the board- 

 ing shrink a little during the heat and 

 drought of summer, it will fall again into 

 its place without showing any crevice 

 when these are over. In regard to colour- 

 ing wooden walls, there is no doubt coal- 

 tar or pitch somewhat increases the 

 warmth of them ; but we question whether 

 the benefit arising from that is enough 

 to compensate for the disagreeable effect 

 that the black colour produces. As to 

 the preservation of the timber, we believe 

 it would last longer without than with 

 such application. The split oaken pales 

 used in England for park palings suffi- 

 ciently prove the durability of timber 

 when fully exposed to the atmosphere : 

 they last for ages without paint or pre- 

 paration of any kind. 



Architectural walls.^-XJnder certain cir- 

 cumstances these walls are admirable, 

 particularly in situations where the man- 

 sion, offices, &c, are strictly architectural. 

 The walls in the kitchen garden at Clare- 

 mont afford an instance of the correct 

 taste of Sir John Vanbrugh, who built 

 them to harmonise with the original man- 

 sion. These walls, shown by fig. 82, still 



Fig. 82. 



remain a monument of his massive style, 

 although the noble mansion with which 

 they were associated has long been de- 

 molished, and another built in its stead. 



We may here correct an error fallen into 

 by Mr Loudon in the " Encyclopaedia of 

 Gardening," &c, who says that these 

 gardens were constructed from designs by 

 Brown. This is not the case. The kitchen 

 garden was constructed by Vanbrugh, and 

 the present mansion built by Brown. It is 

 said to have been the only house entirely 

 erected by that artist, although he altered 

 and added to many. Our authority for 

 this was the late Sir John Soane, who 

 received his first lessons in architecture 



from Brown while the mansion was build- 

 ing. Brown executed this edifice so much 

 to the satisfaction of Lord Clive, that he 

 employed him to remodel the grounds, 

 which remain in nearly the state in which 

 he left them, and form one of the earliest 

 examples of his peculiar style. We have 

 seen a print of Claremont as it existed in 

 the time of the celebrated Duke of New- 

 castle ; the arrangement, as shown by it, 

 was strictly geometrical. Not a vestige 

 of it, however, remains at this day, ex- 

 cepting the garden walls and a lofty obe- 

 lisk with the Newcastle crest on the top. 

 Brown levelled the terraces and filled up 

 the basins of water ; while many of the 



