574 



LAYING OUT FLOWER-GARDENS. 



To the noble family of Borghese, Italy 

 owes much for her once classic gardens. 

 It is quite evident, therefore, from what 

 we have stated above, as well as from the 

 remarks afterwards to be made, that the 

 geometric style, in its various modifica- 

 tions, must ever be regarded as in close 

 connection with architecture, and there- 

 fore need not be looked for in times or 

 amongst people in a state of rudeness 

 or barbarity. When architecture was 

 more studied in Britain than it was for a 

 part of the latter end of the last century 

 and the beginning of the present one, this 

 style of gardening held a conspicuous 

 position, as every mansion of more than 

 ordinary pretensions had also its geome- 

 tric garden attached to it. When archi- 

 tecture languished, and fell nearly into 

 obscurity, gardening, associating with it, 

 also did so. Architecture (we speak of 

 that art, however, as employed in the 

 constructing of mansions for the wealthy) 

 has of late revived in this country ; and 

 wherever that art has been employed on 

 correct principles of taste, geometrical 

 gardens also formed its concomitant. The 

 Italian flower-garden at Chatsworth is 

 placed opposite the library windows, and is 

 exceedingly ri'ch in coloured parterres, and 

 abounding in pedestals supporting busts 

 and statues, producing rather a whimsical 

 effect from their great height. This is, 

 however, so far relieved by their being 

 partially covered with climbing plants. 



The French style, if it merits such an 

 appellation, is a sub-variety of the Italian, 

 imitating it in some instances pretty cor- 

 rectly, but in general inferior to the ori- 

 ginal in the artistic adjuncts, and more 

 especially in fountains. Whoever has 

 visited even the best French gardens, 

 public or private, or consulted the en- 

 gravings of the most eminent old French 

 architects, who were the designers of gar- 

 dens in the olden times, must be struck 

 with this, as much as they will be pleased 

 with the majority of their parapets, balus- 

 trades, and other mural decorations. 



The Dutch style is characterised by 

 straight canals, grass terraces, turf mounts, 

 &c. All of these have the best effect upon 

 nearly level surfaces, and in connection 

 with highly-enriched architectural build- 

 ings, and upon an extensive scale. 



The tonsile style is characterised by 

 vegetable sculpture, such as trees and 



shrubs cut into various shapes — arcades, 

 pyramids, arbours, &c. This style can 

 never be united with the picturesque or 

 gardenesque styles, because of its violation 

 of principle in not allowing each plant to 

 develop itself naturally. 



The geometric gardenesque style. — Com- 

 mon as well as exotic trees, shrubs, and 

 plants should be introduced, with archi- 

 tecture, sculpture, &c. This is altogether 

 a mixed style. Terraces form a leading- 

 feature in the geometric gardenesque 

 style, whether as platforms, as it were, 

 from which to view the rest of the garden 

 from above, or as being placed above the 

 eye, and ascended by steps. In this re- 

 spect the geometric style furnishes the 

 artist with the means of variations, sur- 

 prises, and the concealment of bounds, 

 quite as much as the natural manner, and 

 with this advantage, that it can be effected 

 in less space in the one case than in the 

 other. There are many situations where 

 the ground falls considerably, but this 

 inclination should as far as possible be in 

 one direction. For example, if the mansion 

 stands on an eminence, and the ground 

 slopes from it, no matter how great the 

 fall, a terraced garden, in the geometric 

 gardenesque style, may be with the 

 greatest propriety established. The dif- 

 ference in inclination will give scope for 

 terraced walls and parapets, flights of 

 steps, &c, without the aid or appearance 

 of artificial embankments. As in such 

 cases the terraces should run parallel to 

 each other, it follows that the spaces be- 

 tween should be level, both as regards 

 length and breadth. The length, how- 

 ever, may be broken by steps, but these 

 should be at a considerable distance 

 apart. If the ground falls towards both 

 ends of the garden, these steps should be 

 at equal distances on both sides of the 

 centre, which, if possible, should be the 

 highest. This would resolve the side of 

 a hilly piece of ground into parallel ter- 

 races, according in number with the scale 

 of the place ; but these terraces should 

 be of sufficient breadth to bear a just 

 proportion to their length. 



In regard to mixed styles, we have 

 already remarked that they cannot con- 

 sistently be indiscriminately employed in 

 the same piece. They may, however, be 

 employed in succession, thus : The Italian 

 style may prevail on the lawn nearest the 



