THEIR GENERAL ARRANGEMENT, &c. 



Gil 



rich embroidered scroll patterns in dwarf- 

 box, and shells of grass at the four cor- 

 ners. The whole surface between the 

 beds and embroidery is laid over with 

 gravel or sand of various colours, and 

 edged with lines of box. Around the 

 basin is a border for flowers with yews ; 

 and other symmetrical shrubs and vases 

 set on stone plinths are disposed through- 

 out the whole. To adapt this garden 

 somewhat to the prevailing taste, the 

 grass-shell patterns, the outer marginal 

 border, and that around the basin of 

 water, may be transformed into borders 

 for flowers. 



Fig. 814 shows a garden in the modern 

 French style, evidently a mixture of the 

 ancient and modern manners. 



Fig. 814. 



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1 







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The architectural division of the geome- 

 trical style has been more cultivated in 

 England than in France, probably arising 

 from the greater wealth of the former 

 country ; though many specimens of great 

 merit existed in the latter towards the 

 close of the reign of its most luxurious 

 monarch, and for some time after his 

 death. Few of these, however, now exist. 

 A taste for architectural gardens is now 

 much cultivated in England, no doubt 

 arising from an increased taste for man- 

 sion architecture, which was by no means 

 general in Britain, if we except ecclesias- 

 tical buildings, until towards the begin- 

 ning of the present century. 



The architectural style should always 

 adjoin the mansion, and be completely 

 separated from the rest of the grounds, 

 as we have already stated, by an archi- 

 tectural parapet or wall. Its arrange- 

 ments within should be scrupulously 

 symmetrical, and the walks should be 

 gravel or pavement, not grass, and be 

 margined with stone, earthenware, or 

 metallic edgings. 



Terrace gardens are merely a species of 

 the architectural style, being formed on 

 one or more levels according to the fall 

 of the ground, and each fall being sepa- 

 rated from the other by architectural 

 walls highly enriched with open balus- 

 trading, and vases over the piers, &c. 

 They are, perhaps, of all gardens, the 

 most imposing when seen from the high- 

 est terrace, or from the balconies or win- 

 dows of the house. They are also inter- 

 esting during winter from the abundance 

 of mural decorations, flights of steps, sculp- 

 ture, and the delineation of the beds, even 

 when denuded of their summer occupants. 



We may briefly pass over the Tonsile 

 and Dutch styles, as neither is at all 

 likely to be appreciated in this country ; 

 the former on account of the unnatural 

 and grotesque manner of trimming the 

 trees and shrubs in imitation of birds, 

 beasts, and cabinet-work, and the latter 

 for absurdities little inferior. The latter 

 was introduced by King William III., 

 and prevailed in this country for about 

 half a century. It consisted of sloping- 

 terraces of grass, regular shapes of land 

 and water formed by art, and quaintly 

 adorned with trees in pots, or planted 

 alternately, and clipped to preserve the 

 most regular symmetry. 



Regarding geometrical flower-gardens, 

 we are glad to find Sir Joseph Paxton 

 agreeing with us in opinion, that, " when 

 the disposition of the ground will admit, 

 the French parterre, or geometrical 

 flower-garden, is above all others the 

 most of all to be recommended, because 

 of its readily admitting the greatest va- 

 riety of flowers throughout the season." 

 The annexed design, fig. 815, was sent 

 to Sir Joseph by Mr Brown, then of 

 the gardens at Stowe, and is calculated 

 for certain situations. " The parterre," 

 Sir Joseph continues, " affords the great- 

 est facilities. Planting in masses produces 

 the most imposing effect ; arrangement 



