THEIR GENERAL ARRANGEMENT, <fcc. 



623 



man in Oxfordshire, and surrounds the 

 south and east fronts of a highly-enriched 

 architectural mansion. The garden is 

 enclosed on all sides by a parapet-wall 

 with open balustrading, finished with 

 vases on top ; and is descended to by 

 means of four flights of stone steps from 

 the gravel terrace above, from which the 

 tout ensemble is seen to much advantage. 

 The walks are of gravel, with broad 

 grass verges, (nowhere narrower than 

 2 feet,) uniting with the larger pieces 

 of grassy turf which surround the in- 

 terior beds of flowers. Two colossal vases, 

 set upon 4-feet pedestals, occupy the 

 circles in the centre of the two octagon 

 figures, as well as that within the large 

 circle. The sides of the flight of steps 

 are provided with handsome cut Grecian 

 hand-rails, with vases at top and bottom. 

 The level of the whole garden is 6 feet 

 above that of the surrounding park ; and 

 as both mansion and garden stand on 

 elevated ground, a commanding view, not 

 only of the park, but of a large extent of 

 country, is secured from either. This 

 garden is to be regarded as a summer 

 and autumn garden, the proprietor re- 

 maining only during that period at this 

 residence. It is therefore proper that it 

 be planted in the grouping manner ; and 

 if attention be paid to the arrangement 

 of the plants, as regards harmony of col- 

 ouring, the effect cannot fail to be pleas- 

 ing. For these reasons no shrubs or tall- 

 growing plants are admitted, and every 

 border is provided with wire basket-work, 

 to keep the plants from encroaching 

 upon the grass, as well as to define more 

 properly the exact form of each figure. 



Plate XXV. exhibits a flower-garden in 

 this style. The situation in which it is 

 placed was the site of an ancient piece of 

 water, which it w T as deemed desirable to 

 drain off ; and sufficient material to fill it 

 up to the level of the surrounding lawn 

 being difficult to procure, we advised 

 its being converted into a sunk flower- 

 garden. The bottom being thorough- 

 ly drained, the sides were reduced to 

 straight lines and walled up with rubble, 

 and cemented over to the height of the 

 ground above. This wall was coped with 

 ashlar, set 4 inches higher than the 

 level of a gravel-walk that surrounded 

 the whole. Flights of stone steps were 

 introduced at the centre of the two ends 



and sides leading from the walk above to 

 a broad gravel-walk below, which made 

 the circuit of the garden, leaving a border 

 for flowers and the plants which partially 

 cover the face of the wall, as well as a 2- 

 feet verge of turf between it and the walk. 

 Narrower gravel-walks, starting from 

 opposite the flights of steps, intersected 

 the garden, and formed the beds com- 

 posing the central portion. These walks 

 are margined with turf verges 2 feet in 

 breadth, expanding into grass plots in 

 the centre of all the principal beds, with 

 the exception of two towards the middle. 

 The two lined circles are occupied witli 

 two vases, set upon square pedestals 6 

 feet in height. The scroll patterns, which 

 form the margin of the central parterre, 

 are laid out on grass. The effect of this 

 garden is good, when viewed from the 

 terrace-walk above, because the whole 

 design is seen at once, and to greater 

 advantage than if looked at when on a 

 level with the borders and flowers. Had 

 the associations of the place admitted of 

 it, we would have introduced an open 

 balustrading along the top of the wall, both 

 for effect when seen from beneath, and, as 

 it were, to form an apparent security 

 against falling from the terrace into the 

 garden below. 



Figs. 825 to 830 are examples of figures 

 suitable for filling in the larger compart- 



Fig. 825. 



ments formed by the direction of the 

 principal walks, which in general are made 

 to surround the whole garden, with a 

 border beyond it, separating it from the 



