THEIR GENERAL ARRANGEMENT. 



671 



and is cut out on grass, and admirably 

 adapted for planting out in the massing 



style. The beds are not too large to be 

 each occupied with a distinct colour ; and 

 when planted in this way the effect has 

 been satisfactory. 



Irregular parterres are chiefly adapted 

 to the gardenesque style, and, when laid 

 out on grass, are calculated for level or 

 undulating surfaces. When large, and 

 the ground very much distorted, the beds 

 may be elevated several feet at their 

 centres above the grass-level, and so 

 form, as it were, natural labyrinths, with- 

 out the formality of geometrical ones. 

 They may also be planted with shrubs in 

 the centres, the masses graduating down- 

 wards with very dwarf shrubs, and ter- 

 minating at the edges of the borders with 

 dwarf annuals or verbenas, and similar 

 procumbent plants. Again, upon a small 

 scale, and on a level surface, they may be 

 planted in the grouping manner with 

 plants similar to those recommended for 

 geometrical parterres. 



In fig. 916, as the beds towards the 

 centre are small, so should also the plants 



Fig. 916. 



This figure is best cut out on grass, and, 

 if surrounded with a mass of shrubs, the 

 outline of which runs nearly 

 parallel with the outer edge 

 of the figure, and at a pro- 

 per distance from it, the 

 effect will be good. The 

 figures here terminate too 

 ^\ — n abruptly, for which reason 

 N q \/ we have copied it from "The 

 Gardeners' Magazine," in 

 order to point out a very 

 prevailing error. 



Fig. 917 is exemplified in the beauti- 

 ful and well-managed flower-garden of 

 Earl^ Brownlow, at Belton House, Lin- 



be ; and hence this figure is calculated for 

 a piece of ground hollow in the middle. 



colnshire. It is there, upon a large scale, 

 cut out on the lawn, and richly planted 

 with the usual flower-garden plants, 

 amongst which the dahlia and holyhock 

 predominate, the latter in the centre of 

 the beds, and the former nearer to the 

 front, forming, as it were, the reserve 

 oaks in the forest ; while the underwood 

 is admirably imitated by immense masses 

 of petunias, salvias, larkspurs, and similar 

 plants, the whole feathering down to the 

 well-kept lawn with verbenas, and simi- 

 lar procumbent plants. This figure, as 

 well as a great portion of the garden 

 to which we have alluded, is planted in 

 the mixed style ; but, on account of the 

 exceedingly high keeping of the lawns and 

 borders, and the judicious arrangement 

 as to heights and colour in the masses, 

 the whole produced on our mind more 

 pleasing emotions than we ever recollect 

 to have experienced in any other garden 

 of the same kind. 



Figs. 918 and 919 are figures properly 



