684 GARDENESQUE STYLE OF FLOWER-GARDENS. 



height ought to be from 8 to 9 feet. 

 These columns are cast hollow, so as to 

 give increased diameter with the least 

 expenditure of metal, unless they are 

 under 2 inches in thickness, in which 

 case they are cast solid. The others 

 should be from to 5 inches in dia- 

 meter ; but this, as well as the height and 

 width of the walk, must be regulated by 

 its intended length. Sometimes these 

 columns are cast with perforations through 

 them, and at other times they have eyed 

 studs screwed into them for receiving 

 the wires, which should run lengthwise 

 of the walk, and be 14 inches asunder. 

 These longitudinal wires are placed along 

 the sides and roof also, and to them the 

 plants are fastened. In giving these 

 dimensions, we allude to walks of great 

 length, and intended to be covered with 

 climbing roses, clematis, and similar 

 rapid-growing plants. 



For covered walks upon a smaller 

 scale, and to be covered with plants of 

 less rapid and strong growth, the trellis 

 must be closer— say from 9 to 12 inches 

 apart in the wires ; and for still smaller 

 plants and situations, from 4 to 8 inches. 

 Covered walks in this country are, no 

 doubt, a remnant of the old French style, 

 and a kind of substitute for the ancient 

 berceaux walks, so much prized in former 

 times on the Continent. In those countries 

 they are of much more use than with us, 

 as affording shade during summer, and 

 shelter in winter. They, to a certain 

 extent, are prized for the same reason here, 

 but more so for the facility they afford 

 for training climbing plants. Covered 

 walks are also valuable, as hiding out dis- 

 agreeable objects, and forming a connec- 

 tion between one garden and another. 



The arcade, when well covered, affords 

 a pleasant shady walk ; but the beauties 

 of the flowers can only be seen by viewing 

 it externally. To enjoy both shade and 

 the beauty of the flowers, the arcade 

 ought to be formed of arches placed at 

 regular distances, so as to admit the air 

 and light between, by which means the 

 plants will be covered with flowers from 

 the ground upwards. The arches may 

 either cross the walk at right angles, or 

 they may cross each other, so that the 

 vertical profile of every two arches would 

 form a cross. 



Hidden or private walks. — It frequently 



Fig. 961. 



Fig. 962. 



occurs that a communication is necessary 

 between two parts of a domain, and that 

 it is desirable this communication should 

 be as little seen as possible. Various plans 

 have been purposed to effect this — we 

 mean in situations where the walk cannot 

 be planted out by shrubs. A 

 ha-ha or sunk fence, in some 

 situations, may be adopted, 

 having a walk along the 

 bottom of the excavation. 

 This, however, although a 

 good blind on one side, may 

 be objectionable on the 

 other, as the wall will be seen. 

 Sunk walks may be substi- 

 tuted, 8 feet in depth, with 

 the sides walled, the bottom 

 paved, with drains on each 

 side, and the top covered 

 with a horizontal iron 

 grating, fig. 961. Fig. 962 

 will show the principle, being a vertical 

 profile of the path, covered with the 

 horizontal grating. 

 Where this path is 

 crossed by gravel 

 walks on the surface, 

 the gravel, and a mar- 

 gin of turf on each 

 side of it, can easily 

 be supported by a 

 flat brick arch, or a 

 trough of cast-iron. 

 Side drains are also shown in the sketch, 

 a a, which, connected with main drains, 

 would render the walk perfectly dry. 

 Such a plan would have been certainly 

 preferable to the open ditch in which the 

 public footpath is placed that crosses the 

 Home Park at Windsor. 



The greatest objection to sunken walks 

 is the difficulty of rendering them dry ; 

 and this difficulty increases as the grounds 

 through which they pass approach to a 

 level, and where the soil is clayey or 

 retentive of water. The most efficient 

 mode of draining such walks must be 

 carrying a sufficiently capacious drain 

 under them, extending to one or both 

 extremities, and means being there taken 

 of letting off the water. In the case of 

 a sunken walk passing through private 

 property where the public has a right of 

 way, then the horizontal grating over it 

 is indispensable, as completely preventing 

 intrusion on the part of the public ; but 



