86 



PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



Effective secondary and minor grouping not only adds 

 to the beauty of fine plants, but very much improves 

 the appearance of those which scarcely deserve that 

 name. 



Site of the Flower-garden. — Convenience of 

 access requires that the flower-garden should be at no 

 great distance from the house. It may be separated 

 from the other grounds by trees and shrubs, and if the 

 kitchen -gardens are not remote, it may take an inter- 

 mediate position between these and the house. The 

 site should be warm, sunny and dry, and well shel- 

 tered, though not shaded. It should be remembered 

 that the beauty of the flower-garden arises more from 

 its graceful arrangement and superior culture, than 

 from- fine views existing without its boundary. Such 

 views, then, are not necessary to complete it, and a 

 seeking after them may deprive the garden of that 

 shelter which is absolutely indispensable to the suc- 

 cessful cultivation of fine plants. This circumstance 

 should be kept in mind, both in the selection of the 

 site, and in the laying out of the component parts.. 



The Ground Color of the flower-garden, and of 

 its walks, has a considerable influence on the effect of 

 its arrangements, and, as it varies, sometimes leads to 

 the adoption of different styles of gardening-. Inde- 

 pendently of the plants, there may be said to be only 

 three main varieties of ground-coloring in flower-gar- 

 dens, viz : the green of the grassy turf, the black or 

 dark brown of the cultivated soil, and the tints of the 

 gravel, varying in particular cases from bright brown 

 to bluisb gray; and the extent to which each of these 

 colors is visible, either apart or in combination, gives 

 a distinct ex]3ression to the whole scene. The flower- 



