32 



PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROrNDS. 



The Avenue.— 'In. a previous page it was said tliat tlie 

 Avenue is a species of approach, leading towards the 

 house in a straight line, and bordered by parallel rows 

 of trees. It may be asked, when is this form of approach 

 to be adopted ? and what is to be done with it when it 

 has been established ? These questions are answered in 

 our observations on the park, along with some remarks 

 on the relation of the avenue to the general scenery of 

 a place. At present it may be enough to say that 

 avenues are most effective on flat surfaces, and that it is 

 only on these, and perhaps on ground with a slight and 

 uniform inclination, we can recommend them to be 

 in any case planted. If the undulations of the ground 

 are but slight, open avenues may still be admissible; 

 and these open avenues, when connected with the lawns 

 of the mansion-house, should be of considerable breadth. 

 "When, however, they are formed as approaches, their 

 width should not be greater than the height to which 

 the trees forming them usually grow — say sixty or 

 seventy feet for common elms, planes, and limes, and 

 from seventy to ninety feet for beeches and English elms. 

 If wider, they wiU be deficient in that stately and im- 

 posing effect which is the principal charm of an avenue. 

 The open variety requires double rows of trees on each 

 side j and if these are planted at twenty or twenty-five 

 feet apart, they form subordinate close avenues, like the 

 side aisles of a Gothic church, and afford spaces for 

 charming shaded walks. The usual effect of the avenue 

 in the park is to divide the landscape ; and this, indeed, 

 is the principal objection to its adoption, as in this 

 respect it is almost totally inconsistent with the modem 

 style of laying out grounds. There are sometimes posi- 

 tions near the entrance-gate where it can be introduced 



