184 
GARDEN ARCHITECTURE. 
we shall treat of a few of the leading points to be kept in view in the formation of 
conservatories. The nature of our work, and the clear and explicit declarations 
previously made, will suffice to preclude the idea that we refer to any other houses 
than those appropriated entirely to flowering plants, and situated in the pleasure- 
grounds, or at least in an ornamental part of the garden. 
One of the most prominent preliminaries to the erection of a conservatory, or a 
group of plant-houses, is the choice of a suitable site. The structure may be 
absolutely beautiful in itself ; it may be exceedingly well adapted to the kind of 
plants to be grown in it, and altogether unexceptionable in its character and 
details : but if it be in an unduly elevated or depressed spot, if so placed that it can 
be brought into comparison with either superior or inferior buildings, if the area 
around it be too limited and bounded by walls, or if the tract environing it be in 
a rude and half-natural condition, with a roughness and ruggedness of surface 
which betoken a too great remoteness from the mansion, its good characteristics 
will entirely lose their effect. 
Our first assumption, under this head, is that the house or houses in question 
should not be distinctly perceptible from the dwelling, and certainly not from the 
lowermost rooms, or those in the daily occupation of the family. It will probably 
be admitted as a principle that every edifice in a garden should constitute a centre, 
near and around which the character and disposition of everything should be, to a 
great extent, correspondent. There are two ways in which this design is to be 
effected, differing according to the nature of the buildings. Thus, a mansion is to 
be encompassed with lawns, walks, flower-beds, trees, or plantations, in so far as 
either or any of these may agree with its style ; but there must be outlets through 
and beyond them, at intervals, by which the park, the distant country, and the 
many interesting objects in or within sight of the estate, may be advantageously 
viewed ; and so, while whatever is most suitable is placed directly about the house, 
it is not so shut in that it may not be witnessed from other parts, or that every 
variety of scene may not be discerned from it, but is left sufficiently open to admit 
of both these ends being answered. 
Again, if temples or other erections are so placed as to be visible from the 
house, it is indispensable that they partake more or less of its style, in proportion 
to their nearness, and be made of similar materials ; otherwise the congruity and 
unity of the entire scene is broken, and a motley assemblage, devoid of real beauty, 
is the result. 
On the other hand, there is a kind of edifice, which may be of a character 
totally opposite to that of the residence, that requires a more complete and decided 
isolation, and must be situated in a spot where its own influence alone can be felt, 
and where it is quite unassociated with buildings of another description. This 
class includes the conservatory, in all its numerous varieties. 
Many reasons might be given why conservatories (in which term we may. once 
for all say that we include every sort of floricultural erection) should not be within 
