ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 
VOL. XI. 
MAY, 1889. 
No. 5. 
A Terrace Garden. 
America is indebted to Mr. H. H. Hunne- 
well for the finest example of an “Italian 
Garden" that exists in this country. The 
Terrace Garden at Wellesley, Massachusetts, 
skill of its owner the place has rapidly reach- 
ed perfection. In describing its present ap- 
pearance, Garden and Forest says, “A great 
variety is shown in the formal shapes as 
well as in the species of trees selected; but in 
each case the form has been admirably 
attained, and the species has been made 
absolutely docile beneath the shears. It is 
hard to say which tree gives the best resalt, 
clipped thus to a small wall of green; but 
the White Pine, most interesting from its 
novelty in such shape, is, perhaps, param- 
ount also in soft delicacy and beauty of sur- 
face. This in its natural estate the most 
way. In early spring the compact mas- 
ses of pale tender green of this tree 
are particularly charming. The immediate 
vicinity of the lake and the classic shape of 
the boat-house gives somewhat the illusion 
of a real Italian scene, and its effect as one 
comes upon it in the midst of characteristic 
New England scenery is very striking.” 
This style of gardening however is not to 
be advised for general practice. Unless 
absolutely perfect forms are attained the 
work is an actual disfigurement and defor- 
mity, and the attainment of perfection is 
exceedingly difficult, requiring years of 
Copyright, 1889, by the Garden and Porexl Pub. Co. 
which is shown in the engraving, is a por- 1 
tion of the beautiful ornamental grounds 
laid out by Mr. Hunnewell in 1857 and 
which have since become famous. In Down- 
ing’s “Landscape Gardening", we find a 
description of this fine estate written seven 
years after the work had been commenced, 
in which, referring to the Terrace Garden, 
it is said. “To Mr. Hunnewell we believe 
is due the merit of having first attempted 
to clip our White Pine, and the result shows 
that it bears the shears quite as well as the 
Hemlock or Yew; though in this garden are 
equally successful specimens of clipped 
Norway Spruces, Balsam Firs, Arbor Vitae, 
the English Maple, the Beech, and Scotch 
Firs." Since that time under the care and 
THE TERRACE GARDEN AT WELLESLEY. 
picturesque of our native trees, seems the 
tenderest and most charming when it as- 
sumes the form of a solid mass of foliage. 
The hedge to the left of the foreground in 
our picture is of Hemlock, while the White 
Pine shows in the dark tree, cut into 
three stages, near its extremity. The hedge 
with the conical masses rising from it that 
leads away from the centre of the fore- 
ground is of English Beech; another White 
Pine, again cut into several stages, shows 
near the broad walk by the lake, and the 
slender pyramidal trees on the second 
terrace are Norway Spruces. Admirable 
results, strange as it may seem, have been 
obtained by clipping the European Larch, 
which had not before been used in this 
From Garden and Forest 
patient care and skill. 
On this magnificent estate is also a pine- 
tum containing the most interesting collec- 
tion of Coniferous trees grown in America. 
We quote from the same description. “It 
contains many specimens of great beauty 
and interest. Some of the finest and the 
largest specimens of the Douglas Fir. raised 
from seed collected by Dr. Parry in Colo- 
rado, may be seen at Wellesley. There are 
fine specimens of A bies concotor, Picea poli- 
ta, Abies Nordmanniaua , Picea orientalis , 
Abies brachyphylla , Abies Veitchii, A. Cili- 
cica, Picea Aganensis, Thuja Japonica, Pseu- 
dolarix, and, indeed, every Conifer which 
has been found capable of supporting the 
New England climate.” 
