18 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
style of ornamental gardening seems sufficiently unique to 
be worthy of being considered a separate school. 
And how shall we characterize the Dutch school, which 
even to this day, in the Low Countries, has scarcely given 
way to the continental admiration for the “ jar din Anglais 
this double distilled compound of laboured symmetry, regu- 
larity, and stiffness which seems to convey to the quiet own- 
ers so much pleasure, and the tasteful traveller and critic so 
much despair ! A stagnant and muddy canal, with a bridge 
thrown over it, and often connected with a circular fish- 
pond ; a grass slope and a mound of green turf ; on which 
is a pleasure or banqueting house with gilt ornaments ; num- 
berless clipped trees, and every variety of trellis work lively 
with green paint ; in the foreground beds of gay bulbs and 
florist’s flowers, interspersed with huge orange trees in tubs, 
and in the distance smooth green meadows — such are the 
unvarying features of the Hollander’s garden or grounds.* 
The true Dutchman looks upon his garden as a quiet place 
to smoke and be u content” in ; if he lazily saunters through, 
it is rather to enjoy the gay pencillings of some new bed of 
tulips than to enjoy the elegance and harmony of its design, 
the variety of scenery, or the freshness and beauty of the 
foliage. At the same time, he is neither exclusive nor secret 
with the stores of enjoyment which he has within its bounds ; 
and very many of the private villas near Rotterdam, and in 
other parts of Holland, have mottoes like these inscribed 
over the gateways — a Tranquil and Content,” 11 My desire 
is satisfied” — ( genegentheiel is volden ,) — 11 Friendship and 
sociability,” and numerous others of a similar import. 
* In the neighborhood of Antwerp, not a long time since, was the villa of M. 
Smetz, where, among many things that were pretty, was the odd conceit of a lawn 
on which were a shepherd, his flock of sheep, and his dog cut in stone, and always 
looking “ pastoral and country like. 1 ’ 
