554 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
we should not otherwise possess. By the employment 
of wire fences, and some careful planting out of the 
ho uses in both places, a great deal of what Nature has 
done for each, has been appropriated by both. 
We know of no other place where such successful 
masses of Rhododendrons, Azalias, and Mahonias are 
grown as here, being on the north side of the house, and 
getting but little or no sun. The graperies, green-house, 
and gardens, are extensive, and admirably kept. By 
means of a steam-engine, water can at any moment be 
forced into the mansion and an outside reservoir, from 
which it can be distributed over the gardens. In the 
comparatively small space of sixteen acres, Mr. Wolcott 
has every attribute of a well-kept country place — several 
lawns, each distinct from the other, wdth seperate and 
lovely views ; an English flower-garden, a most success- 
ful vegetable-garden, green-house, grapery, and forcing- 
house, the most charming views, and no apparent 
boundary but river and mountain. 
Idlewild — the residence of N. P. Willis, Esq., across 
the Hudson, some four miles below Newburgh, is a 
piece of Nature’s Landscape Gardening, where the hand 
of man should not, and, from the good taste of the owner, 
has not been allowed to appear, except in the necessary 
buildings. In a work like this, for the purpose of 
showing the progress of Landscape Gardening, this 
place should, properly, not be mentioned ; and vre refer 
to it, simply to show how delicate and refined that taste 
must be which, appreciating all that Nature has done 
with so much prodigality of beauty, as at “ Idlewild,” 
has the courage to let her alone. 
In the neighborhood of Philadelphia, there are a 
great many fine places ; among them is Medary , the 
residence of Harry Ingersoll^ Esq. A tasteful and sub- 
stantial house, built by Notman, we believe, with 
pleasure-grounds of very considerable extent, and of a 
pretty, graceful character, softly undulating, and well 
