NINETEENTH CENTURY 
295 
would not be ineffective,” and “ to produce broad effects of 
colour . . . double Furze, Rhododendrons, Laburnums, Lilacs, 
etc., and if within the pleasure-grounds, Hydrangeas, Dahlias, 
or even patches of showy geraniums, might be added.” At 
the same time, he thinks the “ smoothness ” of the “ banks 
around the water should be a leading feature.” 
The collection of flower - beds was not complete in the 
early Victorian garden without a flower-basket. This fre¬ 
quently took the form of a series of diminishing circles of 
rustic woodwork, raised to the height of several feet, the 
lowest ring being some 12 or 15 feet in diameter, each tier being 
planted with rows of geraniums or other gaudy flowers during 
the summer. 
In a large number of gardens the old herbaceous borders 
had already been ejected when the landscape style became 
the rage, so the new system known as “ bedding out ” did not 
(except in a few old gardens) actually displace existing flowers. 
The old were already relegated to the background, while the 
thrilling beauty of the more tender new introductions de¬ 
manded recognition. Thus the obvious plan seemed to be to 
show them off for at least some part of the year. Just as the 
soft shades of the tapestry worked by Elizabethan ladies gave 
place to the crude colours of “ Berlin wool,” the tones in the 
garden seemed subject to the same influence, and changed 
from grave to gay. 
Where new gardens were being laid out, the Italian style 
was chosen, as being best suited to the new bedding system. 
Like all previous fashions, which had in turn been adapted 
from foreign countries, it was not slavishly copied, but the 
main ideas—the terraces, flights of steps, fountains, balus¬ 
trades, and regular flower-beds—were all carried out. The 
chief architects who brought this into vogue were Nesfield, 
Paxton, and Barry. 
There is a very large folio volume by A. E. Brooke in 
which are depicted what were then considered the finest 
gardens in England. 1 Most of them are Italian in design, and 
the beds are filled with these gaudy but perishable flowers. 
Among the number he illustrates may be mentioned Woburn, 
1 Gardens of England. By A. E. Brooke, 1858. 
