458 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Thus have I conducted you round the circuit of the pleasure-ground, 
and have endeavoured to describe its principal features as they occur to 
a perambulator. But I must admit my inability to do justice to the 
excellence of design and the accuracy of execution everywhere so 
visible, and all evincing the most refined taste, and a very great share of 
practical skill. These, indeed, might have been purchased “ ready 
made” by the predecessors of my friend, or the original ideas may have 
been suggested by talented visiters, as before alluded to; but however 
this may have been, it reflects the greatest credit on the former posses¬ 
sors, who had the taste to adopt, and the spirit to execute, so expensive 
and admirable a plan. Nor does it reflect less praise on the present 
possessor, who so anxiously completes and preserves those more striking 
features of the place, of which the designers could only have a pro¬ 
spective, and consequently a less perfect, idea. 
The bird’s-eye view from the front terrace is so varied, and, although 
so extensive as to command at least one-third of the park, it can never 
pall or satiate the eye, even most familiar with it. The roving 
cattle, the time of the day, that of the season, and even the state of the 
sky, are ever producing changes the most interesting ; and this is not a 
little heightened by the judicious and tasteful manner in which the 
forest trees composing the groups and masses are associated. The 
diflerent tints of the foliage have been well considered and blended; 
not rendered “ spotty ” by regular intermixture, but by planting in 
masses, so that the most sombre hues occupy the recesses, and the lighter 
greens and yellows are preferred for the more prominent stations. For the 
latter purpose, some of the maples are most efficient, as their greenish- 
yellow flowers and leaves make them particularly conspicuous. 
The woods and groves on the south side of the park have been all 
preserved or planted with reference to the house. This, as a central 
point of view, has all the glades and vistas converging thereto, thereby 
giving scope in every direction from the windows ; but you must not 
imagine that these glades are like regular avenues; on the contrary, 
their sides are very irregular, as well in the position as in the various 
kinds and habits of the trees which form the margins. In fact, the 
glades are formed by a series of groups standing behind each other, and 
enlarging as they recede from the house. This gives an imaginary 
length to the glades, and depth to the woods, which they really have 
not when seen from other points of view. Indeed, in riding round or 
through the park, the cross glades and openings are productive of the 
finest combinations of lawn and grove where they might be the least 
expected. 
But as I shall have to say much more of the park in detail, I shall 
