246 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
period many of our finest trees, most ornamental shrubs, and thousands 
of our most interesting herbs, are then in their highest floral livery. 
The flower-garden is then delightful, whether we explore the beds or 
borders, or look upon the surrounding shrubberies, or the loftier trees 
beyond—all present a richly varied scene of beauty. From the humble 
daisies and violets under our feet, up to the lofty and wide-spreading 
head of the horse-chestnut, there are gradations of every tint and every 
hue. The rhododendrons, kalmias, and azaleas of America, Europe, 
and Asia; the syringas, cytissuses, and viburnums, &c., are all in most 
gorgeous attire ; and such as are not yet fully in flower, are all promis¬ 
ing to add to the general bloom. If we turn into the kitchen-garden, 
we see it yielding many of its choicest delicacies; or if we walk into 
the fields, the fresh verdure of the shooting corn cheers the eye, and 
swells the heart with hopes of abundant harvests. This season of the 
year is not only the most lovely to the eye, but the most gratifying to 
the mind;—every thing appears advancing to perfection, the view of 
which generates the most pleasing ideas of success and enjoyment. 
Many concomitant circumstances serve to enhance the pleasures of it: 
a milder and refreshing atmosphere—the music of the groves —the 
bleatings from the hills—the lowings from the meads—altogether form 
a concert of rural sounds and rural joy most delightful to the contem¬ 
plative mind. 
It is a matter to be regretted, or rather to be wondered at, that in 
this country a great majority of those who possess the most beautiful 
estates never visit them at that season when they are most delightful 
to behold. The charming season of spring is absorbed in parliamentary 
duties, or in the fashionable assemblies of liigh life in the metropolis ; 
and it is the custom of many families not to see their country-seats till 
all vegetation is on the wane. Autumn, no doubt, has also its charms 
in the enjoyment of many products—in the view of the mellow-tinted 
woods, so interesting to the poet’s or the painter’s eye; and the spirit- 
stirring excitement of the chace is by many valued higher than all 
other pleasures of the country. But though all these add to the enjoy¬ 
ments of the season, they cannot be compared with the soukexpanding 
impressions derivable from a view of nature in the spring. 
It was on a morning towards the end of May when I had the plea¬ 
sure of accompanying my friend on horseback to visit the magnificent 
seat of -- Court. The day was delightfully fine, and the road 
lying through a richly-cultivated and well-wooded country, the scenery 
on each side was of the most pleasing description. Farm-houses, with 
their surrounding buildings and orchards, and rectangular well-fenced 
fields clothed with promising crops, some of them accurately drilled. 
