MISCELLANEOUS NOTICE. 
241 
“Possibly the greatest and most prevalent mistake of those 
who lay out gardens for themselves is attempting too much. A 
mind unaccustomed to generalise, or to take in a number of 
leading objects at a glance, finds out the different points em¬ 
braced in landscape-gardening one by one, and, unable to decide 
which of them can most suitably be applied, determines on try¬ 
ing to compass more than can be really attained. One tiling 
after another is, at different times, observed and liked, in some 
similar place that is visited, and each is successively wished to 
be transferred to the observer’s own garden, without regard to 
its fitness for the locality, or its relation to what has previously 
been done. A neighbour or a friend has a place in which certain 
features are exquisitely developed, and these are at once sought 
to be copied. The practice of cutting up a garden into mere 
fragments, which is unhappily of too frequent occurrence, is the 
natural result of such a state of things. 
“ There are several ways in which a place may be frittered 
away, so as to be wholly deficient in character and beauty. It 
may be too much broken up in its general arrangement; and 
this is the worst variety of the fault, because least easily mended, 
and most conspicuous. To aim at comprising the principal 
features proper to the largest gardens in those of the most 
limited size, is surely not a worthy species of imitation, and one 
which can only excite ridicule, and end in disappointment. 
There is a wide difference between that variety which is so de¬ 
sirable, and the separation into minute parts, or blending of 
incongruous materials, now deprecated; the former being quite 
compatible with both unity and simplicity. 
“ A place may likewise and easily be too much carved up 
into detached portions, or overshadowed, or reduced in apparent 
size, by planting too largely. Trees and shrubs constitute the 
greatest ornaments of a garden ; but they soon become disagree¬ 
able, when a place is over-run with them, by contracting the 
space, and shutting out light, and rendering the grass imper¬ 
fect, and the walks mossy. Nothing could be more damp, and 
gloomy and confined, than a small place too much cumbered 
with plantations. Nor is its influences on the health of the 
occupants at all an unimportant consideration; for where sun 
and wind cannot get free play, a moist and stagnant air, very 
injurious to all animal life, is necessarily occasioned. 
“ But if this be the case with regard to any superfluous vege¬ 
tation in general, it is much more true in respect to large timber 
trees. To introduce or retain many of these in a small garden 
is quite contrary to all the principles of good taste, and condu¬ 
cive only to trouble and discomfort. All the evils which attend 
a redundancy of the lower forms of plants are greatly aggravated, 
and carried to their highest point, by a similar overgrowth of trees. 
“ In the immediate neighbourhood of the house, moreover, 
it is particularly desirable that trees and shrubs should not 
abound. Independently of darkening the windows, they com¬ 
municate great dampness to the walls, and prevent that action 
of the wind upon the building which alone can keep it dry, com¬ 
fortable, and consequently healthy. It is almost impossible for 
any house to be otherwise than damp, which is too much and 
too closely surrounded by plantations. Any portion of these, 
therefore, which may be necessary to shut out the offices or out¬ 
buildings, should be placed as far from the walls as practicable, 
and by no means be allowed to be in contact with them. 
“ Another mode in which the effect of a garden may be 
marred by too much being aimed at is, in the formation of nume¬ 
rous flower-beds, or groups of mixed shrubs and flowers on the 
lawn. This is a very common failing, and one which greatly 
disfigures a place; especially as, where intended only for flowers, 
such beds usually remain vacant and naked for several months 
in the year. Flower-beds, too, when introduced in any quantity 
on a small lawn, have an exceedingly artificial appearance, 
reminding one of the character common to children’s gardens. 
They interfere sadly with all ideas of breadth, harmony, and 
repose. 
“A still more striking interruption to that beautiful conti¬ 
nuity, which does so much in the way of producing size and 
expression, occurs when unnecessary divisions are introduced 
into a place. These may be employed to detach parts of a. very 
different character; or, as in the old system of hedging-in parti¬ 
cular portions, may simply be intended to change the scene 
suddenly, or furnish certain lines which are probably supposed 
to accord with the general character of the house. Not only, 
however, are those formal divisions mostly inadmissable in a 
limited space, but all kinds of separating lines, though varied 
and broken in the most artful manner, must be condemned, as a 
rule, unless where the place is tolerably large. These remarks 
of course do not apply to plantations or fences between the 
kitchen or pleasure-garden, or between the latter and the field; 
nor do they refer to those irregular masses of shrubs or trees 
which may sometimes be thrown partly across a lawn, to occa¬ 
sion a fresh scene behind them. They are simply aimed at such 
separating lines, whether of fence or plantation, as might be 
dispensed with, or for which there is no real necessity; as well 
as being further opposed to the practice of splitting up a place 
into minute parts, instead of making it as spacious and airy as 
possible. 
“ Partly for the reasons just alleged, and also because they 
introduce ugly strips of a conspicuously different colour on a 
lawn, a multiplicity of walks, beyond what are absolutely requi¬ 
site, is very undesirable in a small piece of ground. It is 
acknowledged that numerous walks conduce to variety ; but it 
is much better to have only that moderate amount of the latter, 
which can be attained without the sacrifice of simplicity. Walks 
that have no definite or sufficiently important object, and do not 
serve to reveal features or aspects of a place, that would other¬ 
wise be imperfectly seen or entirely lost, are always to be 
avoided, as destroying the smoothness, continuousness, and 
extent of a lawn, and producing a poverty and meanness of 
general effect.” 
And, again, at page 40, under the head, “ General leading Principles,” the following excerpt is correct, and 
to the purpose 
“ A garden should have more or less simplicity, according to 
its size and character, in its main outlines, arrangements, and 
furniture. The transitions in it should all be easy and flowing, 
the lines all graceful, the decorations elegant. Very rarely will 
a small garden bear being furnished with any striking evidences 
of wealth, or luxury, or elaboration. The hand should touch it 
so lightly as to leave few traces of its operation. Its forms and 
figures ought all to be gently rounded off, and unite softly witli 
each other. Lawn and gravel, shrub, tree, and flower, must 
appear to belong to one another, and to fit into the place in which 
they occur. 
“ At the same time the intricacy which arises from a partial 
and pleasing involution of parts, from slight and insensible 
changes, and from that artful arrangement of single plants and 
groups which produces freshness of aspect and newness of vista 
frpm so many different points of view, must not be neglected. 
For a garden may be all that is correct, and tasteful, and classi¬ 
cal, and yet, like a well-moulded countenance, prove dull, tame, 
and void of expression. It is play of feature—a something be¬ 
hind and beyond which has not been explored — novelty of 
expression, variation of aspect, an alluring attraction onwards 
after higher beauties—that constitutes, in both instances, the 
life, the spirit, and the charm. Intricacy is, in fact, the very 
soul of Landscape gardening.” 
In conclusion, we confidently recommend the work to all who are seeking information on this interesting 
subject; and if young gardeners spend their winter evenings in committing some of the leading principles to 
memory, their time will not have been spent without profit.—A. 
311tsttllitnrmt3 ffl ntirr. 
The Moutan Tceonies. —Yv r hen Mr. Fortune visited China on the service of the Horticultural Society, the acqui¬ 
sition of new Moutans was one of the first objects to which he attended. In his Wanderings he mentions the 
VOL. II. 
