282 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION.— July 15, 185C. 
THE SUBURBAN VILLA AND COUNTRY 
RESIDENCE. 
NO. X. 
WATER—ROCKWORK—BUILDINGS—STATUARY- 
RUSTIC SEATS—FLOWER BASKETS, &c. 
Except in pleasure grounds of large extent, pieces of 
water are much more appropriate when treated in a simple, 
geometrical manner, than by giving them an irregular out¬ 
line for tho purpose of attempting picturesque effect. It may 
be assumed, as a principle, that when the whole surface can 
be seen at once, a decided geometric form should be chosen. 
But when pieces of water, having such formal outlines, are 
placed in grounds laid out in an irregular style, a modifica¬ 
tion of the latter must be perceptible immediately around 
them, or the combined effect will be incongruous. If to such 
geometric outlines stone curbs and other architectural ac¬ 
cessories are added, the arrangement of the walks, shrubbe¬ 
ries, and ilower-beds, if any, contiguous to them, must be 
decidedly formal, both in their outline and disposition. But 
in that case, such portions of the grounds should be treated 
as detached scenes, rather than as parts of the general 
scenery. 
A small surface of water, with an irregular outline, can 
rarely be a pleasing object in itself, and its limited extent 
precludes the possibility of rendering it so by planting, 
which is an indispensable requisite in giving to such forms 
the character to which they aspire—picturesqueness. It will, 
I think, be conceded, that small pieces of water of this de¬ 
scription, most frequently met with, have one common defect, 
—they are so surrounded by shrubs that, in place of giving 
cheerfulness to the scenery, they become gloomy, stagnant 
pools—receptacles of all kinds of abomination, both vege¬ 
table and animal. Now, if, instead of straining after the 
phantom picturesque, a formal outline is chosen, we in a 
measure get rid of the necessity for surrounding it with 
shrubs, and, at the same time, enjoy all the advantages de¬ 
sirable from the introduction of one of the most pleasing 
adjuncts to scenery, whether natural or artificial. But a 
basin or pool of water, with an architectural boundai'y, 
should never be introduced into irregular garden scenery, as 
it sometimes is, without some modification of the irregu¬ 
larity immediately about it. 
In extensive grounds, having large surfaces of water either 
within, or forming a portion of their boundary, a decidedly 
opposite mode of treatment can, of course, be most appro¬ 
priately adopted; there the picturesque style can be allowed 
its full development. 
Unless a rockwork is to be made on a large scale, as a 
leading feature, as at Elvaston, Chatsworth, and a few other 
places, it should be wholly confined to some retired nook, 
easily accessible, yet in no way mingling with the general 
scenery. A piece of rockwork, except in situations pecu¬ 
liarly adapted for its display, cannot be harmonized with 
the other elements of which the scenery is composed. 
Nevertheless, it can always be rendered an interesting item 
in a garden; and wherever facilities exist for constructing it, 
it should, by all means, be carried into effect. A piece of 
well-constructed rockwork is the exception to the rule ; and 
very many of the tasteless compositions of this kind are the 
result of abortive attempts to realise the garden will-o'-the- 
wisp —a natural scene. In ninety-nine cases out of every 
hundred, the principal object of a rockery is simply to cul¬ 
tivate certain plants upon, which can be more appropriately 
grown there than in any other situation; and yet a simply 
convenient arrangement of the materials composing it does 
not content; but the imitation of natural strata and other— 
except under very special circumstances — impossibilities 
must be attempted, the result of which can be readily 
imagined. In merely raising a heap of rock, stones, and 
other suitable materials upon and amongst which certain 
plants are to be grown, such attempts at imitating nature 
are surely ridiculous. In constructing such, let the object 
for which it is intended be the guiding principle, and the re¬ 
sults, under proper management, cannot be far wrong; but 
by no means introduce such as a feature in the general 
scenery of the grounds. A mass of rockwork which, from 
its magnitude and position, may possibly, and which is in¬ 
tended to, pass for a natural scene, or the representation of 
one, is quite another affair. He who is competent to direct 
the formation of such a piece of work needs no instructions 
that I can hope to give. 
Amongst what may be justly termed the embellishments of 
(/aniens are ornamental buildings, statuary and vases, grot¬ 
tos, rustic seats, flower-baskets, Ac.; and it is not pos¬ 
sible to imagine a garden, however limited its extent, in 
which some of them may not be appropriately introduced. 
In extensive grounds all will find places for admission ; and, 
if judiciously placed, they will add very much to the general 
effect. A continued repetition of mere shrubbery, lawn, and 
walk, however well designed and kept in order, becomes 
wearisome; but if some appropriate accessories are occa¬ 
sionally thrown in, they counteract the otherwise dull mo¬ 
notony, forming, as it were, resting-places for the eye, as 
well as objects to excite curiosity and interest in the mind. 
A large garden without some such appendages resembles 
a furnished apartment, but destitute of ornament. The 
apartment may be of admirable proportions, the furniture 
ample and in the best taste, but if ornament be entirely 
wanting, there will be a lack of elegance, which its presence 
could alone supply. So a garden without ornament presents 
a comparatively bald and unfinished aspect, which the intro¬ 
duction of a few appropriate and well-placed accessories, as 
ornaments, would obviate. 
The choice of ornament, and where and when to introduce 
it, are matters which demand more than a hasty considera¬ 
tion. In fact, it must be confessed that the art of em¬ 
ploying ornament judiciously is a most difficult one, and one 
that is by no means generally understood. Ornament is 
never so appropriate as when wedded to utility. If we in¬ 
vestigate the subject fully, we shall, I think, arrive at the 
conclusion, that utility was the parent of ornament, although 
the relationship may not always be apparent at first sight. 
Indeed, we may often recognise the offspring where there is 
nothing to remind us of the existence of any such parentage. 
Thus statuary is among the higher, if not in itself the 
highest class of ornament; yet we do not attach any idea of 
utility to it, at least, not in the every-day acceptation of the 
word, though we trust it lias, or should have, a noble office 
—that of educating the eye in beauty of form, as well as ex¬ 
panding the mind by suggesting noble ideas ; and in pro¬ 
portion as a piece of sculpture fails in producing these re¬ 
sults in minds capable of appreciating them, so does it fail 
in its true mission. 
In employing statuary, vases, and buildings of classic de¬ 
sign, care must be taken that they occupy appropriate situa¬ 
tions, and that everything about them be in harmony. If placed 
amid rude and uncultivated woods, they cau never be looked 
upon with satisfaction by a refined taste; for in such situa¬ 
tions they are incongruities, not beauties. A statue of 
Venus half-hidden by brambles; a copy of the Barbesini 
vase, filled with weeds and rubbish, by the side of a wild 
wood walk; or a Doric temple in a wilderness approached 
by a common cart road, which is only passable by a pedes¬ 
trian in summer, are most assuredly out of place; and, on 
the other hand, rustic seats and grottos are equally mis¬ 
placed if they occupy prominent situations in highly-kept 
grounds. Each has its peculiar fitness for particular situa¬ 
tions, and, if employed otherwise, become objectionable 
rather than pleasing objects. Statuary and vases should 
only be employed where they can be surrounded by acces¬ 
sories decidedly artificial and in the highest possible keeping; 
while the ruder garden ornaments, as root-houses, rustic 
seats, and flower-baskets, will find their appropriate situa¬ 
tions in the less highly artificial parts of the grounds. A 
garden will gain much by the judicious use of ornaments, 
and, on the other hand, it may lose much by a tasteless ap¬ 
plication of it. Recollect that ornament is only ornament 
when properly applied.— Geokge Lovell, Landscape Gar¬ 
dener, Bayshot . 
(To be continued.) 
STILTON CHEESE. 
The invention of this cheese is about a century old. 
| Marshall, in his “ Rural Economy of the Midland Counties,” 
published in 1700, says, “Mrs. Paulet, of Wymondham, in 
