150 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 9, 1889. 
changing kaleidoscope. “ Nature is but art hidden 
from our view.” From the plants and flowers and all 
vegetable life, as well as man, the noblest work of the 
Creator, to the smallest insect that flies, and the 
veriest worm that crawls the earth—each and all live 
and move by and through principles, the art of which, 
so far, has not been discovered or found out by mortal 
ken. What the development of science and education 
in the future ages may elucidate and make plain to us, 
in the present century is a blank, and for the most part 
unintelligible. Gardening necessitates work and labour. 
In mentioning these well-known absolutely indis¬ 
pensable necessities, I may state that work is divine— 
labour is human. In the early pages of the oldest book 
in the world we are taught that our first parents were 
placed in the garden “ to dress and to keep it,” and not 
until after the “Fall” did labour come to the lot of 
humanity. 
Its Relation to Villas. 
In villas I do not include mansions, but detached or 
semi-detached villas raised throughout the country by 
the successful men of business ; erected mostly by their 
own industry and provident forethought. Men now-a- 
days want a great deal for very little money ; not the 
largest it may be, but certainly the best and most 
artistic house and garden at the least possible cost ; 
this feeling is a growing one amongst Englishmen, and 
is a proverb amongst Scotchmen. 
Much depends upon the position and situation of the 
villa and out-buildings. The landscape of the garden 
must be made subservient to the buildings. In the 
arrangement of the house, as a principle, the breakfast- 
room should have an eastern, and the dining and 
drawing-rooms south and west aspects ; stabling and 
out-buildings, if possible, on the north-east; fruit and 
flower gardens placed on the sunny side of the house, 
south and west ; lawn tennis immediately fronting the 
drawing-room window. 
The carriage drive from the public highway should 
be as short as possible, provided, of course, sufficient 
space is left to secure privacy to the house, gardens, 
and pleasure grounds. The longer the carriage drive 
or approach, the greater the expense incurred in 
construction and making, and in the constant repairing 
and mending. Again, the longer and more circuitous 
or serpentine in form, the more inaccessible during the 
evenings, especially of dark foggy days. The less of 
gravelled roads and appearance of gravel the better— 
they are objectionable to the eyesight. Green is the 
natural colour upon which the eye should rest—the 
sight of sheep or cattle in the park-like enclosure, 
which generally is to be found adjacent to a villa, 
occupying three or four acres as a site, presents a far 
more picturesque and pleasant view than when the turf 
is cut up by a straggling carriage drive, which, however 
beautiful in itself, mars and spoils the scene. 
I submit that the above suggestions embrace the 
main and principal features to be observed. Others are 
subservient, though, nevertheless, great care is necessary 
to complete the whole. The footpaths communicating 
with the main roads should be serpentine or curved in 
form, save only in the kitchen garden, where these 
should be straight. 
Injudicious planting and grouping of trees and plants, 
and the laying out of flower beds, geometrical— 
sometimes taking for examples the leaves of flowers, as 
for instance, the Lily—serpentine, and others, much 
judgment and care are required, so that every 
step you take the planting may present to the eye a 
constantly varying scene—the harmonising of the 
colours of the foliage—no oneness— no sameness. These 
are the keynotes to the whole. This is the finish that 
displays the skill of the landscape gardener, and 
embellishes the villa with a charm that adds comfort 
to the house. Incapacity in this work spoils and 
depreciates. 
I have not, nor do I intend to touch, save generally, 
upon trees, plants, or flowers, These are subjects, the 
details of which I know practically very little. They 
are matters to be dealt with by practical gardeners. I 
pass on now to 
Public Parks, 
Parks in or adjacent to towns, provided by corporations 
or private munificence, and maintained for the enjoy¬ 
ment of the ratepayers and public at large. In dealing 
with this subject we must consider the objects for which 
they are intended—to provide relaxation, fresh air, 
exercise, pleasure, and enjoyment for all sorts and 
conditions of men. These include within their pale, old 
and young ; and taking this into account, we are 
justified primarily in considering the uses. First and 
foremost, the approach to the park should be a main 
and principal avenue and carriage drive, designed and 
laid out both for position and views. This gives 
access, by means of carriages, for the very young, 
invalids, and the aged. All parks should be laid out 
in such a manner as to provide a carriage drive through 
them. It is idle to talk about the country lanes and 
roads, when the wearied patient, anxious for the fragrant 
flowers and fresh air, has, in the early stages of his 
gaining strength and recovery, to have his bones 
“ rattled over the stones,” through and over the paved 
roads and streets before he can reach them. "We have 
at hand, especially at Preston, a park blocked and shut 
out by, to our mind, a narrow-sighted policy ; a park 
which, in its present state, fails to provide and supply 
means of enjoyment to all classes of society, especially 
to those whom I have just mentioned. Ornamental 
water and rough stone-work laid to imitate nature, 
effectually vary and improve the scenes. A great 
addendum to our parks is music, which always has and 
will lend a charm to our landscapes. 
The sweet melody of our native birds swell the music 
of our parks in early morning and early evening. The 
Sabbath afternoons are unfortunately unbroken, save by 
the discordant noise of our Church and Salvation Armies 
parading the streets, contributing not much to the 
harmony and pleasure of the inhabitants. 
We forget, or at least, neglect and ignore the fact 
that the means are at our door of having the bright 
Sunday afternoons chastened and made more beautiful by 
the magnificent bands of our national regiments. 
Music is an acquisition to the work of the landscape 
gardener, whether by instrument or by song. What 
greater accompaniment to the “ Day of Rest ’’—the only 
day of the week working men and women can catch a 
moment wherein to breathe the fresh air, and enjoy the 
beautiful gifts of Nature, in her flowers, her landscapes, 
her birds—than the sweet inspiriting sounds and 
melodies of music. These, and these alone (possessing 
at the same time the auxiliaries of comfortable homes, 
health and peace therein), will lead us to realise, to see, 
and believe to a greater extent than before, the truth of 
the Divine proverb, “ That the Sabbath was made for 
man, not man for the Sabbath.” 
Cemeteries. 
The introduction of landscape gardening, its avenues, 
walks, trees, flowers, and planting, has long been the 
custom of civilised countries, to apply to the adornment 
of our churchyards, and in later days our cemeteries. 
There is to the minds of most of us something very 
beautiful in associating the works and products of 
vegetable nature, as votive offerings to the memories of 
the dead. Any attempts to take from the grave its 
“ Sunny Side ” ought to be deprecated. 
Cemeteiies require the hand and skill of the land¬ 
scape gardener to be exercised on a different principle 
in the main to that of public parks. In the fine, 
sunny, bright Sunday afternoons, our public cemeteries 
are much frequented by the inhabitants of the 
surrounding districts. In continental countries, 
especially in France, this is notably so. One day in 
the year, called La Jour de Mart, is kept specially 
sacred, the cemeteries being crowded above all other 
days to very great excess. 
The chapels in cemeteries, their relative positions 
and situations, guide and rule the positions of the 
main avenues. It seems unfortunate that the bitterness 
and class distinction of sectarianism should follow us to 
the grave. One would fain hope that when we return 
to Mother Earth-“earth to earth,”— surely it is 
time, too long delayed, to break through the barriers 
of class distinction. 
Serpentine and curved walks in cemeteries should, if 
possible, be avoided, save on hilly ground. The 
avenues and walks should invariably, as a general 
principle, be straight, forming squares and rectangles. 
At a glance, this provides some regularity in position 
of the spaces and ground to be used. A main central 
avenue forms an imposing and effective approach to the 
central chapel, which, it is to be hoped, will ere long 
suffice for all classes and sects. 
Admitting this principle, the next best adornment 
to “ God’s Acre ”— 
“ I like that ancient Saxon phrase, which calls 
The burial ground God’s acre ! It is just; 
It consecrates each grave within its walls, 
And breathes a benison o’er the sleeping dust.” 
is the introduction of our English forest trees, choosing 
those best adapted for the district, from our Oaks, 
Limes, Sycamores, Elms, Beeches, Chestnuts, and a 
host of others—long-lived in themselves, and which 
from generation to generation throw out and form a 
dignity to the surroundings. 
The direction of the roads, avenues, and paths, in 
their bearing to the compass, must be regulated by the 
highways and public approaches to the cemetery. 
Interim planting of shrubs, not forgetting an 
abundance of evergreens—“ something that lives in 
winter”—trees and flowers should follow the general 
lines adopted in parks, care being taken that no trees 
should be planted in positions that would interfere 
with the advantageous use of the ground. 
All cemetery decoration by means of landscape gar¬ 
dening should be made subservient to the general 
purpose for which cemeteries are made and dedicated. 
Ornamental or fish ponds should have no place in 
cemeteries. They should only be introduced in the 
design and laying out of parks. Ornamental seats 
(having iron backs and wooden seating) can, with 
advantage, be placed in the central or main avenues. 
One of the best examples of the laying out of a 
cemetery, in my opinion, is seen in that belonging to 
the city of Cork. It is laid out somewhat on the general 
lines I have endeavoured to portray. The cemetery is 
most striking and effective in the simplicity of style 
and beauty of its landscape gardening. 
The careful pruning of trees, also order and cleanliness 
of avenues, walks, lawns, and flower beds are alike 
necessary in gardens, parks, cemeteries, and church¬ 
yards. 
-^>Z<-- 
NOTES ON PROPAGATING.—II. 
To “ propagate in season and in reason,” should be the 
motto of the propagator at all seasons of the year. If 
this motto is acted upon it will often cause endless 
trouble to be avoided, both in putting in cuttings at the 
wrong season of the year, and likewise check the system 
of putting in a lot of cuttings that root easily, and 
which when rooted are almost worthless from a monetary 
point of view. 
To propagate a lot of plants because they root easily 
is a mistake, unless there is some necessary call for 
the plants so rooted. It may do to fill up space in the 
houses or frames, but when the time and labour of 
potting-off comes to be reckoned up, and the cost of a 
season’s looking after into the bargain, it is but a poor 
recompense for the outlay. It is much better to have 
half the quantity of plants, and these of sterling merit 
and worth, than a lot of weedy things that no one will 
look upon or care about. 
To attempt to force nature out of season is another 
evil that must be avoided. Nature may he greatly 
assisted if proper preparations have been made to 
accomplish this purpose, but to force her —or think of 
doing so—without needful preparation, will surely end 
in disaster. Therefore those who may think of working 
up a number of choice and rare plants another season, 
should be careful to see at the present time if they have 
their stock plants in a proper condition ; to see if the 
growth of the previous season has been properly matured 
to withstand the coining winter; if not, no time should 
be lost in placing them in a position where as much 
light as possible can get at them, so as to thoroughly 
mature the wood. These remarks apply to such plants 
as Aralias, Crotons, Ficus elastica, Jacarandas, &e., 
which are usually rooted early in the spring, and 
are expected to make good useful decorative plants 
by the following autumn, fit for the table or room 
through the winter months. If these points are 
attended to, success will be more certain than if every¬ 
thing is left till it is wanted, with the result that a 
general panic ensues ; nothing ready, everything goes 
wrong, and the end is failure. A little forethought 
will save a lot of trouble. 
The Propagating House. 
At no time of the year ought this to be quite idle, 
therefore, to continue the subject of propagating in 
season, that is, the present time, if a large number of 
New Holland plants are not required, perhaps choice or 
useful Ferns may be, and the present time is a good 
one to harvest a quantity of spores of the various 
species most in demand. These should be sown at 
once in pans or pots that have been well drained and 
filled with some good Fern compost, the surface of the 
soil being made perfectly level before sowing ; after¬ 
wards the pots should have a piece of glass laid flat 
and securely fastened on the top, and the whole when 
finished must be put in a warm case or part of the 
propagating house, care being used that they do not 
become dry. Shading from sun is also requisite. 
The best way to water pots containing Fern spores is 
to stand them in saucers or pans, so that the soil may 
become moist enough without watering with a rose 
watering-pot, which is apt to wash the new-sown spores 
away. As soon as the surface of the pots shows signs of 
greening over, air may be gradually admitted by placing 
