56 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
imitated on smooth turf, or on a surface of gravel, therein forming 
beds of the most tortuous and whimsical character. This style 
was introduced into the royal and many noblemen’s gardens in 
Britain, but almost entirely disappeared soon after the commence¬ 
ment of the last century. This was succeeded by a new scheme, 
the leading character of which consisted in irregular dispositions, 
and indiscriminate intermixture of trees, shrubs, and herbs, 
arranged without order in clumps and groups, bounded by waving 
lines. This new fashion of irregular planting was not only adopted 
in flower gardens and pleasure grounds,—it was transferred to the 
park also; and in this style the greater number of the country 
seats in this country appear at this day ; and although it has been 
the reigning taste for above this hundred years past, it has not 
escaped censure. The accurately-cut edges of the walks and 
clumps, were said to be hard and too obtrusive, making the line 
between the plants and turf too distinct. Box edgings were 
equally objectionable, as they formed no softened intermediate 
link between the turf or gravel and the trees. These defects 
were partly done away with, by giving up digging the clumps, 
and allowing the turf to flow in among, and be lost under, the 
plants. The edges of the walks, too, were beaten down almost 
level with the gravel, which took off from the ditch-like appear¬ 
ance of the walks. 
Professional men, and among others, Mr. Loudon, have shown 
themselves indefatigable in carrying on a history of landscape 
gardening,—describing its changes, recording the merits of the 
various styles, as well as pointing out their defects, with the laud¬ 
able view of defining the taste, and fixing the execution upon 
something like sound principles. With respect to flower gardens, 
Mr. Loudon even recommends the old French style, in certain 
situations,—that is, where the flower-plots are looked down upon 
from a terrace above ; because if plots are designed and displayed 
in very elegant forms, and regularly disposed with respect to each 
other, their elegance of design and variety of outline are lost, 
unless seen from an elevated station. And all this, he thinks, is 
perfectly consistent, because a flower garden, being a confessedly 
artificial creation, every device, every mark of art is admissible, 
in order to interest and enhance the beauty of the scene. 
On level grounds, or that which is nearly so, Mr. L. has, in one 
of the late numbers of the “ Gardeners’ Magazine,” advised to 
