FLOWER GARDEN.
457. Tim flower garden, it has been already observed, § 55. has a separate situation, generally at some distance from the fruit and kitchen garden. It should indeed form an ornamental appendage to the mansion, and be easily ac cessible in all kinds of weather. There is no objection to the flower garden being seen from the windows of the House : on the contrary, this is sometimes considered as de sirable. In some places, the flower garden consists of par terres of yin ious shapes, generally curved, separated from each other by little grass lawns. Such insulated parterres look very well from the windows of the house ; the turf, in our moist climate, being always of a lively green, and forming a fine contrast with the dressed ground, and with the gay hues of the !lowers. But for many clays in the )ear these grass-girt parterres are inaccessible to the pro prietors, more especially to ladies, it being impossible to pass along the tin f without getting wet, at times when well made gravel walks are dry. Wherever, there fore, this kind of flower garden amidst turf is formed, there should be another, which may be considered as the winter garden, and which may contain one or more of the glazed houses for preserving plants.
In many cases the flower garden is defended by low walls or by close pales, covered by shrubs. If there be little room, they may be concealed by a single tow of some ever green, such as phillyrea, alaternus, py•acantha, laurusti nus, or tree-box. The wall on the north side of the gar den, however, is in some places used for a double purpose; the more tender kind of shrubs being trained against it on the south aspect. In situations where a wall would be un suitable, an " invisible fence" of wire is employed, this proving sufficient to exclude hares and rabbits, while it nowise offends the eye, and scarcely interrupts the view. Evergreen hedges, of laurel, yew, or holly, make excellent fences, especially if united with a sunk fence. — 458. The shape and size of the flower garden can be re gulated only by the taste and the means of the owner. If the eye embrace the whole at once, the garden should evi dently be of sonic regular figure. But if the size be con
siderable, it is advantageous that the ground should be un equal in surface, and irregular in shape. In general, a green-house, conservatory, and stove, should form promi nent objects in different parts of it : it should abound with evergreen trees and shrubs, so as to maintain its verdure even at midwinter ; the principal borders should be des tined for mingled perennial flowers, of the most orna mental kinds; a few may be devoted to showy annuals; and particular beds should be appropriated for the differ ent kinds of flowering bulbs, as well as for pinks, polyan thuses, and auriculas. These borders and beds, it may be remarked, should be so placed, that from the windows of the house, or from the principal entrance of the garden, they may be seen across or laterally, so that the colours of the flowers may appear in mass, without being broken by the alleys.
A rock•work is generally formed; and if the situation admit of it, or if curiosity in plants be indulged in, a small piece of water for aquatics is proper. A circular or oval plat is commonly devoted to a collection of roses ; and a damp border with peat soil is set apart as an " American ground." One of the walks is often arched over with strong wire, or with slight spars, on which climbing shrubs may be trained, so as to form a berceau. Covered seats of various kinds are constructed, under the names or heath and moss houses, arbours, and grottoes. If, however, the garden be regular in surface, bowers of light lattice-work, covered with climbing plants, arc to be preferred. In very few places do fountains or statues now cntu into the com position of the flower garden ; and urns, busts, or inscrip tions, are not to be without caution.
Taking it for granted that the flower garden should have a ready communication with the principal vravel-walks near the house, and also with those leading to shrubbe ries, and likewise that it is extremely desirable to have the walks at all times dry, we shall first make some re marks on the formation of such walks in general, and shall then consider some of the principal constituent parts of the garden more in detail.