OF THE PRACTICE OF THE ART OF LAYING OUT GROUNDS.
THE question has been agitated by some respectable authorities, whether every proprietor ought not to become his own landscape gardener ; to whit h Mr. Repton replies, "that had the art still continued under the direction of working-gardeners, or nursery-men, the proprietor might supersede the necessity of such landscape gardeners, pro vided he had previously made this art his study ; but not (as it is frequently asserted) because the gentleman who constantly resides at his place, niust be a better judge of the means of improving it, than the professor, whose visits are only occasional ; for if this reason for a preference were granted, we might with equal truth assert, that the constant companion of a sick man has an advantage over his physician. • " Improvements may be suggested by any one ; but the professor only acquires a knowledge of effects before they are produced, and a facility in producing them by various methods, expedients, and resources, the result of study, ob servation, and experience." " He knows what can and what cannot be accomplished within certain limits. He ought to know what to adopt, and what to reject ; he must endeavour to accommodate his plans to the wishes of the person who consults him, although in some cases they may not strictly accord with his own taste." Observations on Landscape Gardening, p. 10.
A more wise plan than that of doubting on the subject, would be, to have the separate opinions of different land scape gardeners and architects, for no opinion need be followed if disapproved of ; while the probability is, that there would be something valuable in each, and the pro prietor might finally, aided by the artist he preferred, de cide for himself, never, however, forgetting the idea of a consistent and beautiful whole. As to the expense, Girar din observes on this subject, " N'allez pas le regarder . . . it vows en coutera bien d'advantage pour des variations, et des retouches continuelles." The intimate connection between landscape gardening and architecture, and the propriety and advantage of the joint consultations of the landscape gardener and the ar chitect, as to the situation, aspect, and style of the house, together with the almost unavoidable encroachments of the former on the latter, by designing and executing garden buildings, has given rise to an opinion, that the landscape gardener ought to combine the functions of the architect. Ma. Repton justifies the idea, by referring to the many excellent houses built by Brown, with no other knowledge than that acquired by observation of all the best houses ; and of Kent, who was at once landscape gardener, architect, and historical painter. We are of opinion, that in the case of garden buildings and small villas, or ornamented cottages, the knowledge both of the theory and practice of architecture, which it is necessary every landscape gardener should possess, will enable him to combine the duties of both professions ; but such are the advantages of a division of labour in the fine as well as in the useful arts, that in all mort extensive buildings, and indeed even in those we have mentioned, we would recommend the employment of a regular architect, jointly with a landscape gardener, as a surgeon consults with a physician in important cases.
The duties of the landscape gardener resolve themselves into the formation of a plan or design, and the carrying of it into execution.
On whatever occasion the opinion of a landscape gar dener is desired, he should be furnished with a written or verbal instruction as to the points to which he should chiefly direct his attention, with a complete map of the estate, an accurate detailed history and description of its localities and peculiarities. From these, and such other particulars.
he will be able to procure from topographical and county surveys, and similar works, after a residence of a few days or weeks, according to the extent of the subject and sea son of the year, (spring, belore the leaves expand, being the IT.0a: ia% ut. ,inc,) every requisite information ; an I to establish in his memory every thing relating to the situattun and vicinity. He is then, and not before, to cm both and in tore his ideas of improvement, directing his atten•i-ii first to t c situation and aspect of the house and offices, the extent of the park, and the emplacement of the kitchen gal den ; next to the ttener,11 masses of wood, and then successively to the breadth of lawn, the situation and character if water, t..e pleasuie ground, farm, and other details. Before making up his mind on any part of the subject, he will often find it of importance to have sections taken of the grounds in different directions, levels of springs and rills, Eec. and most frequently he will have oc casion for stakes, for marking out lines on the ground ; of ft g-st Ifs or poles, from 6 to 50 feet high, to represent the effect of trees, and other objects ; of strips of white sheet ing, to strew the effect of water, by forming a white outline on a perfect level ; of frames partially covered with boards, to show the effect of buildings ; and he may even require boring irons, or pits dug, in order to inquire into the nature of the subsoil. Being furnished with a plan of the pre sent state of the grounds, such for example as of Plate CCCXLVI. which represents Plate CCCXLIV. in its previous state, he will, as he makes up his mind on par ticular improvements, mark them clown on this map in pencil ; and when the whole is finally adjusted, he will put them in red, or in any distinguishing colour, as is done in Plate CCCXLV1. by dotted lines. And on one or more general or panoramic views, as well as on the particular views which he may have taken on different spots, he will also mark in led the outlines that will be made by the im provements adapted to the different situations. In addi tion to these, he will shew the effect, by geometrical sec tions taken in different directions across the grounds, seve ral of which, to slim the ground's surface, appear in Plate CCCXLVI. His next operation is to make a vertical pro file, such as Plate CCCXLV. shelving the effect of the whole, supposing the alterations to be fifteen or twenty years completed, with such corresponding, panoramic, or general views, as are contained in Plate CCCXLIV. and with particular landscapes. It remains for him to give reasons in writing for all that he proposes; a practice which no employer or artist should ever omit to have done, as such opinions remain as data, to be referred to concern ing the management and future effects, as well as in point of present or future justification of the taste, both of the artist and proprietor. This may be done in the following order : 1. Recapitulating the given instructions ; 2. The characteristic of features, and other details of the given situation and vicinage ; S. A description of, with the rea sons for, the general outline of improvement ; 4. The de scription of, with the reasons for, the detail ; 5. An outline of the future management ; 6. Directions for the execu tion ; and 7. An estimate of the expense.