479. Ornaments to flower-garderu. The features above enumerated may be considered as the essential materials, or component parts, of a flower-garden; and to them may be superadded various ornaments, such as statues, spars, and other objects of curiosity, natural or artificial; rustic baskets, vases, or other contrivances for containing plants (see fig. 286. to 290); trelliswork, arcades for climbers, open and covered seats, summer-houses, and fountains, aquariums, rockwork, root-work, grottoes, and grotesque objects; and, lastly, a greenhouse, conservatory, or some other building for plants. Now, these materials and ornaments being given, the next point is to lay down the principles for using them in the composition of a flower- garden. In this, as in every other speciea of design, the leading principle is the formation of a whole. For this purpose, there must be a consistency in every part, with reference to culture, and also with reference to lines and forms. One style of form and line must pervade the entire garden. In the simplest gardens, curved lines or straight lines, and acute angles or right angles, may prevail both in the ground and ornaments; but, in the more artistical kinds, the beds and walks may display the scrollwork or the embroidery of the French gardens.

Whatever form or style is adopted as the groundwork of the garden, that is, as the shape of the beds and walks, that form or style must pervade all the ornaments with which the whole is decorated.

Where the beds are in scrollwork, the vases and the pedestals on which they stand, the trellis-work of the arcades, the statues, the seats and summer-houses, should all be of the style of

Louis xiv. A simple classical vase or statue, in such a garden, would be quite out of place; and equally so would be an Italian summer-house, or an English thatched rustic seat. The artist is not limited to introduce only those component parts, or those ornaments, which were known in the time of Louis xiv.; but, such as he does introduce, he is bound to compose in that style.

480. At remarks applicable to the composition of flower-gardens generally, we may observe that ornaments should not be distributed equally over the garden; and that, as far as practicable, the ornaments should appear to arise out of something that is of use. For example, at the intersection of two principal walks, as conspicuous points in the design which attract the notice of all spectators, there may be a basin and fountain; and the parapet which forms the margin of this basin may be ornamented with vases. In the intersection of other walks there may be a sundial on an architectural basement, or a statue on a pedestal. Where there is a terrace-walk connected with the house, or with some other building, it may be bordered by a parapet; and this parapet may be ornamented with statues, vases, or other architectural or sculptural ornaments, according to circumstances. In these and similar eases which might be mentioned, there seems to be a reason for the placing of die ornaments; that is, they appear as a finishing to the works of art to which they are attached, and they harmonise with all the associations connected with them.

On the other hand, when a vase or a statue is set down on naked turf, in the midst of a bed of flowers, or in a group of shrubs, it seems in a false position, and loses its effect; not only from the want of proper accompaniments, such as an architectural basement, etc, but from the presence of such accompaniments as are improper, such as a basement of dug ground and flowers.

481. A covered way of trelliswork and creepers often forms a very suitable boundary for a flower-garden; and it is almost always an excellent approach to one from open scenery, or as a passage from one flower-garden to another. The reason is, that it confines the eye, and slightly darkens the vision; and this, being succeeded by a view of the open garden, its ornaments and the brilliancy of its flowers produce by contrast a more lively effect on the spectator. Trelliswork in the centre of a flower-garden, as a bower to sit in, is also useful; more especially if a portion of it should be continued lor a few feet along each of the radiating walks, so that each may serve as a sort of telescope to the views of the garden, as seen by a spectator seated in the bower. The laying out of flower-gardens is too commonly intrusted to persons who have no knowledge of the principles of design; which is a proof that the possessors of them do not fully comprehend the beauties of which flower-gardens are susceptible.

Were this the case, an artist would be considered as essential in this department, as he now is in any department of architecture, or of landscape gardening.

482. Kitchen-gardens, belonging to country mansions, are generally on a large scale, with various hothouses and pits for forcing, which are placed altogether in what is called the melon-ground. Figs. 291.292. and 293., are kitchen-gardens, adapted to country mansions, with all the conveniences usual in such gardens. Fig. 291. is the plan of a garden, containing an acre and a half within the walls, and an acre and a half in the slips, which, however, may be easily curtailed if thought desirable. Instead of espaliers, dwarf-trained fruit-trees are introduced by the side of the walks; and if these be not approved, gooseberry and currant-trees may be substituted. Standard apple and pear-trees may be planted round the culinary department. Fig. 292. has two acres within the walls, and an acre and a half in the slips. This garden has entrances on the east and west sides, for convenience; and it has a broad gravel walk down the centre, to allow a pony carriage to be driven through it, with a space at the southern end for the carriage to be turned. In frame-ground, dwarf walls are introduced for training young fruit-trees. Fig, 290. contains three acres and a half within the walls, and two acres and a half in the slips.

There are three entrances to this garden, but the other arrangements are as usual.

1. Slips, with standard applet, peart, cherries, fliberta, etc., at the sides, 2. Ponds. 3. Culinary department, bordered with dwarf apple trees or gooseberry bushes, etc 4. Forcing department. 3. Vineries, fig-house, and for forcing strawberries, fee. 6. Water-basin, or pump. 7. Pine-etove. S. Peach-houses. 9. Pits. 10. Back-shed. 11. Frame-ground. 12. Cucumber ridge, early carrots, or potatoes under hoops, etc. 13. Melon or cucumber ranges. 14. Mush-room-sheds, tool-house; sheds for wintering vegetables, etc. 15. Gardener's house. 10. Fruit and onion room, with lodging-room for under-gardener, and seed-room over. 17. Department for compost, mixing and turning dung, etc.

1. Slips. 2. Culinary departments. S. Forcing department. 4. Frame ground. S. For compost, mixing dung, fee 6. Water tanks. 7. Fine stoves. 8. Vineries. 9. Small stores. 10. Peach-houses. 11. Cherry-houses. 12. Fig-houses, or for other purposes. 13. Pine or melon pits. 14. Mushroom-sheds, tool-house, fro. 15. Melon and cucumber ranges. 16. Cucumber ridge; early carrots, be. under hoops. 17. Dwarf walls for training fruit trees, or for tomatoes. 18. Gardener's house. 19. Fruit and onion rooms, with under-gardener's lodging-room, and seed-room over.

1. Slips. 2. Culinary departments. S. Forcing department, with ranges of forcing-houses for adaptation, at may be required. 4. Frame ground. 6. For compost, mixing and turning dung, etc. 6. Water tanks. 7. Dwarf walls for training fruit trees, etc. 8. Ranges for framing, cucumber ridge, carrots and potatoes under heaps, forcing asparagus, etc. 9. Pine or melon pits. 10. Mushroom sheds, and for other purposes. 11. Open shed for compost, etc. 12. Gardener's house and yard. 13. Fruit and onion room, with seed-room ever, and lodging •room for under-gardener.

Section IV. Designs For Country Mansions

483. As Country Mansions are generally places of too much importance to be laid out without the aid of regular architects and landscape-gardeners, we shall only give a very few examples: and these, with only one exception, will be of places actually in existence.