Soil, situation, and ground—Plan.—A soil of common good qualities, moderately light and mellow, will grow most of the hardy herbaceous flowers, and the evergreen and deciduous ornamental shrubs. The situation should not be so low as to be damp and wet, or liable to be inundated, neither so high as to be scorched or dried up by the sun. The surface should be level or moderately sloping, and if unequal, parts of it may be transposed, so as to make gentle inclinations. In regard to form, it may be of any shape, and must be often adapted to local circumstances; but if it is so circumscribed that the eye can at once embrace the whole, it is desirable that it should be of some regular figure.
Of Fences.—Where domestic buildings do not serve as a boundary, either paling or hedge-fence has to be resorted to: we would prefer the former on the north or north-west side, which is of great advantage as a screen from cutting winds. For hedge-fences and their kinds, see [page 210]. The exotic observed there is Thùja orientàlis, Chinese Arbor-vitæ. The internal fences for shade or shelter to particular compartments, or to afford a diversity of aspect, may be made of Sweetbriar, hardy China roses, Pyrus, red and white, with a few others of a similar nature, all of which must be attended to, to have them in neat order.
Style of dividing the Ground.—This may vary with the extent of the ground, and the object of the cultivator.
The principal designs may be delineated, but one to answer every view and situation, we pretend not to give. In the first place, carry a boundary walk all round the garden, on one or two sides of which it may be straight, the others winding. The intersecting walks should (almost imperceptibly) lead to a centre, but not to cross at right angles, or to have parallel lines, as if divided or laid down by a mathematical scale, which is too formal for the diversification of nature. All walks through these pleasure departments should be winding and enlivening, not continuing any length in one direction.[K] The continuous view of a straight walk is dull and monotonous. The divisions should be highest about the centre, that whatever is planted therein may have effect; and to make a Flower-garden fully interesting, and render it a source of natural information, where free scope might at all times be afforded to employ the leisure hours in mental improvement, there should be a good system of arrangement adopted.
[K] Since writing the above we have seen the Flower-garden of J. B. Smith, Esq. and consider it a beautiful specimen, finely illustrating the taste of that gentleman.
The Linnean system is the most easily acquired. A small compartment laid out in beds might contain plants of all the twenty-four classes, and a few of all the hardy orders, which do not exceed one hundred. Or to have their natural characters more assimilated, the Jussieuean system could be carried into effect by laying down a grass plat, to any extent above one quarter of an acre, and cut therein small figures to contain the natural families, which of hardy plants we do not suppose would exceed one hundred and fifty. The difficulties of this arrangement are, that many of the characters are imperfectly known even to the most scientific. Mr. John Lindley has given additional light on the subject by his last publication. All the large divisions should be intersected by small allies, or paths, about one and a half or two feet wide. These may be at right angles, or parallel, for convenience and order, in making beds, &c. for the various Dutch roots and other flowers. Patches or plats of grass studded with shrubs, deciduous and evergreen, are indispensable, and perhaps one or two grass walks.
Of Walks.—These should have five or six inches of lime and brick rubbish, or broken stone in the bottom, covered with small pebbles, and firmly rolled with a heavy roller, over which lay two or three inches of fine gravel, giving the whole a complete rolling. Walks made on this method will stand well, and be always dry and firm. With regard to breadth, they must be made according to the extent of ground, and vary from three to thirty feet; from four to eight feet is generally adopted.