_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.
_Plants described or mentioned in this Work._
_Linnæan Name_. _English Name_.
ACÀCIA 61, 219.
1 móllis, downy.
glaucéscens, glaucescent.
verticiláta, whorl-leaved.
florabùnda, many-flowered.
diffùsa, spreading.
_prostràta_.
armàta, armed.
var. pendùla, weeping.
verniciflùa, varnished.
decúrrens, decurrent.
púbescens, hairy-stemmed.
leucolòbia, white-podded.
_dealbàta_.
decípiens, paradoxical.
fragràns, scented.
pulchélla, neat.
lophántha, two-spiked.
_Mimósa élegans_.
myrtifòlia, myrtle-leaved.
Catéchu, Catechu.
véra, true.
Arábica, Arabian.
ANNESLÈIA 219.
1 Houstóni, Houston's.
_Acàcia Houstóni_.
grandiflòra, large-flowered.
_Acácia grandiflòra_.
ACMADÈNIA 86.
6 lávigata, smooth.
púngens, pungent.
tetragýnia, four-sided.
AGATHÓSMA 86.
6 accuminàta, taper-pointed.
hýbrida, hybrid.
Thunbergiàna, Thunberges.
imbricàta, imbricated.
prolífera, proliferous.
pátula, spreading.
pulchélla, pretty.
ciliáta, profuse-flowering.
ADENÁNDRA 86.
6 speciòsa, large-flowered.
umbellàta, umbel-flowered.
álba, white-flowered.
fragràns, sweet-scented.
uniflòra, one-flowered.
ANEMÓNE 134. Wind-flower.
15 palmàta plèno, double-yellow.
stellàta versícolor, various.
pavonìna plèno, scarlet.
narcissiflòra, narcissus-flowered.
Hallèri, Haller's.
alpìne, alpine.
nemoròsa plèno, double-leaved.
thalictròides " common-double.