BOOK IIL
OF THE STUDY OF TH E PR IN C IFL E S OF LANDSC2VPE-GARDENINO.
14.'>3. Landscape-Gardening, or the art of creating beautiful scenery out of plain un-
ornamcnted groimd, is genenUly considered the highest branch of the ai-t of gm-dening,
as the materials with whicli the landscape-gai-deucr works include liills, dales, woods,
and waters, and, in fact, all the noblest features of tlie natural country. In a more
confined sense landscape-gardening may be defined as the ai*t of arranging the different
pai-ts which compose the external scenery of a country residence, so as to produce the
different beauties and conveniences of whicli that scene of domestic life is susceptible.
1454. What these beauties and conveniences are, must, in different ages and countries,
depend on the state of society and climate; and, iu the same age and country, on the
wealth and taste of individuals, and on the state of the country with respect to culture.
This art must have been a veiy simple one in rude ages and mild climates, when man had
few wants, and scai'cely any desires; but, like otlicr arts, it would become more intricate
as mankind spread into vai-iable climates, and became more refined in habits and manners.
Taking a view, as far as history permits, of the past and present state of landscape-
gardening in all countries, the objects desired in the coimtry residence of a wealthy man,
wishing to display his riches, ai*e fundamentally the same. These were, and are,
adaptation to the habits of genteel life for the time being, as to matters of use and convenience
; and distinction from the common scenery of the countiy, as to matters of taste
or beauty in landscape. The first object would principally affect the mansion and accompanying
erections for men or cattle ; and these would, at first, be merely of greater
dimensions than those of the common mass of rustic s; but, as society improved, they
would be distinguished by more perfect execution, and by appendages indicative of the
habits of genteel life. The second object, distinction in the accompanying scenery, was
and is e&ctcd by such dispositions of the common materials of landscape, as groimd,
water, trees, &c., as indicate the employment of art and expense. In eaily times, this
would lead to the formation of regularly level or sloping surfaces of ground, and of
pieces of water, and plantations of trees hounded by straight or geometrical lines, which
would distinguish the country residence from the natural or open unenclosed sceneiy
around. In later or modern times, when the general face of the country was disposed
in artifiicial fonns, a contrary practice would be pursued, and natural-like sceneiy would
be created for precisely the same objects as in the other ca se ; that is, the display of
wealth and taste, and the attainment of distinction.
1455. Hence the origin of what are called the geometrical and natural styles in landscape
gardening, both evidently arising from peculiar states of society. The geometrical
style has been generally condemned as unnatural and absm-d; and so it is, if wo look
upon it as an imitation of natiu'c : but as it never pretended to this, and, on the contrary,
was avowedly a display of the power of art over nature, it ought to be judged, like eveiy
other work of man, by the end in view; and if it be considered as designed to distinguish
the garden scenery of the man of wealth from the common fortuitous sceneiy of the
countiy in rude or less cultivated times and places, it will be found admii-ably calculated
for that purpose, and just as natural to man as any other part of his acquired habits or
manners. But we will even go farther, and maintain that the geometrical disposition
of landscape scenery has powerftil beauties, both of the inherent Mnd, as that of a long
broad avenue ; and of general or particular associations, as its suitableness to the vicinity
of buildings generally, to Gothic architecture, and very ancient Elizabethan residences.
The natural style, on the other hand, unquestionably requires a superior degree of talent,
as it brings into exercise imagination, invention, and all the higher faculties of the mind ;
and it is most suitable to the Italian and other modern styles of villa architecture. A
knowledge of both the ancient and modern styles will be desired by the hberal-minded
practical designer; and the occasional adoption, in part, at least, of the ancient style,
will be dictated by general good taste, as wcU as by the particulai* tastes of individuals,
and the circumstances of peculiar situations. We shall consider, in succession, the
principles of landscape composition; the treatment of the materials of verdant sceneiy;
the union of these materials in forming landscapes; and the union of landscape scenery
with arrangements for use and convenience, in forming countiy residences.
Chap. I.
Principles o f Landscape- Gardening.
1456. The principles o f landscape-gardening, like those of every other art, are founded
on the end in ricw. “ Gardens and buildings,” Lord Kaimes observes, “ may be destined
solely for nse, or solely for beauty, or for both. Such variety of destination bestows
upon these arts a great command of beauties, complex not less than various. Hence
the difficulty of forming an accurate taste in gardening and architectm-e; and hence
the difference or wavering of taste in these arts is gi*eater than in any ai-t that has but
a single destination.” (Elements o f Criticism, 4th edit, voi. ii. p. 431.) Not to consider
landscape-gardening with a view to these different beauties, but to treat it merely as
“ the art of creating landscapes,” would embrace only a small part of the a rt of laying
out grounds, and leave incomplete a subject which contributes to the immediate comfort
and happiness of a great body of the enlightened aud opulent in this and in eveiy
country;— au art, as the poet Mason observes,
- “ which teaches wealth and pride
How to obtain their wish — the world’s applause.”
1457. The authors who have written on gardening in the ancient style appear to have
had the same principles in ricw with regard to gardens that they applied to arehitec-
ture. According to this style regularity and symmetry were the principal points to
be attended to ; and the gardens of the ancient Romans were regarded as tlieh* principal
models. The chief object aimed at in the Roman gardens was to have every thing
as different fr*om nature as possible, in order to show that art had been exercised ; and
hence, gardens in what is called the ornamental style consist principally of ten*aces,
stone arhom-s, statues, marble basins for fountains, and other architectural ornaments
which could only be formed by man. Even the trees were cut into regular forms, and the
walks were all straight and at right angles with each other, unless they were foi*mcd
into regular geometrical patterns with stone or brick edges. Gardens fonned after this
model wa*e more places for stately promenades than for what in modern times we consider
the enjoyment of a garden-; and the mode of planting them was quite a secondaiy
consideration, as the forms in which the plants were disposed were the points which
required the skill of the gardener, and not the culture of the plants themselves. Le Nôtre,
who was considei-ed a first-rate authority in gardens in tins style, had two fixed principles
in laying out geometrical gardens, from which he never deviated ; and these were :
1. To make the garden to be laid out as different as possible from the general chai*actei*
of the surrounding natui*al scenery ; and 2. To make eveiy pai't of it coiTcspond with
another part. Thus, to caiTy out his first principle, if the general character of the country
were hilly, he took care to level eveiy inequality of surface in the ground to be laid out,
so as to make it a perfect flat ; and if the surrounding country were flat, he dotted over
the whole surface of his garden with artificial hills and valleys : and in execution of his
second principle, he never placed an arbour unless there could be another arbour opposite
to it ; eveiy statue had its corresponding statue ; and every parten*e its fellow. In short,
every garden of this kind exactly realised the poet’s description :
“ Grove nods a t grove, each alley has a brother,
And half the platform ju st reflects the other.”
1458. With respect to the modern style, considered as including what belongs to the
conveniences of a countiy residence, as well as the art of creating landscapes, Pope has
laid down the three following principles : 1 st. To study and display natural heauties ;
2d, To conceal defects ; and 3d. Never to lose sight of common sense, Wliately concurs
in these principles, stating the business of a landscape-gardener to be “ toselect and
to apply whatever is great, elegant, or characteristic ” in the scenery of nature or art ;
“ to discov«* and to show all the advantages of the place upon which he is employed ; to
supply its defects, to con-ect its faults, and to improve its beauties.” Landscape-
gardening, he observes, “ is as superior to landscape painting, as a reahty to a representation
: it is an exertion of fancy, a subject for taste ; and being released now from
the restraints of regularity, and enlarged beyond the purposes of domestic convenience,
the most beautiiul, the most simple, the most noble scenes of nature ai*e all within its
province : for it is no longer confined to the spots from which it borrows its name, but
regulates also the disposition and embellishment of a park or extensive pleasure-groimds ;
and tlie business of a gardener is to select and to apply whatever is great, elegant, or
characteristic in any of them ; to discover and to show all the advantages of the place
upon which he is employed ; to supply its defects, to coi*rect its faults, and to improve
its beauties. For all these operations, the objects of nature are stiH his only materials.
Ilis first inquiiy, therefore, must be into the means by which those effects are attained
in natm*e which he is to produce, and into those properties in the objects of nature which
should determine him in the choice and aiTangcment of them.” (Observations on
Modern Gardening, p. 1.)
1459. Other writers who have treated o f landscape-gardening seem to be equally awai*e
of its importance. Repton, in his Observations on Landscape- Gardening, enumerates
congi-iiity, utfiity, order, symmetry, scale, proportion, and appropriation, as principles in
the art. G. Mason places the secret of landscape-gardening in the “ nice distinction
between contrast and incongruity ; ” Mason, the poet, invokes “ simplicity,” probably
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