gardens of this sort conld or could not be introduced, Ave Avould commence near the house
an arboretum, scattering the trees thinly over each side of the Avalk among the other
trees aud slirubs, or on the laAvn, and so an*anging them as to extend over the whole
length of the walk, Avhether that Avere half a furlong or two or three miles, taking care
that every tree and shinib that formed a part of the arboretum Avas completely detached,
so as to afford ample room for its growth and natural shape. We Avould also have every
plant named. Where the shi-ubbery or pleasure-ground Avas not hu-ge enough to admit
of a complete ai-borctum, Ave would introduce only as many species as could be Avell
groAvn; and, even if that number did not amount to a hundred, it might include one
species of most of the genera Avliich constitute the British ai-boretum.
1591. As general principles fo r planning cottages, though the comfort and convenience
of the inhabitants sliould be made the primary consideration, the manner in Avhich they
hai-monise Avith the stylo of the mansion or villa to Avhich they form an appendage, should
be ahvays considered, as a Avant of liai-mony in these particulars often spoils the
general effect of an othei'Avise Avell an-anged place, and renders a cottage a deformity
instead of making it form an ornamental part of the Avhole. Tlicre are few things,
indeed, in landscape-gardening that require greater skill on the part of the artist than
the management of cottages ; but Avhcn they ai-e properly managed, they may be rendered
highly ornamental, and they give an ah- of comfort and habitation to the whole.
Sect. II. PuUic Gardens.
1592. Public gardens are designed for recreation, instruction, or commercial purposes.
The first include equestrian and pedestrian promenades; the second, botanic and experimental
gard en s; and the third, public nm-series, mai-ket-gardcns, florists’ gardens,
orchards, secd-gardens, and herb-gardcns.
Subsect. 1. Public Gardens fo r Recreation.
1593. Public parks, or equesti'ian promenades, are valuable appendages to large cities.
Extent and a free air are the principal requisites, and the roads sliould be an-anged so as
to produce few intersections; but at the same time so as carriages may make either the
tour of the Avhole scene, or adopt a shorter toiu- at pleasure. In the course of long roads,
there ought to be occasional bays or side expansions, to admit of cai-riages separating fi-om
the course, halting, or turning. Wliere sucli promenades are very extensive, they should
be furnished with places of accommodation and refreshment, both for men and horses;
and this is a valuable part of thcir arrangement for occasional visiters from a distance,
or in hired vehicles. Our continental neighbours have hitherto greatly excelled us in
this department of gardening ; almost every tOAvn of consequence having its promenades
for the citizens á cheval and also au pied. Till tlie commencement of the nineteenth
century, Hyde Park, London, and a spot called the Meadows, near Edinburgh, were the
only equestrian gardens in Britain ; but in 1810 the Regent’s P a rk was commenced fi-om
a suggestion of WiUiam Fordyce, Esq., the then Surveyor of Woods and Forests, and it
has now become a scene worthy of tlie metropolis. Since that period a great many
parks and pleasure-grounds have been laid out in different parts of the suburbs of the
metropolis, aud other gardens of a similar nature have been foi-med in vai-ious parts of
Great Britain.
1594. Boulevards (Boulevard,'Ey., or round w o rk ; a bulwark, or great bastion, or
rampart, generally round). Many of the continental cities have a species of etjuestrian
promenade Avithin their boundaries, which is deserving of imitation. These are broad
roads, accompanied by rows of trees, near the mai-gin of the city, originally foi-med on
the ramparts, or sun-ounding fortifications, and completely encircling it. They are
highly interesting promenades, especially to a stranger, to Avhom they give an idea of
the topography and most remarkable points of the scene in the most agreeable manner.
The boulevards at Paris, Vienna, and Moscow, are particularly to be admired in these
respects.
1595. Public gardens, or pedestrian promenades. These, with very feiv exceptions,
have been in all ages and countries laid out in the geometric style. The Academus at
Athens is an ancient example; and the summcr-garden at St. Petersburgh a modern
o n e ; and however much English gardening has been praised and copied by private
persons on the continent of Europe, yet, with tbe exception of the English garden at
Munich, that of Magdeburg, and a few others, the rest are very properly in straight
lines. The object of public gardens is less to display beautiful scenery than to afford a
free wholesome air, and an ample unintemipted promenade, cool and shaded in summer,
and Avarm and sheltered in spring and winter. In a limited extent, the combination of
these objects must be attempted in one principal Avalk, Avhich, for that purpose, should
as much as possible be laid out in a north and south direction. In more extensive scenes,
covered Avalks may be devoted to summer, and cast and Avest open Avalks, to spring and
winter. The broad open and naiTow covered avenues of the ancient style are valuable
resources on a large scale ; these conjoined, and laid out in a south and north direction,
give in the centre an open, sheltered, sunshine walk in m idw in te r a n d a close or covered
avenue being laid out along each side of the open central one, Avill afford shady walks
for summer and occasional places of retreat from casual showers in spring. Oxford and
Cambridge afford some fine open and covered avenues, though far inferior to many on
the Continent. .
1596. Public squares, of such magnitude as to admit of being laid out in ample walks,
open and shady, are almost peculiar to Britain. The ^-and object is to get as extended
a line of uninten-upted promenade as is possible within the given limits. A walk
parallel to the boundary fence, and at a short distance within it, evidently includes the
maximum of ex te n t; but if the enclosure is small, the rapid succession of angles and
turns becomes extremely disagreeable, and continually breaks in upon the pas des promeneurs,
277
the conversation of a party, or individual
contemplation. The angles, therefore, must be
avoided, by rounding them o ff in a large square ;
in a small one, by forming the walk into a
circle; and in a small parallelogram, by adopting
an oval form. In laying out a largo square
(fig. 277.), four objects ought to be kept in vieAV.
1, Sufficient open space (a), both of laAvn and
Avalk, so that the parents, looking from the
windows of the liouses Avhich smround the
square, may not long at a time lose sight of
tlieir children : 2. An open Avalk exposed to the
sun, for winter and spring (b) : 3. A Avalk
shaded by trees, but airy, for summer (c) ; 4.
Resting-places (d) ; and a central covered seat
and retreat (e), which being nearly equidistant
from evei-y point, may be readily gained in case
of a sudden shower, &c. The statues of eminent
public men arc obvious and appropriate decorations for squares. Russell Square,
laid out fi-om a design by Repton in 1810, is one of the most complete in these respects
in London. It has been objected to as over-planted ; but this is only a piece of Amlgar
iniustiee, applied indiscriminately to every rural artist, all of Avhom, as a matter ot
course, conclude that Avhen magnitude effects the pui-poses of number, the superfluous
plants will be rooted out. Sloane Square is very ingeniously laid out as a botanic garden,
by Avhich means the siuTounding inhabitants have an easy opportunity of blending
recreation with instruction. This plot being a parallelogram or long square, and the
ground being low, Repton proposed to form it into a Avindmg valley, containing a piece
of w a te r: the walks to be winding, the trees grouped, and the Avhole contrived so as to
produce an appearance of nature in the midst of a r t : but his advice Avas not complied
Avith. The poet-laureate, Pye (Essatjs), purposed to lay out a square in imitation ot a
wild overgrown quaivy or gravel-pit, and to plant it Avith thorns, hollies, furze, brambles,
ferns, &c. This mode he would, adopt on account of the contrast Avhich it Avould
produce to suburban garden scenery generaUy.
1597. The general principles on which puhlic gardens are laid out should, as much as
possible, combine amusement Avith improvement. Hence, the trees and shnibs planted
round public promenades should be an-angcd and named so as to form an arboretum so
that persons frequenting the promenade may become familiansed with the forms of the
plants, and learn thefr names, without taking any trouble to acqiurc them.
Subsect. 2. Public Gardens o f Instruction.
1598 Botanu: gardens. The primary object of botanic gm'dcns is to erMbit a collection
of plants for the improyement of botanical science; a secondary object to exhibit
livino- specimens of such plants as arc useful in medicine, agriculture, and other a rts;
and a third is, or ought to be, the acclimatising of foreign plants, and their dissemination
over the country. In choosing a situation for a botanic gai'den the leading object must
be proximity to the town, city, or university to which it is to belong; arid the next, it
attffinable, a variety of surface and soil, to aid tho necessai-y formation of composts and
aspects for different plants. In general, however, there is litfle choice m these respects,
it being sufficiently diflicult to procm'e an adequate extent of surfece of any kind neai
largo tmvns. As the leading object or feature in the view of a botanie garden is the
range of hothouses, and as these must alw-ays face the south, it is generally desirable
that ground on the north side of the principal pifelio street or road by which it is to be
approached, should he prefeirecl to ground on the south side. In the lattei case, the