P a r t I.
as models; and the garden of Bonrnonville at Brussels, and of the Duke d A rschot at
Enghien, as among the best in the Netherlands. In Holland, those of the Prince oi
Orange are said to be equal to any in Ifrance. Among the plates given ai-c fcur bird s-
eye views of houses with gardens in front, 24 “ models” of parteiTCS, and 200 other
“ models” for pai'tcrres of another k in d ; “ models” for trellis-work, for clipping trees
into shapes, and various other garden ornaments. Among the latter are several designs
for sun-dials to be planted in box, with a small tree for the gnomon. As a specimen of
the pai-tci-rcs we give a copy of p. 98. (figs. 34, 3 5 .); and,_ as an example of the
other ornaments, we insert the view of a fountain, wliich, it is said, may be erected
a t very little expense (fig. 36.). , , . . .« • xi.
159. A t Broeck and Alkmaar the ancient style is still maintained m its purity in the
villa gardens. M. Sctcrveldt’s garden, near Utrecht, is
also a carefully preserved specimen. Here the grand divisions
of the gai-den are made by tall thick hedges of
am. and oak. and the lesser beech, hornbeam,oak,bbyy yyeeww aa nd box.
There are avenue walks, and berceau walks, with openings
in the shape of ivindows in the sides, verdant houses,
rustic scats (Jig. 37.), canals, ponds, grottoes, fountains,
statues, and other devices; “ and,” adds the horticultural
tourist, “ we were struck with this circumstance, that
eveiy thing in this garden has its most exact counterpart
: if there be a pond, or walk, or statues, or a group
of evergreens on one side, the same may, with confi-
^ dence, be predicted on the other side of the garden ; so
-* often quoted couplet of Pope, ‘ Grove nods at
gi-ove,’ &c., can nowhere be better exemplified.” (Neill’s Hort. Tour, p. 249.)
B o o k I. DUTCH GARDENS. 57
160. The gardens round Rotterdam are generally many feet below the level of the
canal. On the Cingle, a public road which surrounds the city, are a continued series
of garden-houses nearly a mile in extent ; these miniature villas being separated from
each other only by wooden partitions, which are generally neatly painted. To these
the citizens ivith their wives retire on Sunday, to smoke and take coffee. (Neill’s Hort.
Tour, &c. p. 127.)
The gardens and villas between Rotterdam and Amsterdam are thus described by a tourist who visited
them in 1831 : — “ The road, as is generally the case in Holland, was paved with a particular kind of
brick, called a clinker, set closely on edge, very neatly fitted together, and as level as a bowling-green.
After running for some distance along the side of the canal, the road branched off; and here commenced
a continued succession of neat, and sometimes very handsome, villas on both sides, and at no great
distance from it. Here and there an elegant château occurred, surrounded by an extensive domain, well
planted with trees, but generally in straight lines ; the mansion being commonly approached through a
grand avenue. T h e boundaries also of these large estates are frequently terminated by avenues of trees,
each row belonging to separate proprietors ; but the division of property is mostly marked by a dike and
a ditch. Most of these country houses, whether large or small, have a ditch of stagnant water dividing
unfrequently bestriding it, is sure to be found a small building, square or octagonal, called a lust-huis.
or pleasure-house, with a window on each side, commanding a complete view of the road. These little
buildings or pleasure-houses are so very numerous as to form a characteristic feature in this part of the
country. They occur, indeed, as we afterwards found, by the sides of th e roads throughout South
Holland. In tiie summer and autumn evenings they are th e common resort of families, where the men
enjoy their pipes with beer or wine, and th e females sip their te a ; and both derive amusement in
observing and conversing with the passengers on the road. In any other country these (the summer and
autumn evenings) would be considered as just th e seasons of th e year, and the time of day, when these
ditch-bestriding pleasure-houses would be shunned; the effluvia from the stagnant water being then
strongest, and the frogs, which are every where seen skipping about, most lively and noisy. But the
■ ■ - ......................... ' ted the ditch for th e site of the pleasure-noi
vitiated taste, which has selected house, may deem the
croaking of th e frogs when in full song, just as melodious to their ears as the notes of the e nightingale
are
to their more southern neighbours. As there is no want of water ii
)art of Holland, the flowersame
gardens attached to these villas have generally a fish-pond in some part o them ; and when they h
to face the road, th e pleasure-house is frequently placed on a hillock in the middle of the garden, and is
accessible only by a bridge or flight of steps. Each villa has its name, or some motto, inscribed over the
gateway, th e choice of which is generally meant to bespeak content and comfort on th e p a rt of the
owner ; and they afford a source of amusement to the stranger as he passes along. Thus, among others,
we read, ‘ lust en ru st,’ pleasure and ease ; ‘ wel to vrede,’ well contented ; ‘ m}m genegentheid is voU
doen,’ my desire is satisfied ; ‘ myn lust en leven,’ my pleasure and life ; ‘ niet zoo guaalyk,’ not so bad ;
* gerustelyk en wel to vrede,’ tranquil and content ; ‘ vreindschap en gezelschap,’ friendship and sociability
; ‘ het vermaak is in ’t hovemerin,’ there is pleasure in gardening. And over the entrance to one
o fth e tea-gardens a t Rotterdam was inscribed, ‘ het vleesch potten van Egypte.’ Some of the larger
gardens abound with friuts and vegetables, and beds and borders of flowering shrubs and plants are laid
out in all th e grotesque shapes th a t can be imagined. It must be confessed, however, that an air of
comfort presides over these villas. Most of the dwelling-houses are gaily painted in lively colours ; all
th e offices and outhouses are kept in neat order ; while the verdant meadows are covered with the finest
cattle, mostly speckled brown and white.” {Tour through South Holland, 12mo, 1831, p. 68.)
161. The whole country around Delft, with the exception of some contiguous gardens
and potato beds, consists of rich pastui-age ; and a gi-eat number of very fine cattle were
grazing in tlie meadows. No appeaa-ance of tillage, except small patches of stubble here
and there, and a few enclosures of clover. The same kind of villas, parks, and gai-dens
as those we had passed, continue from Delft to the Hague. (Ibid. p. 71.)
1 6 2 . The environs o f Leyden arc extremely beautiful, and the whole country around is
studded with viUas, gardens, and pleasm-e-houses, standing, as usual, over ditches, or in
the middle of ponds. (Ibid. p. 7 8 .)
1 6 3 . The palace-garden a t Haarlem, formerly occupied by King Louis, and originally
the property of the celebrated banker, Hope, is in no respect remarkable as to design ;
but pines arc grown there bettor than in most gardens iu Holland, and strawberries are
successfully forced.
164. The Due d ’Arembercfs seat, near Enghien, like many others in Flanders and
Holland, was ruined during the excesses of the French revolution ; but the Duke is now
restoring it, and has begun with the gardens rather than with the house. Extensive
hothouses ai-e erected, and many new fruit trees planted. The finest part of the park
was not injm-ed, when Neill visited it in 1 8 1 7 . He thus describes the celebrated temple
of the grande étoile:— “ This temple is of an heptangular shape, and at the angles
on every side ai-e two pai-allcl columns placed about a foot apart. From the seven lai-go
sides proceed as many broad, straight, and long avenues of noble trees, affording rich
prospects of the distant countiy in aU these directions ; and from the seven angles, and seen
between the columns, proceed an equal number of small and narrow alleys, each terminated
by some statue, vase, bust, or other ornament. The temple is sxuTounded by a moat
lined witli polished marble. The old orange grove is situated at the end of the avenue.
I t is one hundred and seventy feet long, and twenty-seven feet Avide, and contains one
hundred and eight orango trees in tubs, many of them, as is the case in different old
family scats of the Netherlands, presents from the kings of Spain 2 0 0 , 3 0 0 , and 4 0 0
years ago. The trees s I io a v straight stems of six or eight feet, and globular heads,
from Avhich, according to continental practice, protmding shoots and blossoms are
pinched off' as soon as they appeai-, for culinai-y and perfumery purposes.” (Neill’s
Hort. Tour, p. 3 2 4 . 3 7 2 .) When Mr. MTntosh visited this garden in 1 8 3 5 , he found in
it a fine specimen of piu-ple beech, which produced seeds every year, from wliich several
i j
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