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BOOK IV.
THE PRACTICE OP FLORICULTURE.
5015. F lo ric u ltu re we consider as comprehending whatercr relates to the ciiltiu'e and
avrantocmont of plants, whether ligneous or herbaceons, grown chiefly on account of t icir
flowers, or as objects of taste or curiosity. Tho culture of flowers was long earned on with
that of culinary Tcgetables, in tho borders of the kitchcn-garden, or in parterres or groups
of beds, which commonly connected the culinary compaitments with tho house. ^ In places
n 1 . . . . J._________; -,1 -OT—- I— - * :i l /.rts'.iOTi.i.-m/I . Vknf- i n I 'n o itln n iir tS w i l l i 'l l il.llTI il.t, Í1.D V
_f obiects Got UOTWOTX.UUOOTU , .
flower-gai-dcn, the hiwn, and the shmbbery. These, under the general term ot pleasure-
ground, encircle the house in small residences, and, in those on a lai-ger scale, embrace it
on one or moro sides, the remaining part being under the character of park scenery. Mauy
of the most interesting plants belonging to this branch of culture are natives of warm
climates, and require tho protection of glass, and artificial heat. On a limited scale, such
plants are grown in the culinary-forcing-houses, or in greenhouses, or botanic stoves, connected
with the others in the kitchen-garden ; and many of them are prcserv^l in these
Iiouses, or in frames or pits, during winter, and planted out on the lawn, or in borders,
during summer. In complete residences, the culture of exotics forms a distinct department
of ornamental horticulture, and the hothouses requisite for this purpose are placed
iu the flower-garden, or variously arranged within the precincts of tho pleasure-^ound.
Tn both departments, separation is attended with the usual advantages resulting from a
division of skill, labour, and effect. Floriculture is obviously of limited intercrt and
utility, compai-ed to horticulture; much less has accordingly been wi-ittcn on it, and
our view of modern practice will, therefore, be proportionably brief. The order adopted
is, the formation, planting, and general cidtiu-e of the flower-garden; the fm-mation
planting, and general culture of the lawn and shmbbery; the design and general
culture of the floricultural hothouses; the catalogue of plants and trees used m ornamental
horticidture; and, lastly, the monthly table of floricultui'al productions.
C h a p . I.
O fth e F o rm a tio n o fth e F b w e r-g ,
5016. T he s itua tio n of the flower-garden, as of every scene devoted to flowers, should
be near the house, for ready access at all times, and especially dming winter and spring,
when the beauties of these scenes are felt with peculiar force. “ The flower-gardc^
Neill observes, “ should form an ornamental appendage to the mansion, and be easily
accessible in all kinds of weather. There is no objection to its being seen the
windows of the house : on the contrary, this is sometimes considered as desirable.” Nicol
approves of having the various gai'dens of a place combined, and of placing them at no
great distance from the house, and Repton strongly recommends tliis practice.
5017. Abera-ombie says, “ while the kitchen garden is concealed bybuilfflngs or plantations,
gardcn and pleasure-ground should stand conspicuously attached to the family re s id e ^ e . Y’®
horticultural establishment includes a conservatory, it is proper to have it m sight, and
the ornamented grounds ; because the style of such a building, th e plants withm, and th e sc.^ e without,
under a tasteful arrangement, harmonise in character and effect. The botanic garden, the range ^
stoves, and all the departments, a visit to which renders a walk about th e grounds pleasing and intcrest-
F lo rist's M a n u a l confines her observations to the “ construction of t ^ t humble
flower-garden.” which she calls " the common or mingled flower-garden. Z x,. ni iHraU
situated so as to form an ornamental appendage to th e house, and, where the ¿ a n of the graund w ill admit,
nlaced before windows exposed to a southern or south-east a sp e c t; and although to this position th e r e
mav appear the objection of the flowers turning their petals to th e sun, and consequently from the wm-
d o 4 , this predilection in the tribe of Flora for the rays of th a t bright luminary will P>-®J«®®
effect in whatever place our flowers may be situated, when m the vicinity ¿ a building, as they invariably
expose the front of their corols to the lights, from which both the petMs of flowers, and th e l c a v e ^ f plants
are believed to derive materials essential to their existence.” She adds, when apart from the house, the
mingled flower-garden may be introduced w ith great advantage, if situated so as tq form a portion ot the
pleasure-ground : in this case it should not be distant from the house, but so contrived as to terminate
one of th e walks of th e home shrubberies.” (F’fo?-. M/i«., p. 10. 15.) , i u ,
5019 To nlace the flow e r-g a rd en south-east or south-we st o f th e house, and between it ancl the kitchen-
garden is in general a desirable circumstance. In a design for a villa-farm [Jig. 852.), supposing the entrance
front of the house (a ) to face the north-west, then the farm offices (¿), horse-pond (c), &c., may be
placed to the n s rth -e a s t; tho kitchen-yarcl (d) and liv ery -sta b le -p rd (r) to th e south-woty
mav be placed th e cxotiir hothouses, looking to the flownr-garilen ( / ) , and beyond this the Amcricmi
garden lg ) , and, lastly, the kitchen-garden (A), and walk to the farm (0 - If concealed approaches to the
f.irin ancf stable-offices (c, •») and from the kilchcii.garden to the kitchen (A, c, d ) be contrived, such an
arrangement will be found to combine both elegance and economy, and to admit of bringing th e wire
fence Im ) , which separates the mown from th e fed lawn, near the house, without being unsightly: a
diisirablc object in farm villas, as it saves mowing, and increases pasturage.
.5020. I n exposure a n d aspect, the flower-garden should be laid out as much as possible on the same
principles as th e kitchcn-gardcn (2756.), not only on account of th e advantages to be derived from the full
influence of the sun during winter on the hothouse department, but also for the better enjojonent of the
open-air scenes, in weather favourable for walking out of doors. It should not be naturally low in surface,
nor of a wet retentive soil, nor rendered damp and gloomy by surrounding high trees, or lofty walls or
buildings. If it happen th at a house be nearly surrounded by a flower-garden, the variety ofaspect thence
afforded will be favourable to the continuance ofthe bloom of our flowers, far beyond w hat can be obtained
if confined to a southern exposure. South, south-east, and east are the aspects most advantageous to the
growth of flowers ; and, possessing these varieties of exposure, th e bloom ofa g ard e n may be protracted
some weeks beyond the time it could be preserved under a single aspect.
5021. The e x te n t of the fiower-garden depends jointly on th e general scale of the residence, and the p articular
taste of the owner. There is no impropriety in having ’......
garden or mansion, where the taste of th e t
deration, however, is generally found best in
„.e flower-garden to a small kitchen-
wner leads to such a deviation from common rules. As m oderation,
in the end, we concur with th e author of th e F lorist's M a n u a l,
when she states, th a t “ th e compass of ground appropriated to flowers must vary accordmg to the size of
the place of which that ground forms a part, and should in no case be of great extent, i f the form of
ground where a parte rre is to be situated is sloping, the size should be larger than when a flat surface, and
th e borders of various shapes, and on a bolder scale, and intermingled with grass ; but such a flower-
garden partakes more of the nature of pleasure-ground than of th e common parterre, and will admit o fa
judicious introduction of flowering shrubs.”
5022. She lte r is equally requisite for the flower as for the kitchen-garden, and, where naturally wanting,
is to be produced by the same means, viz. planting. The plantation on the side next the garden should
begin with the lowest shrubs, and rise in gradation to the trees, which, unless on th e north, or very
exposed points, should not be of the tallest kinds. A few elegant shrubs, and one or two trees, may
be scattered through the scene, either in the dug compartments or in the tu rf glades, for the purposes of
shelter and shade as well as ornament ; but in general, much of either of the two former qualities are
highly injurious both to the culture of flowers and the thick closeness of turf, besides rendering the
garden unfit to be restored to in th ew in te r and spring seasons. Sometimes an evergreen hedge will
produce all the shelter requisite, as in small gardens composed of earth and gravel only {Jig. 852.) ; but
where the scene is large, and composed of dug compartments placed on a lawn, the whole may be surrounded
by an irregular border of flowers, shrubbery, and trees.
5023. Soil. Most of the hardy herbaceous flowers, and the deciduous and evergreen ornamental shrubs,
wil! succeed in a soil of common good qualities, moderately light and mellow. Negatively, the ground
should not be excessively strong and clayey; and mere gravel is very intractable. {A be rc rombie .)
5024. N icol observes, tliat flowers in general “ will thrive very well in common garden-earth o f a middling
texture, if broken fine, to the depth of 1 ft. Some, no doubt, do better in light than in heavy soils ;
and the contrary; and others do best in rich humid earth. Bulbous flowers, in general, do best in light
sandy earth ; though some require a stronger and a richer soil. In general, the soil for these should be
formed at least 18 in. deep, and should bemade>ery fine by th e spade, or be put through a coarse screen.”
In parterres where the finer flowers are cultivated, a variety of soils will be required according to the
nature of the plants, as rich sandy loam for bulbs, loamy earth for the primula tribe, heath soil for ericas,
bog-earth for American plants ; and hence it follows that, provided the subsoil be dry, the nature of the
surface stratum is of tho less consequence.
5025. S u r fa c e . Where th e extent is small, and theplants to b e grown arechiefly florists’ flowers, or other
select kinds, in beds separated by gravelled paths, a level or gentle and uniform slope will be found most
suitable ; but where the limits are more extensive, and tu rf and shrubs are introduced, a wavy surface,
either naturally or rendered so by art, will have much the best effect. In recluse scenes immediately
under the eye, a rt may create a sort of miniature of beautiful ground. Man is b u t a puny object c
pared to those of inanimate nature. He may overlook a distant hill, separated by low ground ; but a
mound of less than 3 yards in height, placed near the eye, confines the view, and all other objects being
shut out. acquires, if apparently a work of nature, a degree of importance in his imagination : winding
walks, 4 ft. below th e original surface, will supply earth for accompanying them by wavy hills or swells
8 ft. high. If these hills and swells are formed and contrived so as to produce a varied and natural-like
whole, with every change of position, a very suitable basis will be raised for a picturesque shrubbery or
flower-garden.
5026. T u r f o r law n io rm s the general covering to th e surface of flower-gardens, in the modern or
English style, and on this tu rf the beds of soil, in which the flowers are planted, are cut out. In flower-
gardens in the French style, however, and also in many English flower-gardens, tu rf or lawn is altogether
wanting ; tho beds being separated by gravelled, sanded, or paved paths. One of the most beautiful
flower-gardens in England, th a t in front of the rustic conservatory at Kcdleaf, is separated into beds by
walks paved with brick, and having brick or stone edgings. The operation of transplanting, or laying
down turf, has been already described (§ 2533. and 2534.). When tu rf is to be produced by sowing grass
seeds, the sorts may be, P öa pratensis, .ilopecùrus pratensis, Koelèrfo cristàta, Phlèum praténse, B r lza
média, and .^grostis canlna and vulgàris, which, being all gra.sses of tenacious growth, are well adapted
for forming persistent lawns. Where the F cstvca ovîna will grow, it is one of the very best lawn grasses ;
and F. duriuscula aud F. riibra are n ex t in excellence. As the .seeds of these grasses, however, cannot
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