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G236. The house and French parterre can hardly be considered
a distinct variety from the last; though it differs in
this, that the front garden of the latter contains turf around
the flower-compartmcnts, whereas the former is composed
entirely of caith, and gravel, edged with box, or some
other plant.
6237. The common fro n t garden (Jig. 1007.) is a variety
so well known as to require no description ; but, like tho
six preceding varieties, it is introduced here chiefly to
suggest, that these humble scenes may be greatly improved
in design, and also in cultivation and keeping.
There is little danger of the gardens of the wealthy being
neglected; but it is of great importance to the advancement
of gardening, that the art should be displayed to as
great perfection as possible in those gardens which are
most universal; which are continually under the eye of a
large city population ; which arc seen by the wliolo country
inhabitants, wlien they visit the towns; and which chiefly
come under the eye of foreigners.
S e c t . II. Laying out Public Gardens.
6238. Public gardens are of three kinds: viz. parks and pleasure-grounds, for recreation
and exercise; botanic gardens, for instruction; and nursery gai'dens, for
commercial pm-poses (§ 1592.). We shall give examples of each kind.
S u b s e c t . 1 . Public Gardens fo r Recreation and Exercise.
6239. Gardens fo r recreation and exercise were till within the last few years much
more common on the Continent than in Great Britain; though latterly the taste for
them has been so prevalent in Great Britain, that there are few large toavns without
one. The Derby Ai-boretum (§ 593.), the public parks at Liverpool and Manchester,
and the new parks in London, and in other places, laid out partly as gardens, and designed
for the recreation of the people, may be mentioned as examples of English gardens of
this kind. Wc shall give a few examples of public gardens both British and foreign,
with details for laying them out; and commencing with some of the most celebrated
public gardens on the Continent.
6240. The park and gardens o f Magdeburg, containing about 120 acres, were laid out
in 1824 by M. Lenne, a landscape-gardener of very high reputation in Germany. The
space occupied by the gardens was once covered by the outworks of the celebrated
fortifications of the town. M. Lenné has described these grounds in tlie Prussian
Horticultural Transactions (vol. ii.), and given a working plan, with a general profile
of the wholc. As they display great science and beauty, considered as works of art, we
shall first shortly describe the profile (Jig. 1008.), and afterwards give the working plan,
with its details (Jig. 1009.). M. Lenné observes, that his principal object was to enable
the people of Magdeburg to enjoy the distant country through the medium of a
beautiful foreground. This he has contrived to do, from the ground being in some
places considerably elevated above the river Elbe, and from the surface beiug cither
varied by nature, or admitting of considcrabie varfation by art. The bare inspection
of this plan, witliout reference either to its situation or to the nature of the surface of
the ground, affords an almost inexhaustible source of instruction in the art of grouping
trees and shrubs, and aocoramodating them to the lines of walks and of water; and
when it is considered that not onc of these groups is put down without a particular
reason -wliy it should be in that precise spot, and iu no other, as we shall hereafter
explain from the description of the working plan, it is impossible not to admire the
taste and applaud the skill of the excellent artist avíio designed it.
6241. The working plan o f the same garden, explaining the reasons for the different
details, and showing the disposition, and the kinds of the trees and shrubs, is shown in
f g . 1009. The situation whicli was first intended for this garden is marked in the plan,
Jig. 1009., with a broad line, and contains fifty-seven acres; but, tliis not being thought
suflicient, and more land being promised, M, Lenné made his plan for laying out tho
garden without confining it within that boundary. Onc of tlio principal objects was to
combine with a beautiful garden fine views of the sun-ounding country ; and to attain
this object the garden was extended to 120 acres; a space suflicient to accommodate
30,000 persons. The point a is 32 ft. above the usual level of the river, and is not
only the highest land in the garden, but in the whole neighbourhood, Erom that
point the river Elbe may be seen for a great distance, approacliing the town from the
soutli; and departing from it ou the opposite side. The handsomest part of the town is
seen, extending in a half circle, between the two lines a a ; and it has, in conjunctioii
with’ tlic quay and the bridge, a most pleasing effect. In the direction b b, a pai-t of
Eroderickstadt, the bridge and the Eiirsterwall, are seen oi'cr the lowcr parts of vai-ious
masses of trees and shrubs. In the lino c c, the Dome, a sublime monument of old
German arclntecture, presents itself to the greatest advantage. The steep heights of tho
ramparts, whicli avill be spoken of afterwards, lie between the two lines d d and e e.
On the side of this, and particularly in the Hne//; is the village Sudenbcrg ; from this to
g g is an extciisia'e plain of arable and pasture land, which surrounds the town, lu
very clear aveathcr the lofy summit of the Brocken may be distinguished in tbe line h h.
The view is enlivened, in the direction of the Hue i i, towards the picturesque viilage of
Bnrkau, by its embracing the public promenade. In front arc the farmyards b and c ,
and over the river several others arc observable in the direction h k. In a ]>lace
designed entirely for pleasure, it is desirable to conceal all appearance of fortifications.
The ground sinks towai'ds the glacis, but rises on the opposite side ; whieh is admirably
adapted for the plantation (d) of free and high growing trees, behind avhich the rainparts
aro perfectly concealed. This plantation is 220 fathoms from the point a, which is
sufficiently low not to obstruct the view of the distant landscape ; and also high enough
to afibi-d shelter against the rough north avinds. The view of the whole toavn and tlie
river is very striking from the point g ; and the plantations/, which arc scattered before
the rows of these high trees, give breadtli of appearance. The various falling and
rising of these plantations clumped behind each other, the grove-like planted trees
on an undulated sm-face, and the manifold outlines of the rows of trees themselves,
abolish eveiy stift' appearance, and gia-c the avhole the form and character of a varied
forest plantation. This, in such a situation, will be like an outer court to the point g,
where a temple avill be erected ; avhich, in combination with the reservoir h, will form a
wcll-an-angcd scene. To bring the picturesque views avhich the toavn and river exhibit
in contact witli the garden scenery, all this ground bctaveen tlio river and the higlicst
points is planted. Near this, a little rivulet, avhich comes from the other side of the
height, is divided into two large branches, or rather arms, to form an island ; and at this
side a t/, is a port, where pleasure-boats may land visiters coming by avatcr. Various
walks are made along the bank ofthe river, and the plantations on the plain between it
and the highest points arc not so dense, and the grass plots arc larger than on the other
side of the garden; the openings in these iilaiitations being so avraiigcd as to direct the
eye to the views of the distant country, and to combine them avith the gardens. In consequence
of this, the Dome, the bridge, the EiirsterwaU or Ercdcrickstadt, a suburb, arc
seen from the different points, a, c, m, g, and ar; and, in order tbat there may be nothing
to intercept these vistas, the clumps (h) are kept low, by heing plautcd with underwood :
a different arrangement avas necessary on the opposite side, where more dense plaiitation.s
are required, to make it appear as if the garden extended to the village of Burkau. The
most pleasing of the small lakes, which are formed by tlic occasional expansion of the
rivulet as it passes through the valley, arc exposed to the view ; avhilst others are partially
hidden by the plantations, whieli, iu combination with tlie grass, make them
appear larger than they really are. A very agreeable contrast is aflbrded by the high-road
which passes through this part of the garden, as the regular rows of fruit trees which
line its sides offer a variety to the less formal plantations of the garden. The building,
I, which is seen from several different points of view, is partly surrounded by two clear
lakes and various plantations. In the middle di.stance arc seen the farmyard, and the
Bleekenburg ; and the avhole view is terminated by the village of Burkau. Although the
dull flat of the arable land is partly hidden by the plantations in the garden, it is not
intended to conceal it entirely ; it belongs ratlier to the design followed in laying out this
garden to havo occasional openings, which are so an-anged that the scattered houses
and villages of the plain may be seen ; and these, in tlie time of the hara'cst, aflord a
cheerful and enlivening spectacle. In the interior of the garden, the principal objects
are, 1st. The general rendezvous, with the public saloon, ni; and, 2dly, the bordcr
and offices of the garden. It is a great object, in laying out a puhlic garden, not to
conq/el the promenading multitude to crowd together in one place, hut to enable them
to disperse in different directions, and to meet again, as their inclinations may direct them.
In fig. 1008. p. 1204., two parts arc distinguishable; onc between the road to Schönebeck,
the island, the Elbe, and the glacis; and the other, on the west imd south sides of these
places. The former jiart differs from the latter in its clci'ation, and hence a level in it
was chosen as a centre for collecting the company. Near this point, at n, is a commodious
walk on to the eminence. Erom o, a steeper walk leads to the highest point, a. Sheltered
from the western winds, there is a second place,/), avhich, in the continuation ot
the ascending walk, n, forms itself into a ])latfonn ; and, although not the highest point,
aflbrds views of the most pleasing parts of the garden. On the point m the public saloon
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