The theory and practice of landscape gardening / by Joshua Major.

About: The article was published on 1852-01-01 and is currently open access. It has received 1 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Landscape design.

Summary

Introduction

• My object in this work is to assist in promoting a general taste for Landscape Gardening, and I hope my readers will find considerable assistance from a careful perusal of its pages.
• Scenery lis Rural Seenery [33 Picturesque Scenery [33 Romantic Scenery l.i 1 Park Scenery 1:37 The Outline of Plantations l,-,n The Axrangemenl and Grouping of Trees I.-,1 Prospecl Scenery: or Scenery beyond the Park 1 33 Tree- l.e-t Muted to Form the Aerial Line li;;.
• In choosing a site for a house, the authors should, of course, not fix it upon the summit of a hill, (I do not mean gentle rising ground, for in that ; n: ^^-- made: one for the house, offices, and kitchen yard (fig. 3 a) ; and the other for the stables, drc, the latt.
• I have been the more particular in this description, for the purpose of showing the folly of attempting both rugged and smooth scenery within a limited space, and especially in one so contracted that the whole could be comprehended by the eye at one view.

ON THE OLD AND NEW SYSTEMS OF FORMING

• Moreover, all these beds should be so disposed as to associate with each other, rather than be at equal distances all over the lawn, but in a manner to create intricacy, so as not to show the real extent of the ground, and to exhibit some bold and free glades of lawn on which the eye may repose.
• Before commencing my observations on the various classes of the Flower Garden, I will take the liberty of addressing a few remarks to gardeners generally.

EXPLANATION OF PLATE IV.

• Figures 4 and 5. Two Styles for a Formal Paeterre, or Flower Gaeden, edged with Cast Iron, Dressed Stone, or Terra Cotta.
• It has seldom even a basis on which to construct a superstructure—often hardly an appliance suitable to the wishes of the artist; still something may generally be done, sometimes, even, a good deal, towards accomplishing the object.
• The rest of the ground will require, also, to be appropriated to wild growing plants, such as heaths, whins, spreading brooms, rambling roses, bilberries, foxgloves, primroses, wood anemones, blue bells, lilies of the valley, &c. &c.
• I laid this out with graceful winding walks and smooth lawn, planted the whole with corresponding flowers and cultivated shrubs, and erected suitable rustic seats.

THE SHRUBBERY.

• The Shrubbery is generally employed as a link connecting the Flower Garden, Kitchen Garden, and Forest, or wooded scenery, by a belt, or massive screen, on one or both sides of the principal walk, affording shelter, and often as a means by which to mask out unsightly objects.
• Yet, in a very few years, they become predominant and over-bearing.

SCENERY.

• Deign but in this fair scene with me to dwell, — All noise and nonsense, pomp and show, farewell.".
• In woods or plantations in which there is sufficient extent to form drives and rides, the roads must be made from ten to twelve feet wide, and firm and dry, with level glades of grass attached here and there, of a sufficient width for carriages to pass and repass each other.

ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS.

• For the benefit of those who are not acquainted with plants generally, I have named, below, a few select ornamental trees and shrubs as suitable to introduce into the dress-grounds, where they must be so arranged and adjusted that they may remain permanently, and have the intermediate spaces filled up with common kinds, to be taken away when required.
• The following are a few trees generally of lower growth than the preceding, but useful for the production of variety and effect : —.
• It should have a prominent situation on lawns where three might form a group ; or the red cedar or upright cypress, or perhaps both, rising from amongst them, would have an agreeable effect, while a larch would look still better.
• The Ash Berberry, , the aquifolium, glumacea, repens, and facicularis hyhrida, are handsome, low-growing, hardy, evergreen flowering shrubs : their showy tufts of yellow flowers rising out of reddish-green glossy foliage early in the spring, make them truly interesting, and well suited to form a group, so placed as to be viewed from the windows.
• They are also highly proper for planting in front of shrubberies.

CHARACTER.

• In planting the points of shrub beds at the junction of two walks, the conical or small upright kinds are the most suitable, as they are not so likely to spread and interfere with the walk, or with spreading shrubs.
• In arranging all trees and shrubs, it should be observed that in a group where there is a conspicuous tree, or one very strikingly marked in character, that should be placed seemingly in the middle, yet still avoiding formality and their being planted at equal distances from each other.
• The same may be said of the pointed conical kinds, such as the spruce fir, red cedar, larch, Lombardy poplar, cypress, &c. whether spiral or loose-spreading ; but with two or more of either of the former kinds at proper distances, (letting the Portugal lam-el advance rather than otherwise), the effect would be pleasing.
• And seeming to form a lead, or centre to it ; and, at any rate, its stiff formal appearance will not strike so forcibly upon the eye as to become offensive.

ON WALKS.

• Dry gravel walks are indispensable for the enjoyment of scenery in the pleasure ground.
• Walks in kept grounds of gentle undulations or of a level surface, should invariably be of long, gentle or graceful sweeps ; not only because such are most beautiful and pleasing, but because they are less interrupting to the student or reading pedestrian, than those of more sudden and numerous bends.
• Trees suitable for embellishing pools, lakes, or rivers, are of various kinds.

BRIDGES.

• A Bridge is an important feature in connection with water, and seldom fails to give interest to the landscape.
• I have frequently seen a bridge placed across the neck of a pond, so near to its extremity as to suggest to the spectator whether it could have been formed for any utility at all, and thus destroying the interest which might have been created had utility been more apparent.
• Open seats may be made of wire, some of lattice work, and others of round larch rods, or crooked oak branches.

FOUNTAINS.

• Of course, if the column of water had considerable substance, from five to nine feet would be proper ; the five rocky cones might then be made bolder and still more natural.
• The plant houses, which are employed for the protection of beautiful and interesting plants too tender to bear the open air in their climate, should be very ornamental, and situated either in the flower garden, or in a part of the pleasure ground connecting the flower garden with the mansion.
• Wire Fences are of various kinds, and, perhaps, there are some which answer pretty well.

LODGES AND GATES.

• Poetees' Lodges are essential to either country or villa residences ; and although to some tastes they are rather objectionable, when the distance is short between them and the house, I should not hesitate to introduce them in all places where they can be concealed from the living rooms and private pleasure grounds.
• Lodges to hve in should, as much as possible, partake of the character and style of the house to which they belong, except in localities where the ground is abrupt or romantic in the site chosen for a lodge; such rugged ground demands simplicity, rather than any attempt at grandeur, even when the edifice itself is imposing.
• If thought proper, the approach may leave the public Figure 29.
• But what was much worse,—the latter too often became the depots for every kind of nuisance, besides affording lurking places for vicious and abandoned characters.

DRESS SCENERY.

• I shall now treat upon scenery under distinct heads, and according to its special characteristics.
• The arched wall, for example, is too visibly intended for effect, and too devoid of architectural character, to class with the cottage and steps below, and of every thing in harmony with the natural commencement of the fall.

RURAL SCENERY.

• Wild or Natural Scenery may be said to comprehend all the various forms of that which is wild and uncultivated.
• Stones will also bave to be closely bedded over the puddle, resting upon the rock and the wall, 135 so as to strengthen both, shewing, at the same time, as natural a front as possible on the fall side.
• Even a villa, with but a few acres of land attached to it, should have them so managed as to assume a park-like appearance to the fullest extent, by the introduction of graceful and stately trees, over smooth green pasturage, animated with cattle.
• And in the autumn, when the changeful foliage displays every lovely hue, how vividly does each falling leaf remind us of the shortness and uncertainty of life— " Thus, one by one, the faded leaves Fall with each slight autumnal breeze, And great and small drop silently Beneath the sear and withered trees.

TREES SUITABLE FOR PARK SCENERY.

• Before I proceed to consider " Plantations," and the arrangement of trees and bushes in Park Scenery, it may be proper to name a few, and make a few remarks upon each kind of tree peculiarly suitable for this sort of embellishment ; of which the oak, ash, beech, sycamore, English, Scotch, or Wych elm, with some others, are examples.
• It should constitute a general leading feature in Park Scenery, forming masses and groups of itself; in other cases, the rehef above spoken of may be well given by an intermingling of the beech, English elm, Scotch elm, Turkey oak, and externally by the thorn, the alder, and the maple.
• Very exposed situations should not be chosen, as its brittle limbs are very apt to be broken by violent winds.
• It is striking and particularly handsome; but, on account of its deep colour, and the strong contrast which it forms with other trees, it is precluded from a too general introduction.
• The species are numerous and distinctly marked.

THE OUTLINE OF PLANTATIONS.

• The maintenance of round, ovated, lumpy forms in clumps, and of tame zigzag curves in plantations generally, is attended by such unpicturesque effects, that I cannot too strongly impress the importance of right views on the subject.
• These openings or vistas ought not to appear of precisely equal breadth through their whole extent, but should produce an impression of intricacy and variety, by being arranged obliquely and diversely, as well as directly.
• Then, in planting a park, or in general scenery having a varied surface or hilly character, it must be their aim to decorate the hills rather than the flats or valleys, and this especially in grounds of gentle undulation ; as the former course adds to the force of existing undulations, while the latter detracts from it.
• A still more lasting fence would be made with iron uprights, and two or three horizontal wires stretched firm round the in two feet beyond the stakes.

CAUTIONARY DIRECTIONS.

• For evergreen and tender shrubs—indeed, for almost any kind of shrubs — autumn and spring are the best times for planting.
• Between the edifice and the sea there is a space of about one hundred and sixty yards ; the flat extends about one hunched and twenty yards, to a point about one hundred feet above the level of the sea ; the rest forms a steep bank, sloping rapidly down to the sands.
• Since, then, it is evident that shelter is of the utmost importance to young plantations on the sea coast, I would recommend, in the first place, that the ground be very thickly planted, keeping the black spruce, Austrian pine, sycamore, Wych elm, common elder, and the willow, on the bleak sides.

REMOVING LARGE TREES.

• This is a subject well worthy of attention, and especially from those who are making improvements, where present effect is expedient, and where the change in the position of a favourite tree or shrub is necessary.
• They are, indeed, almost necessary; and they ought to be of sufficient extent to afford a spacious promenade, to have a great variety of pleasure ground, and to present, if not a complete, at least a judicious collection of attractive kinds of trees, shrubs, and flowers, varied with lawn, arranged in the best possible manner and most attractive style.

Figures

Figure 1.

Figure 36.

Figure 15.

Figure 25.

Figure 5. when tl "'IV m "" mat. rials to meet the fl^f^r ^^ demand; whereas, if ' * I15 ' the bottom of the

Figure 14. ing rudely perpendicular, now and then showing «, larger and smaller shelfy Sab projections (figure 14). At "1^ certain heights, this upright iiilH Par* may ^e se* kack several feet, and sometimes ' fy ';,/' V* r Jc?-, yards, showing flats of '.p%£ earth mixed with large

Figure 11. Figure 12.

Figure 39.

Fig. 27

Figure 10. the round beds, strong wire basket work. Thus a gay, beautiful, and harmonious display would be produced. With the present cheapness of glass, the propriety of ornamental plant protectors, made to fit the beds within the baskets, suggests itself. These should be octagonal (figure 10). The frames would be best made of cast-iron,

Figure 17.

Figure 41.

Figure 32.

Figure 1.

Figure 33.

Figure 1.

Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 3.

Figure 24.

Figure 19.

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Frequently asked questions

Q1. What are the two principles that must be respected in the arrangement of trees?

In the arrangement of trees at the time of planting or thinning, two principles require to be respected, namely—firstly, always to maintain a balance in the composition ; and secondly, that there should be form and variety in the groups themselves. 

Q2. What kind of plants are highly desirable for forming thickets?

The common and Portugal laurels, best evergreen and box-leaved privet, Daphne pontica,Butcher's broom, box in varieties, English juniper, mahonia aquifolia, repens,and other varieties, whins, brooms, hemlock-spruce, and the rhododendron198ponticum, are highly desirable for forming thickets and for varying the scene. 

Q3. How many lines of small rods are needed to protect a tree from cattle?

In the case of small, low trees, it will only be neces-sary to nail two or three lines of small rods round the stakes, to keep thesheep from gnawing the young wood. 

Q4. What other varieties of yews are particularly worthy of notice?

There are several other fine varieties of yews particularly worthy of notice as grass plants, such as Taxus Japonica, T. devastonii, T. Harringtonii,and T. elegantissima. 

Q5. What kind of plants are well suited for fringing the margin of the river?

birch, and various kinds of willows and spruce firs, may occasionally share in the assemblage and combination with the blackthorn, ling, ferns, bilberries, anddogroses, which are well suited for fringing the margin of the river. 

Q6. What is the main reason for the loss of architectural beauties?

As the promenade or terrace walk is generally too near the house for those principal fronts to be properly inspected from it, architectural beauties are consequently lost, unless the spectator withdraws either to the lawn or into the park toobtain a view of them. 

Q7. What is the noble and appropriate way to form a lodge?

Palaces or mansions require lodges and gates of corresponding pretensions with themselves ; and The authoragree with Gilpin, who says, " The most noble " and most appropriate will be the arched gateway, when it is of sufficient " boldness to allow of the porter's lodge being formed within," similar to the arch bearing the statue of the Duke of Wellington in the Green Park. 

Q8. What is the way to keep the roots from penetrating into the cold clay?

This not only prevents the roots from penetrating into the cold clay, but keeps them in a warmer and more congenial element, whilst the trees are in every respect healthier, and produce better flavoured fruit. 

Q9. Why is the abode of man not to be associated with wildness and neglect?

Surely the abode of man is not to be associated with wildness and neglect, because neatness is considered by thesewriters as less suited to the pencil of the painter. 

Q10. How should a sand and refuse be carried from the walk sides?

Grates should be placed at proper distances, close to the walks, with receptacles to catch the sand and refuse which are carried from the walk sides by the top-waterthe water from it, (figure 19, a), in order that the sand may lodge below the mouth of the drain. 

Q11. What is the way to achieve a broken, loose appearance?

A broken, loose appearance, producing effective light and shade, would thus be attained, and afford much greater beauty than the same mass would do dissociated from other trees, were its outhne ever so varied. 

Q12. How do you prevent boisterous winds from affecting the roots?

About this stage of the process, before all the earth is filled in, in order to prevent boisterous winds disturbing the roots and pressing the tree out of its perpendicular, it is a good plan to fasten the roots down in three or four places by means of a strong stick, about two feet long, laid across them near to their extremities, and kept in its place with strong hooked sticks at each end, until the stick bends with the pressure, rather than otherwise. 

Q13. What does it mean that trees should be kept near each other?

I do not mean that ornamentalplantations should be so thinned as to leave the trees standing at equal distances, as in forests ; but so that, after being properly thinned, they may still appear to be thrown together in different sized groups ; and although some of them might, for effect's sake, be kept near together,—indeed, so near as108in some cases to touch one another, still they would become fine and ornamental, provided sufficient space were kept clear for them to throw out their brandies freely, so as to give variety and richness to the landscape. 

Q14. How do you prevent cattle from getting their heads under the top bar?

They will require a second rail on the outside of the stakes, about a foot below, in order to prevent the cattle getting their heads under the top bar or coping. 

Q15. What is the importance of dubbing the roots?

The planter should be particular always to have the trees and shrubs taken up with as many fibrous roots as possible ; and while The authorimpress the importance of this, it will be still more important to warn against the unnatural practice of dubbing the roots, so generally pursued previous to planting.