GARDEN, a plot of ground, cultivated, and properly ornamented with a variety of plants, flowers,
fruits, &c. See GARDENING.
Gardens are usually distinguished into flower-garden, fruit-garden, and kitchen-garden: the first of which, being designed for pleasure and ornament, is to be placed in the most conspicuous part, that is, next to the back-front of the house; and the two latter, being designed for use, should be placed less in sight. But though the fruit and kitchen-gardens are here mentioned as two distinct gardens, yet they are now usually in one; and that with good reason, since they both require a good soil and exposure, and equally require to be placed out of the view of the house. See KITCHEN-GARDEN.
In the choice of a place proper for a garden, the most essential points to be considered are the situation, the soil, the exposure, water, and prospect.
1st, As to the situation, it ought to be such a one as is wholesome, and in a place neither too high nor too low; for if a garden be too high, it will be exposed to the winds, which are very prejudicial to trees; and if it be too low, the dampness, the vermin, and the venomous creatures that breed in ponds and marshy places, add much to their infalubrity. The most happy situation is on the side of a hill, especially if the slope be easy, and in a manner imperceptible; if a good deal of level ground be near the house; and if it abounds with springs of water: for, being sheltered from the fury of the winds, and the violent heat of the sun, a temperate air will be there enjoyed; and the water that descends from the top of the hill, either from springs or rain, will not only supply fountains, canals, and cascades for ornament, but, when it has performed its office, will water the adjacent valleys, and, if it be not suffered to stagnate, will render them fertile and wholesome. Indeed, if the declivity of the hill be too steep, and the water be too abundant, a garden on the side of it may frequently suffer, by having trees torn up by torrents and floods; and by the tumbling down of the earth above, the walls may be demolished, and the walks spoiled. It cannot, however, be denied, that the situation on a plain or flat has several advantages which the higher situation has not: for floods and rain commit no damage; there is a continued prospect of champaigns, intersected by rivers, ponds, and brooks, meadows, and hills covered with woods or buildings; besides, the level surface is less tiresome to walk on, and less chargeable than that on the side of a hill, since terrace-walks and steps are not there necessary: but the greatest disadvantage of flat gardens, is the want of those extensive prospects which rising grounds afford.
2dy, A good earth or soil is next to be considered; for it is scarce possible to make a fine garden in a bad soil. There are indeed ways to meliorate ground, but they are very expensive; and sometimes, when the expense has been bestowed of laying good earth three feet deep over the whole surface, a whole garden has been ruined, when the roots of the trees have come to reach the natural bottom. To judge of the quality of the soil, observe whether there be any heath, thistles, or such-like weeds growing spontaneously in it; for they are certain signs that the ground is poor. Or if there be large trees growing thereabouts, observe, whether they grow crooked, ill-shaped, and grubby, and whether they are of a faded green, and full of
moss,
Garden. moss, or infested with vermin; if this be the case, the place is to be rejected: but, on the contrary, if it be covered with good grass fit for pasture, you may then be encouraged to try the depth of the soil. To know this, dig holes in several places, six feet wide, and four deep; and if you find three feet of good earth, it will do very well; but less than two will not be sufficient. The quality of good ground is, neither to be stony, nor too hard to work; neither too dry, too moist, nor too sandy and light; nor too strong and clayey, which is the worst of all for gardens.
3dly, The next requisite is water; the want of which is one of the greatest inconveniences that can attend a garden, and will bring a certain mortality upon whatever is planted in it, especially in the greater droughts that often happen in a hot and dry situation in summer; besides its usefulness in fine gardens for making fountains, canals, cascades, &c. which are the greatest ornaments of a garden.
4thly, The last thing to be considered, is the prospect of a fine country; and though this is not so absolutely necessary as water, yet it is one of the most agreeable beauties of a fine garden: besides, if a garden be planted in a low place that has no kind of prospect, it will not only be disagreeable, but unwholesome.
In the laying out and planting of gardens the beauties of nature should always be studied; for the nearer a garden approaches to nature, the longer it will please. The area of a handsome garden, may take up thirty or forty acres, but not more; and the following rules should be observed in the disposition of it. There ought always to be a descent of at least three steps from the house to the garden; this will render the house more dry and wholesome, and the prospect on entering the garden more extensive. The first thing that ought to present itself to view, should be an open lawn of grass, which ought to be considerably broader than the front of the building; and if the depth be one half more than the width, it will have a better effect: if on the sides of the lawn there are trees planted irregularly, by way of open groves, the regularity of the lawn will be broken, and the whole rendered more like nature. For the convenience of walking in damp weather, this lawn should be surrounded with a gravel walk, on the outside of which should be borders three or four feet wide, for flowers: and from the back of these the prospect will be agreeably terminated by a slope of ever-green shrubs; which, however, should never be suffered to exclude agreeable prospects, or the view of handsome buildings. These walks may lead through the different plantations, gently winding about in an easy natural manner; which
will be more agreeable than either those long straight walks, too frequently seen in gardens, or those serpentine windings, that are twisted about into so many short turns, as to render it difficult to walk in them: and as no garden can be pleasing where there is a want of shade and shelter, these walks should lead as soon as possible into plantations, where persons may walk in private, and be sheltered from the wind. Where the borders of the gardens are fenced with walls or pales, they should be concealed with plantations of flowering shrubs, intermixed with laurels and other ever-greens; which will have a good effect, and at the same time conceal the fences, which are disagreeable when left naked and exposed to the sight. Groves are the most agreeable parts of a garden, so that there cannot be too many of them; only that they must not be too near the house, nor be suffered to block up agreeable prospects. To accompany parterres, groves opened in compartments, quincunxes, and arbour-work with fountains, &c. are very agreeable. Some groves of ever-greens should be planted in proper places, and some squares of trees of this kind may also be planted among the other wood.
Narrow rivulets, if they have a constant stream, and are judiciously led about a garden, have a better effect than many of the large stagnating ponds or canals, so frequently made in large gardens. When wildnesses are intended, they should not be cut into stars and other ridiculous figures, nor formed into mazes or labyrinths, which in a great design appear trifling. Buildings, statues, and vases, appear very beautiful; but they should never be placed too near each other: magnificent fountains are also very ornamental; but they ought never to be introduced, except there be water to keep them constantly running. The same may also be observed of cascades and other falls of water.
In short, the several parts of a garden should be diversified; but in places where the eye takes in the whole at once, the two sides should be always the same. In the business of designs, the aim should be always at what is natural, great, and noble. The general disposition of a garden, and of its parts, ought to be accommodated to the different situations of the ground, to humour its inequalities, to proportion the number and sorts of trees and shrubs to each part, and to shut out from the view of the garden no objects that may become ornamental. And before a garden is planned out, it ought ever to be considered, what it will be when the trees have had 20 years growth.—But for a more extended view of this subject, see the next article.