chief slope of the land, too, is to the south-west, towards Derwentwater, which lies about two miles from the spot. And some idea of the commanding character of the site may be given from the fact that the rise in the ground from the south corner of the land to the position of the house is more than 150 feet.

Although no description can adequately represent the great variety of undulation in the surface of the land, it may be stated, generally, that besides the rapid descent to the southwest, there are three considerable depressions or vallies also running towards the same quarter, and the carriage-drive winds up one of these in such a way as to secure a moderate gradient, and to keep out of sight from the best windows of the house. Another (and by far the most characteristic) of these hollows carries a beautiful little mountain-stream partly through the place and partly along its southern margin, all the lower portion, from the point where it touches the boundary, being overhung by a picturesque wood belonging to the adjoining property.

No situation could possibly furnish a more charming opportunity for making a shrubbery-walk, than the dingle by the sides of such a stream. Its natural beauty alone invests it with considerable attractions; and, with the aid which art can render, it may be made doubly interesting. In the present case, the pleasure-grounds proper are bounded by the stream, and a walk crosses it, and passes round the eastern side of the place through an elevated plantation, in which the Pine and Fir tribes are freely used, and where there are many rare specimens. It then traverses a piece of open pasture, and enters another enclosure, where there is a small orchard, from thence descending a steep wooded bank, by rustic steps, and studded with rocks and roots, till it rejoins another walk from the pleasure-grounds. It afterwards pursues a winding course down the valley, now approaching and following the stream, and now sweeping away from it around masses of plantation, and finally having exit from the place at the south corner, in

the direction of Keswick. By the use of rocks, roots, and appropriate plants in many parts of the rugged banks, and by a profusion of Rhododendrons, Hollies, and other evergreens, a constant change of picturesque scene is attained, and the whole is materially aided by Ivy, Ferns, climbing Roses, Honeysuckles, and wild plants. There are three small rustic bridges over the stream, too, in the course of the walk, and a narrow branch (not shown on the plan) breaks away from the main walk where the latter diverges farthest from the hollow, and, straggling along the side of the water, in a deep dell, emerges again at a lower point. On the whole, although the plan can give but a very meagre notion of the perpetual play and liveliness of character in this part of the place, the shrubbery-walk here may be regarded as expressing pretty nearly my beau ideal of what a walk of that description should be.

To return to the arrangement of the field, (into which, however, the plantations by the shrubbery-walk conspicuously enter, being only separated by a slender wire fence,) it will be perceived that the place is partly bounded, on two sides, by a public road; but, as Mr. Oxley's land extends beyond the road at several points, the planting is so contrived as to assist in uniting the outside fields with the principal enclosure, and the fences (which are hedges) will be kept low, in order still further to aid this object. The house, gardens, and homestead, are put at the upper portion of the land, that the latter may appear larger in the front of them, that a greater elevation, and consequently a superior prospect may be obtained, that a back road to the house and offices may be conveniently made, and because this part of the place fortunately supplies the most available platform for all domestic purposes.

A plan of the gardens and grounds, showing the relative position of their various departments on a larger scale, will appear in another part. (See fig. 189.) The principal entrance is placed opposite the lower field, where it is well supported by some existing Oaks. From the comparative shortness of the drive, the extremely rural character of the district, and the fact

that the road to Keswick is almost a private one, I have been happy to omit an entrance-lodge, which would have broken up the park-like appearance, and the seeming connexion with the adjoining property, from the house, and would have been quite incongruous. A plantation to the north of the entrance, however, serves to mask the outside road from the drive, and to shut out the narrow strip of opposite land which does not belong to the place.

The upper plantation in the northernmost field, which would appear, on the plan, to want placing at the extreme north corner, has its propriety and necessity, on the land, by being situated on a very elevated swell, the ground sloping away from it to the north with great rapidity, so that the northern boundary is quite out of sight. This plantation plays an important part in the general landscape also, as seen from a distance, there being nothing but bare pasture-land or fell behind it.

2. A flower-garden, if there be any, or flower-beds where there is no regular garden for low flowers, should be situated on the warmest and most private side of the house, and fronting the drawing-room windows. Or the flowers may be placed in a sheltered and sunny corner of the pleasure-grounds, where a wall at the back will keep them warm by protecting them, and reflecting the sun's heat, as well as make them more secluded, and furnish the means of growing tender climbers.

The beds of a flower-garden should be symmetrical, and fit nicely into each other. All elaborate figures and scrolls are generally undesirable, as they tend to multiply work, and cannot be so effectively planted. Beds of simple shape, in which no very acute angles occur, will be the easiest to keep in order, and will exhibit a good arrangement of plants best. Flower-beds ought never to be large, or it will be inconvenient to attend to them; nor should the openings between them be very narrow, lest they become inaccessible, or the plants in each bed be insufficiently separated from those in the others. Grass, evenly laid, in tolerably broad strips, constitutes the most effective

division between flower-beds, as it sets off the colours of flowers best, and gives greater continuousness, unity, and breadth to the whole. Gravel, with box or stone edgings to the beds, will not be unsuitable for some styles of flower-garden, especially where the beds are large, or complex, or intended to be filled with mixed plants.

When the beds of a flower-garden are separated by grass, they may be furnished with masses of flowers of one colour. And this arrangement will, in general, be more striking, and more consonant with Grecian and Italian architecture. Beds of mixed flowers will better suit the irregular shapes of purely English gardening, and English Gothic buildings. The more formal styles appear to demand, for consistency, a similarly formal arrangement, and a more brilliant but less variegated display of colour.

In a small flower-garden, laid down with grass, the gravel walks should be but few. They may either surround it entirely, or pass along only two of its sides, or be down the centre merely. Or, if somewhat larger, it may have all these combined, and one across the middle also. A circular bed in the centre, or an architectural basin for water, will generally produce a good effect. And a few standard Roses, placed about judiciously in small circular plots, will enliven and vary it in summer; while some specimen evergreens, such as choice Rhododendrons and Irish Yews, similarly disposed, will be equally useful during winter.

Flower-gardens may, by a happy distribution of the beds, be adapted to almost any given shape. But regular figures, such as squares, circles, parallelograms, or ovals, can be much more pleasingly and readily filled up. A perfectly flat surface is likewise far preferable for them; and if they slope at all, it should decidedly be away from the house, building, or wall by which they are accompanied. If placed on the opposite side of a hollow or depression in the lawn, however, whether natural or artificial, their being on a slightly ascending slope would be an advantage, as it would exhibit them better. They will be

very fit and elegant appendages to a detached green-house, or a small range of ornamental plant-houses, in a retired part of the garden.

It should ever be borne in mind that the primary object of a flower-garden is for displaying flowers, and that, while some degree of harmony between its general outline or the form of its beds and the style of the contiguous house is essential, no amount of attention to these will atone for the neglect of the more important consideration. In particular, nothing can justify the subordination of every floral element to the exhibition of a mere pattern, however ingenious or tasteful it may be in itself. For a flower-garden, like all other art-like creations, should invariably be what it professes to be.

On the other hand, flower-beds ought never to be scattered, as it were, broadcast over a lawn, without any connexion, or any dependence upon each other. However sparingly they may be employed, (unless in the case of simple circles, which are seldom out of place, or of a few running beds by the side of a walk,) they should always fall into some regular figure. And though the variety of shapes which individual beds may be made to assume is really endless, these should, as a rule, be such only as can be struck out with a line or a pair of garden-compasses, and not be dependent on the correctness of eye in a workman. Hence, long vermicular or slug-like beds, or those with a number of irregular arms or lobes, or such as aim at representing a heart, a crown, an animal, a family crest, the initials or letters of a name, or any similar device, may have a semblance of quaintness, or may gratify personal vanity or affection, but take a very low place in the scale of art, or are altogether out of its range, and often savour of affectation or caprice.

One of the simplest and most elementary forms of flower-plot is a mere group of beds, occupying the centre or other part of a lawn. Fig. 141 represents an extremely plain arrangement of this description, and was sketched for a narrow oblong lawn in a suburban garden, the house being at the northern end of