With respect to the place generally, it was certainly, as we have stated, in excellent order; but, notwithstanding this, the open garden department was by no means in such high keeping as the plant houses. There was not, for example, the same proportion of care bestowed on the beds of the flower-garden, to keep all the ground covered, and yet all the plants within proper bounds; to remove all the decayed flowers, and all the seeds and fruits that are not naturally ornamental; to tie straggling plants into shape; to prune and thin the branches of individual plants so as to insure an even distribution of blossom buds; to thin out groups, beds, and strips, so as not to allow common shrubs or other plants to injure the more rare ones; and not to allow any plant standing in dug soil, and consequently coming under the character of gardenesque, to touch another plant, at the same time keeping it just about to touch. We have said that the edges of the walks are kept low, and so they are generally; but we pointed out on the spot some deficiencies in this respect. The order and keeping of the kitchen-garden were defective in several points. We would have blanks filled up in kitchen crops, as well as in flower beds, and the edgings to the walks kept as perfect in the one department as in the other. We have mentioned these things to show that, if, in our former notice of Cowley House, we omitted to point out some of its beauties, we were also equally culpable as to its faults; these, indeed, are exceedingly few, and such is our opinion of the gardener, Mr. Griffin, that we know they need only be pointed out to him to be corrected.
