The Flower-Garden (25, in fig. 165. in p. 656, 657.) is laid out, as the ground plan indicates, in beds, everywhere bordered with slate: a flower-garden of this kind, with the walks gravelled, having the advantage of rendering the flowers accessible to ladies immediately after rain, when they are often in their greatest beauty, and, at all events, in their greatest freshness and vigour; an advantage which is not obtained when the beds are on turf. There are also flower-beds on turf in other parts of the grounds: but these are filled with roses, dahlias, and other large-growing plants in masses, the beauties of which do not require to be closely examined. The Management of the garden, farm-yard, and everything except the interior of the dwelling-house, is committed to Mr. Pratt, who is not only an admirable manager, but an excellent gardener; as the number of prizes which he has obtained at numerous floricultural exhibitions, as well as the beautiful manner in which he cultivates rare plants, and grows the more ordinary flowers and garden produce, amply testifies. He is also a singularly modest unassuming man. There is scarcely an operation connected with the management of a grass farm, and the treatment of all the various kinds of live stock which we have noticed, that Mr. Pratt is not as successful in performing, as he is in cultivating plants.
