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CHAP. X.
Of the sixth Condition which requires a Garden to be well enclos'd with Walls and Doors that shut well.
THIS Inclosure, I desire, sufficiently testifies, that for Fruit and Kitchen Gardens I am not very desirous of those open Prospects which are so necessary for other Gardens; not but when the Situation will permit, I am very glad to enjoy the benefit of it. But that which I desire above all things, is that my Garden may be secur'd from Foreign as well as Domestick Thieves, and that the Eye may be so delighted in sur∣veying all the things that should be in it, that there may be no room left to wish for any thing besides to divert it.
A Wall well garnish'd, Dwarfs well order'd, and very vigorous; all manner of fine good Fruits of every Season, fine Beds, and fine Plats, well furnish'd with all manner of ne∣cessary Legumes, clean Walks, of a proportionable largeness, fine Bordures, fill'd with useful things for the House: In fine, a well contriv'd diversity of all that is necessary in a Kitchen Garden; so that nothing may be wanting, either early or late, or for the abun∣dance of the middle Seasons; these indeed are the things we ought to covet in our Gar∣dens, and not a Steeple, or Wood in Perspective, a great Road, or the Neighbourhood of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 R••v••r. In my Opinion, the Cloth as it were, should always be laid in a fine Garden, without mattering to see what passes in the open Fields.
A Kitchen Garden might have the finest Prospect in the World, and yet appear to me very ugly in it self, if wanting any thing of what it should have, instead of finding it 〈…〉〈…〉re, I should be necessitated to go without it, or to have recourse to my Neighbours, or my Purse.
So that preferably to all manner of Prospects, I would have my Garden inclos'd with Walls, though I were to lose some fine point of Prospect by it, besides that the shelter they may afford against troublesome Winds, and Spring Frosts, are very considerable: It is almost impossible to be truly delighted with a Garden, as for instance, to have early Legumes and fine Fruits without the help of those Walls; besides, there are still many things, which dreading great heats, would hardly be able to grow in the hottest part of the Summer, unless a Wall expos'd to the North favour'd them with some shadow.
In effect, Walls are so necessary for Gardens, that even to multiply them, I make as many little Gardens as I can in the Neighbourhood of the great one, whereby I have not only more Wall-Fruit or Espaliers, and shelter, which is very considerable; but am also thereby enabled to correct some defects and Irregularities, which would render the Gar∣den desagreeable; for in fine, I will at any rate have a principal Garden, that may please in its Figure and size, design'd for large Legumes, and some high Standards; a large Garden would without doubt be less pleasing, if for Instance, it were too long for its breadth, or too wide for its length, if it had a corner, or some visible wriness to disfigure it, which being retrench'd, would make all the rest square; and thus such Gardens being lessen'd either on one, or on both ends, will afford ground to make little agreeable useful Gardens, as I have done in many great Houses, in the Neighbourhood of Paris.
Besides the Inclosure of the Walls, I am likewise for having good Locks to my Doors, that my Gard'ner may be able to answer for all that is in the Garden; I am sensible that there are some, who are very discreet and careful, but then I likewise know that there are others who desire nothing more than to have some Pretences.