Here is the account of a typical formal garden,
near Utrecht: "The large divisions of the garden are made by tall and
thick hedges of beech, hornbeam, and oak, variously shaped, having
been tied to frames and thus trained, with the aid of the shears, to
the desired form. The smaller divisions are made by hedges of yew and
box, which in thickness and density resemble walls of brick. Grottoes
and fountains are some of the principal ornaments. The grottoes are
adorned with masses of calcareous stuff, corals and shells, some
of them apparently from the East Indies, others natives of our own
seas. The principal grotto is large, and studded with thousands of
crystals and shells. We were told that its construction was the labour
of twelve years. The fountains are of various devices, and though
old, some of them were still capable of being put in action. Frogs
and lizards placed at the edgings of the walks, and spouting water
to the risk of passengers, were not quite so agreeable; and other
figures were still in worse taste.
"There is a long berceau walk of beech, with numerous windows or
openings in the leafy side wall, and many statues and busts, chiefly of
Italian marble, some of them of exquisite workmanship. Several large
urns and vases certainly do honour to the sculptor.
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