30 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



planter of summer beds and rib- 

 bons. 



The mention of the beds and rib- 

 bons reminds us of the approach, the 

 terrace, the garden. It is in these 

 scenes that injudicious mixtures are 

 most fatal. Deciduous trees should 

 play a less prominent part in the 

 decoration of every portion of the 

 grounds near the residence, and where 

 formal lines prevail, as they should 

 do in continuation of the formal lines 

 of the house ; a formal system of 

 planting will have the best effect, and 

 can only be carried out efficiently by 

 means of evergreens. By formal 

 planting we mean that the principles 

 of the bedding system should be ap- 

 plied in the disposition of the shrubs ; 

 and the species and varieties at our 

 command for this purpose are so 

 numerous and varied, that there is 

 scarcely any limit to the exercise of 

 invention under the guidance of a cor- 

 rect taste. The massive Aucuba 

 acquires an altogether new grandeur 

 when planted in formal lines in com- 

 pany with Phillyrea, variegated 

 Holly, Berberis aquifolium, Tkuia 

 compacta, and a few other kinds of 

 equally striking forms and colours. 

 The majority of flower borders now 

 planted ribbon fashion are marred by 

 the odd mixture of deciduous trees 

 and shrubs that occupy the rear ; 

 those trees and shrubs having been 

 planted in days when mixtures of 

 herbaceous plants occupied the front 

 line, with which they agreed very 

 well. But a richer and more me- 

 thodical system of displaying flowers 

 calls for a corresponding improvement 

 of the style of the permanent plant- 

 ing, and a formal arrangement of 

 evergreens is the only thing possible 

 if all the details are to be harmonized. 

 But the majority of gardeners have 

 yet to learn what may be accom- 

 plished in this way. The materials 

 exist for the most exquisite varieties 

 of colouring and contrast, from the 

 deep green of the common yew to the 

 sparkle of silver-leaved box, holly, 

 and alaternus. It is in work of this 

 sort that the choicer kinds of conifers 

 tell with grand effect to give balance 

 of form as well as colour. The Irish 

 Yew, the Spanish and Virginian Juni- 



pers, and pyramidal box and holly, 

 serve a purpose corresponding to that 

 which a skilful planter accomplishes 

 with the Lombardy Poplar in park 

 scenery ; that is, they afford com- 

 plementary outlines to large rounded 

 masses of Aucuba, Portugal Laurel, 

 and tree box, and add the grace of 

 light forms, where, otherwise, the 

 planting would be heavy. The adap- 

 tation of trees of all kinds to the 

 forms and proportions of structure is 

 another matter of importance, espe- 

 cially in formal planting. Wild masses 

 of thorn, oak, and other free- growing 

 deciduous trees can rarely be har- 

 monized with a crisp -looking struc- 

 ture of brick or stone ; the eye does 

 not pass from formality to ruggedness 

 at one glance with anything like ease, 

 and the regular lines of a building 

 require to be followed by something 

 like regular lines in the laying out of 

 the ground and disposing the trees 

 upon it. The grounds at Sydenham, 

 Kensington, and Kew, are the best 

 examples accessible to the general 

 public of the present taste in formal 

 planting, and the view we are now 

 advancing is admirably illustrated in 

 those places in the grand terrace 

 walks, the lines of deodars, cypresses, 

 and standard lauristinuses, and the 

 repetition of distinct colours and forms 

 in other evergreen trees and shrubs. 



But it is in private gardens of 

 moderate dimensions that the greatest 

 need of improved planting is evi- 

 denced. In many of these places, 

 where expense is no object, and great 

 efforts are made for an annual display 

 of summer flowers, the trees and 

 shrubs remain in the disorder, which, 

 when they were originally planted, 

 was considered the especial charm of 

 a garden scene. Whoever follows 

 now-a-days the old plan of an indis- 

 criminate mixture of evergreens and 

 deciduous shrubs in the planting of 

 flower borders and approaches, must 

 be charged with perpetuating, at a 

 great cost, a horticultural monstrosity, 

 and wherever planting is in progress 

 or being prepared for, we would re- 

 commend a timely consideration of 

 the artistic principles which should 

 be recognized in the undertaking as 

 essential to suceess. The most striking 



