NOVEMBER 



IRISH GARDENING 



167 



regarding- the work of our competitors in that 

 country —information which I am sure will be 

 of the greatest value to us. 



To the corps of horticultural instructors at 

 work throughout the country the result must 

 be particularly gratifying, and indeed I feel sure 

 that this show will act as a stimulus to help 

 them in surmounting the many difficulties they 

 have to overcome. 



ign from those of other 



of a different de? 

 peoples. 



In Japan perhaps this is brought to notice 

 more strongly than elsewhere, owing to the 

 novel forms of ornamentation which they use 

 in giving expression to art in landscape. They 

 have nothing in common with any other style 

 of garden architecture. The forms of gardens 

 seen throughout Europe are but a conglomera- 



CiARnENs OF Japan. 



National Gardens. 



By \V. H. I'AiNE, F.R.H..S. 



I.— JAPAN. 



JUST as nations are distinctive in their 

 tongue, using words in different adjustment 

 to give expression to certain ideals, so we 

 find the several nations giving expression to 

 art in various manners. The placing of objects 

 of decoration or the general outline of structure 

 give each an original cast or local colour. And 

 largely from this cause we find our gardens 



tion of various national ideas, massed together 

 for quick effect by commercial gardeners, who 

 in the vastness of their work have little time to 

 study art in landscape plans. Ugly terraces, 

 vases, useless steps, very large water tanks 

 dumped down for ducks and fish to swim in, 

 but certainly not as statue of beauty. But in 

 Japan if steps are used it is for landscape 

 effect. They are so placed as to wind out of 

 sight, leading at the same time a tempting 

 way to some glorious point of view, and that 

 point is never missed by the Japanese. For 

 instance, we take steps leading us through 



