INTRODUCTION. XXlX 



involved in the matter to admit of its being made intel- 

 ligible or clear on paper. It is more desirable to be 

 thoroughly conversant with the points essential to be 

 observed, in order to produce a beautiful whole, rich in 

 variety throughout, than to be provided with plans on 

 paper for this or any other style of planting. Perhaps 

 the first and most important point — to all the smaller 

 classes of gardens it will be so, at least — to keep in 

 view in the planting of a mixed border is, that it should 

 be so arranged, and composed of such materials, as to 

 be more or less replete with interest at all points at 

 all times, if not in flowers, at least in foliage and in 

 diversity of individual aspect. In order to be able to 

 bring about this result, the planter must have an inti- 

 mate knowledge of the height, colour, habit, and aspect 

 at all seasons, and the time of flowering, and the dura- 

 tion of the flowers, of the difl'erent subjects to be planted. 

 Skill and taste in grouping must do the rest. It should 

 be remembered that freedom and grace ought to have 

 prominent consideration in mixed borders, and that 

 along with these there must be order; the plants being 

 graduated easily and gracefully from front to back. 

 Rigid lines, however, as in geometric planting in the 

 massing system, should always be avoided ; but it will 

 be necessary to consider the bearings of the contiguous 

 subjects at any given point both on each other and 

 upon the whole, especially when space is limited. Mon- 

 otonous and frequent repetitions of the same efl'ect are 

 undesirable. Harmony of colour and harmony of 

 form, and agreeable contrasts of both, are of equal 

 importance in mixed planting as in massing. An 

 outrage of the one or the other may be more easily 



