FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND HOUSES, ETC. 367 



A sawn wood fence is not so good. As Oak is so plentiful on many 

 estates, good examples of split Oak post and rail fences should be 

 more often seen. Oak palings are often used, and sometimes where a 

 good live fence of Holly, Quick and wild Rose on a good bank would 

 be far better ; but Oak paling is often a precious aid in a garden as a 

 dividing line where the colour of brick or other walls would be against 

 their use, or where for various reasons walls would not be desirable or 

 a live fence suitable. 



Sunk Fences and Retaining Walls. — Sunk fences of stone 

 or brick are often of the highest value in the pleasure ground, and 

 sometimes near the flower garden, as they help us to avoid the 

 hideous mechanical fences of our day, and they are often the best 

 way of keeping open views, especially if planted with a gar- 

 land of creeping plants or wild roses above. They should be strongly 

 if roughly built, without mortar, and they may be a home for beauti- 

 ful plants. They should be made on a " batter " or slightly sloping 



Simple form of garden seat, Warley Place. 



back, the stones packed close together, i.e. without much earth and 

 layers of alpine plants should be put between them. Retain- 

 ing walls or sunk fences could be made admirably in this way, and 

 where they permit of it may be made into beautiful alpine gardens. 

 Apart from the sunk fence, there is often need for low retaining walls, 

 especially in places of diversified surface. These walls also may 

 be made the home of delightful plant beauty in the simplest way. 

 Particulars of these things will be found in fuller detail in the chapter 

 on Rock Gardens. 



Seats. — It is rare to see a garden seat that is not an eyesore. 

 Few make them well and simply in wood, and there is always decay 

 to be considered. Of our own woods. Oak is the best. Stout heart of 

 Oak laths screwed into a simple iron frame without ornament make a 

 good seat. They are best without paint and in the natural colour of the 

 Oak wood. No seat is so good as one of good stone simply designed 



