ROOT-WORK. 



273 



ROOT-WORK. 



Root- WORK. — The roots of trees, 

 and especially large roots including 

 the stool or base of the tree after 

 the trunk has been cut down to the 

 ground, may be combined together 

 in various ways, useful, ornamental, 

 or curious, in gardening. Two or 

 three large stools of trees grouped 

 together on a lawn, with mould and 

 plants placed in their interstices, 

 form a striking contrast to the 

 .smoothness and high art displayed 

 on the general surface of the lawn. 

 The plants placed among the roots, 

 whether in pots concealed by mosses, 

 stones, or mould, or planted in soil, 

 should never be of indigenous kinds 

 common in the locality ; for these 

 might be mistaken for weeds ; but 

 of exotic kinds, such as Geraniums, 

 Petunias, Maurandyas, &c., or of 

 British or Eiu'opean alpines of small 

 size, neat foliage, and with brilliant 

 flowers. The idea to be kept in 

 view is, that of creating artificial 

 ornaments without much expense ; 

 and, therefore, the roots must never 

 appear to have been left where they 

 are, by carelessness or accident, but 

 placed by design, and with refer- 

 ence to the composition of which 

 they form a part. In many situa- 

 tions, conglomerations of roots, as 

 a receptacle for plants, are more 

 pleasing than conglomerations of 

 stones, because they display less 

 effort, and seem a more natural and 

 easy way of obtaining a nidus for 

 ornamental plants. Too much effoii; 

 and expense for attaining any object 

 is never altogether so satisfactory 

 as when the same object is obtained 

 with ease and economy. Hence 

 nistic seats in a pleasure-ground, 

 and rustic vases, or other vessels for 

 containing plants, are more satisfac- 

 tory than cast-iron seats or marble 

 vases, imless indeed the latter are 

 connected with some building. 

 Eoots may also be combined to- 



gether so as to form seats, open or 

 covered huts, grotto-like structures, 

 and grotesque bridges ; and one ob- 

 ject for which they are particularly 

 suitable is for placing on the margin 

 of pieces of artificial water along 

 with trees, bushes or plants. A 

 smooth expanse of water, like a 

 smooth lawn, requires shade and 

 roughness to contrast with it, in 

 order to produce a striking effect ; 

 and roots at once supply both rough- 

 ness and shade. In placing them, 

 a part of the root should always be 

 covered by the water, and another 

 part by the soil ; and by planting a 

 young tree or bush adjoining the 

 I root, a double contrast is produced 

 1 between the root, which gives the 

 j idea of an aged tree long since felled 

 or dead, and the erect young shoot 

 which foretels a future tree. The 

 shadow of the group so formed in 

 the water is a circumstance that 

 redoubles the interest. 



Roots may be piled up, and con- 

 nected together by wooden pegs, so 

 as to form arches, arcades, or covered 

 ways, or grottoes, or other struc- 

 tures, for shelter or repose ; the 

 interstices being filled in with moss 

 or heath, and the exterior being 

 thatched with heath, or the chips 

 or shavings from hoops, common in 

 counties which abound in coppice- 

 wood, such as Sussex. Roots also 

 may be piled up so as to form gro- 

 tesque fences, which are suitable 

 for certain situations and purposes. 

 A flower-garden in a wood or seques • 

 tered glen, surrounded by a fence 

 of this kind, has sometimes a strik- 

 ing effect ; and sometimes the area 

 of gravel before the entrance front 

 of a villa is separated from the lawn 

 by an irregular ridge of roots, varied 

 by greenhouse plants, with the pots 

 concealed. 



A very common error in the use 

 of roots, is that of mixing them 



