ISO GARDEN-CRAFT. 



masters fully realised this. They sucked out the 

 honey of wild things without carrying refinement too 

 far before they sipped it ; and in garnering for their 

 House Beatitifu/ \.\\e rustic flavour is left so far as was 

 compatible with the requirements of Art — " as much 

 as may be to a natural wildness." And it were well for 

 us to do the same in the treatment of a lawn, which 

 is only the grassy, sun-chequered, woodland glade 

 in, or between woods, in a wild country idealised. 



A lawn is one of the delights of man. The 

 ^'Teutonic races" — says I\Ir Charles Dudley Warner, 

 in his large American way — '' The Teutonic races all 

 love turf; they emigrate in the line of its growth." 

 Flower-beds breed cheerfulness, but they may at 

 times be too gay for tired eyes and jaded minds ; 

 they may provoke admiration till they are provok- 

 ing. But a garden-lawn is a vision of peace, and 

 its tranquil grace is a boon of unspeakable value 

 to people doomed to pass their working-hours in 

 the hustle of city-life. 



The question of planting and of lawn-making 

 runs together, and Nature admonishes us how to set 

 about this work. Every resource she offers should be 

 met by the resources of Art : avoid what she avoids, 

 accept and heighten what she gives. Nature in the 

 wild avoids half-circles and ovals and uniform curves, 

 and they are bad in the planted park, both for trees 

 and greensward. Nature does not of herself dot 

 the landscape over with spies sent out single-handed 

 to show the nakedness of the land, but puts forth 

 detachments that befriend each the other, the boldest 



