Trees and Shrubs 73 



season for the country, whereas in England this 

 season is more often in the winter. On the other 

 hand, in the flower garden, where the health of 

 herbaceous plants demands it and formality is 

 quite out of place, I maintain the old style which 

 I have described in the shrubberies, though 

 within bounds, and with this difference, that I 

 conceal the black earth as much as possible by 

 flowering perennial plants. 



To the flower beds themselves I give a distinct, 

 defined shape and surround them preferably by 

 basket-work ; sometimes I make use of ironwork, 

 or sometimes of wooden borders bound with 

 cord, earthenware, tiles, leaf-shaped or other- 

 wise ; also borders of merely plaited osiers with 

 an overhanging arch on which I train flow^ering 

 vines, etc. Flower beds, star- and rosette-shaped, 

 surrounded by box borders, big vases, French 

 parterres with gravel walks and elegant flower 

 stands, — all these are here in place with appro- 

 priate surroundings. 



From what I have said one sees that Mr. 

 Nash is at bottom an innovator only in this, that 

 he has applied to the "pleasure-ground" (that 

 is, the larger garden which represents something 

 midway between park and garden) the same 

 principles that hold good in all wild wood and 

 shrub plantations ; namely, that the true line of 

 beauty of the exterior of a plantation must lie in 

 imperceptible transitions, sharp angles, and deep 

 recesses, here and there in almost straight lines, 

 broken, however, by single projecting trees and 



