168 ORNAMENTAL GARDENING. 



a plot perfectly straight in its surface line is pleasing, 

 and seems to fit a place better than any other could, but, 

 as a rule, some variation from the straight line is prefer- 

 able. 



In nature we find more delight in the bold hills and 

 valleys than in level stretches of plain. This is because 

 we love variety, and in undulations of the surface, we 

 find a form of this, independent of the variety afforded 

 by that which grows upon it. This fact suggests the de- 

 sirability of introducing undulations, wherever the size 

 of grounds and other circumstances will allow. 



For small grounds of a third of an acre and less, aside 

 from buildings, the even or slightly crowning center is, 

 as regards shape, the best. But even in these, in many 



Fig. 13.— AN UNDULATING BORDER. 



cases a decided departure may be made which, without 

 destroying the identity of the style, will afford scope for 

 bringing in not only considerable variety of surface in 

 places, but also the means for greatly increasing the 

 beauty in other ways. I refer to the making of a series of 

 undulations which are to be treated as cultivated borders, 

 for some years at least, to be planted with small trees, 

 flowering and evergreen shrubs and plants. 



These borders should come mostly along the boun- 

 daries, and may vary in width according to the size of the 

 place. Figure 13 illustrates the outlines of one of these. 



The merits of such borders in creating interest and 

 variety in a place, however small, are several. Firstly, 

 by making them of varying widths throughout their 

 length, the ground in them may be made more crown- 



