WILLIAM MORRIS 293 



their morsel of ground in the simplest way, to fence - it as 

 orderly as might be, one part from the other — if it be big 

 enough for that — and the whole from the road, and then to 

 fill up the flower-growing space with things that are free and 

 interesting in their growth, leaving Nature to do the desired 

 complexity, which she will certainly not fail to do, if we do 

 not desert her for the florist, who, I must say, has made it 

 harder work than it should be to get the best of flowers. . . . 



As to colour in gardens. Flowers in masses are mighty 

 strong colour, and if not used with a great deal of caution 

 are very destructive to pleasure in gardening. On the whole, 

 I think the best and safest plan is to mix up your flowers, and 

 rather eschew great masses of colour — in combination, I mean. 

 But there are some flowers — inventions of men, i.e. florists — 

 which are bad colour altogether, and not to be used at all. 

 Scarlet geraniums, for instance, or the yellow calceolaria, which, 

 indeed, are not uncommonly grown together profusely, in order, 

 I suppose, to show that even flowers can be thoroughly ugly. 



And now to sum up as to a garden. Large or small, it should 

 look both orderly and rich. It should be well fenced from the 

 outside world. It should by no means imitate either the wilful- 

 ness or the wildness of Nature, but should look like a thing never 

 to be seen except near a house. It should, in fact, look like a 

 part of the house. It follows from this that no private pleasure- 

 garden should be very big, and a public garden should be divided 

 and made to look like so many flower-closes in a meadow, or 

 a wood, or amidst the pavement. 



It will be a key to right thinking about gardens if you will 

 consider in what kind of places a garden is most desired. In a 

 very beautiful country, especially if it be mountainous, we can do 

 without it well enough; whereas in a flat and dull country we 

 crave after it, and there it is often the very making of the home- 

 stead. While in great towns, gardens, both private and public, 

 are positive necessities if the citizens are to live reasonable and 

 healthy lives in body and mind. — HoJ^es and Fears for Art. 

 (' Making the Best of it:) 



