CHAP. I VILLA GARDENING 5 



not framed alike any more than their faces, and there is room for 

 working out every shade and variety of opinion. And the more 

 thought there is brought to bear upon any business the better. As 

 regards formal or 



Geometric G-ardening, that eternal "fitness of things" to 

 which I have already alluded will find and suggest many a place 

 where it can be appropriately carried out. In small gardens, where 

 the outUnes are formal, there nnist of necessity be straight lines, and 

 the geometrical pattern fits in so easily with a square house ; but 

 even in this case sharp points and corners should be avoided as 

 much as possible, for they contribute neither gi-ace nor beauty to 

 the scene. A house or building of any kind without tree furniture 

 has always a bare and barren look about it, and whoever adopts 

 the geometric style of gardening must bear in mind that it is more 

 expensive than where one can set out beds and borders by simply 

 trailing a long rope behind as one walks round the place, and 

 mark out the beds, borders, and walks by driving down stakes on 

 the rope's sinuous course. It is the custom in building the villa to 

 place it in the centre of the grounds, but when the place is limited 

 in extent this is not always wise, as it cuts up the ground so much 

 and contracts the gardener's efforts. A better plan would be to 

 place the house farther back, or to select the site so as to give more 

 scope for creating a deeper, more extensive view from the windows. 

 There must of necessity be room behind for the ofiices, but if a 

 good part of the ground is in front of the house, the sm-face could 

 be so arranged as to give greater apparent extent without sacri- 

 ficing either appearance or utility. There wovdd thus be more 

 privacy, and room might be found in front and on the flanks for 

 fruit and vegetables if it was not thought desirable to give up so 

 much space for merely ornamental purposes. Apples and Pears, 

 Asparagus and Strawberries might be elevated in character, and 

 perhaps better cultivated, by promotion to a more prominent posi- 

 tion. In building a villa residence where the garden was thought 

 worthy of being made a special feature, there may be circumstances 

 under which it woidd be desirable not only to put back the house, 

 but to alter its position from right to left, or wherever the best 

 effects could be obtained, taking advantage of the formation of the 

 ground. I have known villas so badly placed as to be cramped in 

 front, whilst behind there was plenty of room. 



I merely throw out this hint, not with the view of dictating to 

 any one, but as a suggestion out of which something miglit per- 

 haps grow. Intricate patterns that may attract attention on 

 paper generally lose some of their beauty when laid down in the 

 garden, and the difliculties of planting such patterns satisfactorily 



