CHAP. VII VILLA GARDENING 45 



CHAPTER VII 



THE NATURAL GARDEN 



A VILLA garden laid out in the natural style may be small or 

 comparatively large, according to the means of the owner. If 

 large, it will probably comprise several distinct features ; but for 

 the present I will assume that it does not altogether exceed an 

 acre. The house and offices will probably be situated near the 

 centre, with the best rooms facing the south, overlooking that part 

 devoted to flowers and shrubs, with the vegetable garden in the 

 rear — that is the usual way of placing villas of the character I 

 have now in my mind. Instead of laying out the ground in the 

 usual way with geometrical figures and formal paths and edgings, 

 we will adopt a diff"erent course, which will possess the advantage 

 of always looking neat without much labour, and at the same time 

 always contain something worthy of admiration. The first thing 

 to see done is to make the soil as good as possible, and deepen it 

 by digging and trenching, taking notice of its character as we go 

 on, so as to select suitable furniture ; for we must recognise the 

 fact that some plants are fastidious in the matter of food, and 

 unless healthy and flomishing they cannot yield satisfaction. 



The paths must be well constructed of sound materials, so as to 

 be dry and comfortable to walk upon in all weathers, and the main 

 path — which leads, it may be, from the public road to the house — 

 must make manifest its utility by trending in an easy, natural 

 manner to the door without any ungraceful windings or twistings 

 for increasing the apparent extent of the grounds. In a garden of 

 this character the paths should be in accordance with the main 

 idea of the place — that is, the main path and its utility as an 

 approach must be apparent without any attempt at deception ; but 

 more freedom of treatment may be allowed in all the smaller path- 

 ways, although of course, even in their case, that fitness of things 

 to which I have elsewhere alluded must never be lost sight of. 

 But with this proviso they may meander about from point to 

 point, taking in at every turn some object of interest — a choice 

 shrub or rare plant, it may be, which requires a near view in order 

 to realise and enjoy its beauties to the fullest extent. As this 

 garden when once planted is not to cost much in keeping, there 

 will of course be no 



Lawn, in the ordinary sense of the word, but Ivy may be 

 used to cover any open place immediately under the windows, to 



