WALKS AND LAWNS 35 



of doors ; it is the setting for the host of beautiful 

 flowers and shrubs which come to gladden our hearts as 

 the warm sun dispels the snows and mists of winter. 

 That style of design must be accounted best which 

 spares no pains to give a fair spreading lawn to every 

 garden, no matter what its size. Nothing tends to give 

 greater breadth and dignity to a place than a stretch of 

 well kept turf, and nothing is more restful to the eye 

 than the prospect of cool greensward. The lawn, or 

 a portion of it, should always be seen from the best parts 

 of the house ; not even the choicest shrubs, or the rich- 

 est terrace gardens, will satisfy in the same manner. On 

 large lawns there may be recesses at intervals, in which 

 tender plants or choice colonies of lilies, backed with 

 rhododendrons and azalea, will receive comparative 

 shelter. 



The size and shape of lawns intended for croquet and 

 tennis will necessarily be determined by the rules of the 

 game, often, unfortunately, to the detriment of the general 

 effect. The sunk lawn, surrounded with a low bank, 

 which is often made for croquet, is by no means beauti- 

 ful, and the banks, unless made with an easy slope, are 

 difficult to keep evenly trimmed. For both games the 

 designer would do well to consider the comfort of spec- 

 tators, who are frequently compelled to sit in the blazing 

 sun. A shady pergola with convenient openings would 

 be very welcome if covering a path running parallel to 

 the lawn ; or a clipped yew hedge, though somewhat 

 heavy and lacking both colour and variety, might add 

 considerably to the pleasures of the onlookers. At any 

 rate, a shady cloister of living plants would be far 

 preferable to the stuffy little summer-house which is 

 often the only form of shelter. 



The impression of space is very ably conveyed by a 

 good lawn, and this is the more easily attained if there 

 are but few walks in the vicinity. An irregular fringe 



