The Art of Growing Flowers 5 



the plants will have a better chance for develop- 

 ment ; and a few large beds with clumps of flowers 

 planted seemingly at random will be far less 

 formal than set beds and borders apparently 

 designed with a view to putting into the garden 

 all that could be crowded in. Straight lines in a 

 small garden are preferable but on a large plot, 

 curves and angles may be indulged in, though 

 elaborate, fancy shapes are never to be desired. 

 It is the plants which should be displayed, not the 

 beds. The more natural the appearance of the 

 garden the more beautiful it will be. Anything 

 suggestive of artificiality will detract from the 

 picture at a glance. 



The contour of the garden, as well as the pro- 

 portions of the lot, must be studied before the 

 planting is begun. A straight narrow lot cannot 

 be treated in the same manner as the lot irregular 

 in shape. The irregular lot already is informal. 

 If possible, dispense with a fence around the 

 garden. In localities where animals are allowed 

 to run at large this will not be possible, but even 

 then it may have flowers and shrubbery planted 

 near to break the lines, and vines may be trained 

 to grow on it. Both perennials and annuals 

 should be included in the list of flowers, perennials 

 in order that new growth will not have to be 



