FORMATION OF A TOPIARY GARDEN 39 



of sunlight. There is a strong and vigorous growth 

 about the latter which is not to be found in those planted 

 in a shady spot. It may not always be practicable to 

 plant each tree in a garden where it will receive the full 

 benefit of the sun ; but it is an object which should ever 

 be kept in mind, and carried out as far as possible. 



The yew is a tree which repays good treatment, 

 especially when year after year it is subject to clipping 

 and never suffered to grow in its natural state. 



The situation chosen for a Topiary Garden should be 

 a hollow, or piece of ground slightly sunk below the 

 general level of the surrounding land. If this should 

 be impracticable, it would be advisable to make a terrace 

 on at least one side of the ground marked out for the 

 garden, preferably the north side, as a terrace on the 

 north side cannot interfere with the full benefit of the 

 sun, or obscure it from the trees in any way. There is 

 no place whence Topiary work is seen to greater advan- 

 tage than from a terrace, or, indeed, from any elevated 

 spot from which one can look down on the garden. A 

 terrace, in my opinion, has a double recommendation, 

 inasmuch as besides adding beauty to the garden it also 

 affords good shelter ; and shelter is a necessary con- 

 sideration. In fact it is of almost as much importance 

 to provide efficient shelter as it is to get the greatest 

 possible amount of sunlight, which I have always con- 

 sidered to be absolutely indispensable to the welfare 

 of the various species of trees planted in a Topiary garden. 

 Nothing is more injurious to the yew tree than strong 

 winds from whichever direction they may happen to blow, 

 and more especially are they hurtful if the garden be 

 situated near the sea. If such be the case, and the garden 

 be not well sheltered, the salt spray every now and then 

 blown up even several miles inland, has a very deleterious 

 effect on the trees. I have seen old and splendid speci- 

 mens of the yew disfigured for several years from this 



