CHAPTER XXIX. 



LAWNS AND PLAYGROUNDS. 



THE lawn is the heart of the true British garden, and of all forms 

 of garden the freest and, may be, the most varied and charming, 

 adapted as it is to all sorts of areas from that around the smallest 

 house. It is above all things the English form of garden made best 

 in the rich level valley land, and, with the least amount of trouble 

 and labour to make or keep it, certainly gives the best result in 

 effect. The terrace garden we have seen, in its origin and best 

 meaning, arises from wholly different sort of ground from that on 

 which we make a lawn. If the Italians and others who built on hills 

 to avoid malaria had had healthy and level ground they would have 

 been very glad of it, and thought it beautiful. With the lawn there 

 is little or no trouble in securing fine background effects, variety, 

 pretty dividing lines, recesses for any favourites we may have in the 

 way of flowers, freedom, relief, air, and breadth. There is room on 

 the lawn for every flower and tree, from the Cedar, and the group of 

 fruit trees planted for the beauty of their flowers and fruit, down to 

 rich beds of Lilies. 



One of the most foolish dogmas ever laid down about a garden is 

 that made in a recent book by an architect, in which we are told 

 emphatically that there is no such thing as a garden to be made 

 except within four walls. Many of the most beautiful gardens in the 

 British Isles are without any other aid than a background of trees 

 and evergreens, with no trace of walls, which are absolutely needless 

 in many situations to get the most artistic results in a garden. And 

 lovely gardens may be made around lawns without marring the 

 breadth and airiness which is the charm of a lawn, or in the least 

 interfering with the use of its open parts as a playground. 



Where there is space enough there are reasons in country places 



for cutting off by a hedge a playground from the garden or pleasure 



ground, as is done at Madresfield and Campsey 



Climber- covered Ash and many of the older gardens ; and what is 



alleys. used generally is the Yew or Holly, but clipped 



hedges give little shade and no flowers. Now, in 



the like position, if we adopt the pergola, we get shade, and many 



graceful flowers. Clematis, tall Roses, Wistaria, and almost every 



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