258 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



England, and the evil is growing every day. There are various 

 serious objections to iron fencing, but we will only deal here with its 

 effect on the landscape. Any picture is out of the question with an 



iron fence in the foreground. Where an open 



Fences and fence is wanted, nothing is so fine in form and 



dividing lines, colour as a split Oak fence and rails made of 



heart of Oak with stout posts. A sawn wood 

 fence is not so good. As Oak is so plentiful on many estates, good 

 examples of split Oak post and rail fences should be more often seen. 

 Oak palings are often used, and sometimes where a good live fence of 

 Holly, Quick and wild Rose on a good bank would be far better ; but 

 Oak paling is often a precious aid in a garden as a dividing line 

 where -the colour of brick or other walls would be against their use, 

 or where for various reasons walls would not be desirable or a live 

 fence suitable. 



Sunk fences of stone or brick are often of the highest value in 

 the pleasure ground, and sometimes near the flower garden, as they 



help us to avoid the hideous mechanical fences of 

 Sunk fences and our day, and are often the best way of keeping 

 retaining walls, open views, especially if planted with a garland 



of creeping plants or wild roses above. They 

 should be strongly if roughly built, without mortar, and they may 

 be a home for beautiful plants. They should be made on a " batter" 

 or slightly sloping back, the stones packed close together, i.e. without 

 much earth, and layers of rock plants should be put between them. 



Simple form of garden seat, Warley Place. 



Retaining walls or sunk fences could be made admirably in this way, 

 and where they permit of it may be made into beautiful alpine 

 gardens. Apart from the sunk fence, there is often need for low 

 retaining walls, especially in places of diversified surface. These 

 walls also may be made the home of delightful plant beauty in the 

 simplest way. Particulars of these things will be found in fuller 

 detail in the chapter on Rock Gardens. 



