THE USE OF GARDENS 



his evasion of the obligations plainly imposed upon everyone who 

 practices this form of art, is a sad and sorry thing, a grief to the 

 man of taste and an offence to the serious student. Not only does 

 it add nothing to the sum total of human achievement, it actually 

 exercises a harmful influence upon those impressionable minds which 

 are apt in their groping for guidance to take their inspiration from 

 the showiest example rather than the best. Assertiveness, preten- 

 tiousness, vulgar insistence upon the crude beliefs which come from 

 imperfect and misdirected study are all to be feared as causes of the 

 degeneration of aesthetic understanding ; they lead to the setting up 

 of a false standard in practice and they encourage a pernicious 

 disrespect for nature's authority. In all ways they are demoralising, 

 for they are perpetually in opposition to sane methods of expression 

 and they refuse all tolerance to reticence and quiet sincerity. 

 However, it is a matter for much rejoicing that in the large number 

 of gardens, old and new, which are to be found in the British Isles, 

 very few can be condemned as glaring examples of bad taste. The 

 art of gardening has been judiciously cultivated in this country, and 

 the great majority of our designers have set to work on thoroughly 

 sound principles. At their worst they have only made the mistake 

 of imagining that nature would be tamed and brought into obedience 

 to human rules, and that her infinite variety could be neatly and 

 systematically tabulated fortunately, not many of them have de- 

 liberately attempted to undermine her authority. So British garden- 

 making is, on the whole, full of legitimate interest and well worth 

 studying on account of the illustrations it affords of an art which has 

 a world-wide interest and a power of appeal to all classes of men. 

 The gardener has undoubtedly chances here which can hardly be 

 said to exist in the same degree in many other parts of the world. 

 Our climate encourages the growth of a large number of trees and 

 flowers which lend themselves perfectly to decorative purposes ; and 

 though it does not permit the gorgeousness and luxuriance which 

 are characteristic of tropical vegetation, it makes possible a kind of 

 stately beauty in nature which can be frankly admired. The designer 

 has at his disposal an ample amount of material for the producing of 

 charming effects, a long series of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants, 

 which will grow freely and flourish under all ordinary conditions ; 

 and he has almost a monopoly of that smooth, velvety turf which 

 is so inestimably important as a setting for the best features of the 

 well-ordered garden. Moreover, he has not to fight against the 

 difficulties caused by extreme changes of temperature or by pro- 

 longed periods of drought ; as a rule he is helped to attain the effects 

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