A COMMON SENSE GARDEN 37 



writing to Apollinaris about his Tusculan villa, 

 describes the terrace as bounded by a Box hedge, 

 from whence there was an easy slope adorned with 

 Box trees cut to represent various animals; and 

 beyond, a circus ornamented in the middle with a 

 Box tree, the whole framed in by a walk covered 

 with Box rising by different stages to the top. 

 The circus survives in our gardens to-day in the 

 round bed placed at the intersection of two paths. 

 Out of respect to Pliny let us ornament it in the 

 middle with a Box tree! 



Could the abundance of Box during the early 

 centuries account for the tricks its odour plays 

 the memory now? It is said often to recall long- 

 forgotten incidents of childhood vividly to mind 

 in middle age; and wonderful tales have been re- 

 lated of the power of its perfume suddenly breathed 

 to present to the mind of an individual of one 

 generation events that had happened in the pre- 

 ceding one, and of which he had never heard. 

 There is no doubt but that the associations of Box 

 are mysterious and romantic and of a pleasing 

 nature to those who are fond of flowers. 



In Pliny's time the chief gardener, who was in 



