68 COMMON SENSE GARDENS 



one finds them in old gardens and yards, and not 

 to scatter them indiscriminately about the grounds. 

 Box was planted at the foot of the front porch 

 steps, although this position, especially in New 

 England where formality was not much followed, 

 was often preempted by the Lilacs. At the cor- 

 ners of the beds in the garden and in the round 

 bed at the intersection of two paths it seems 

 very much at home. Hedges of Box were planted 

 along the front yard paths and on the tops of re- 

 taining walls in the immediate vicinity of the 

 house, along walks leading to the kitchen garden 

 and as screens around back and side porches. 



Lilacs were used to a great extent as screens, 

 too, and planted behind walls along the roads and 

 lanes where they were allowed to grow into high, 

 un trimmed hedges. A few stately specimens were 

 to be found shading the well kerb; and there were 

 clumps before the front windows of the dwellings 

 where the fragrant clusters often swung in at the 

 second story casements. Varieties of the com- 

 mon Lilac (Syringa vulgaris are the ones usually 

 seen and they are the best Lilacs to use to-day for 

 a good, substantial Lilac effect. Many of the new 



