288 



ENGLISH PLEASURE GARDENS 



Modern 

 style. 



size, but they are often much narrower. The green is 



usually enclosed by a wall or hedge, or sunken below 

 the level of the lawn. Many new 

 bowling-greens are being constructed, 

 as bowling has lately begun to return 

 into fashion. 



As to style, 'modern taste is eclectic ; 

 it would be difficult to say whether the 

 most inspiration has been recently 

 derived from mediaeval, Elizabethan, 

 Italian, Dutch, or French authorities. 

 Many modern instances contain selec- 

 tions from each, but unfortunately few 



of the former are really representative of the present cen- 

 tury, or a fine expression of characteristic English taste. 

 In some of the best modern English gardens there is 



a combination of classic statuary, 



Renaissance fountains, French 



perspectives, Dutch topiary work, 



and flowers from all over the 



world. But in such a garden, 



when there is breadth given to 



the masses of colour and a proper 



regard to scale and proportion, the 



effect is not always incongruous. 



Among the gardens where originality has been 



shown in the rearrangement of quaint old features, that 



