134 GARDENS IN THE MAKING 



The second group of stairways may be described 

 best by referring to the illustrations. The sketch 

 of Ashdown Place (fig. 35) shows a useful method 

 of descending from one terrace to another where it 

 is desired to avoid the sharp vertical boundary of 

 the retaining wall. The steps are arranged in pairs 

 with turf levels between them, and their great 

 breadth preserves the open character. Fig. 34 

 shows an isolated descent from a terrace through 

 a deep herbaceous border. The flowers on either 

 side give a kind of moral support to the steps, and 

 the vases with cut trees relieve the comparative 

 poverty which would otherwise be inseparable from 

 so small a feature. A similar service is rendered 

 by the clumps of grasses which are shown in fig. 2 1 

 on a simple grass bank, but the finest supporters 

 on either side of a broad flight of steps are un- 

 doubtedly to be found in Irish yews, trimmed or 

 untrimmed, standing like giant sentinels outlined 

 against the sky. As a rule it is better to arrange the 

 stairway at each end of a terrace or series of terraces 

 rather than in the centre, since the stair provides an 

 interesting architectural finish or flanking feature, as 

 well as being rendered more effective in itself by this 



