326 THE GARDEN, YOU, AND I 



birch screen, the old wall rockery, etc. The rockery 

 and rose garden are in their proper relation, but the 

 other portions should be given perspective by framing, 

 and the result of my day-dreams is that this, accord- 

 ing to nature, should be done by the grouping of 

 shrubs and the drapery of vines. 



I now for the first time fully understand the uses of 

 the pergola in landscape gardening, the open sides 

 of which form a series of vine- draped frames. I had 

 always before thought it a stiff and artificial sort of 

 arrangement, as well as the tall clipped yews, laurel 

 trees in tubs, and marble vases and columns that are 

 parts of the usual framework of the more formal 

 gardens. And while these things would be decidedly 

 out of place in gardens of our class, and at best could 

 only be indulged in via white- painted wooden imitations, 

 the woman who is her own gardener may exercise 

 endless skill in bringing about equally good results 

 with the rustic material at hand and by following wild 

 nature, who, after all, is the first model. 



I think I hear Evan laughing at my preachment 

 concerning his special art, but the comprehension of 

 it has all come through looking at the natural landscape 

 effects that have happened at Opal Farm owing to 

 the fact that the hand of man has there been stayed 



