THE HOUSE AND THE GARDEN 235 



cause limes so arranged give the most continuous shade 

 and because straight walks are the most direct. An 

 avenue of Thuyas is an instance of irrational formality. 

 They serve no useful purpose. They are mere orna- 

 ments, as tiresome in their meaningless repetition as 

 the obelisks of a pompous Baroque building. The 

 motive is always the test of formality in garden de- 

 sign as in architecture, and of informality as well as. 

 of formality; and in both cases irrational or vulgar 

 motives betray themselves at once to the expert, and 

 produce some vague discomfort even in the inexpert. 

 There should be a reason, and a good one, for every 

 feature in a garden as for every feature in a house 

 meaningless irregularities are as offensive in the one 

 as in the other; and so are meaningless formalities. 

 Reasons, of course, must depend upon the designer's' 

 purpose; and some purposes make more for beauty 

 in gardens than others. We may rule out all pur- 

 poses of mere ostentation, which are as sure to pro- 

 duce ugliness in the garden as in the house. We may 

 also rule out the purpose of imitating nature, as being, 

 except on the outskirts of very large gardens, both 

 misguided and impracticable. There is also the purely 

 horticultural purpose, very common now, which may 

 produce much beauty of detail, but will not produce 

 a beautiful design. Lastly, there is the purpose of 

 making the garden a pleasant habitation in hours of 

 ease and fair weather, just as there is the purpose of 

 making the house a pleasant habitation at all times. 

 Only with this purpose can a garden be made con- 



