32 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



seats, fountains, summer-houses that are not inviting, and 

 pergolas. My advice therefore to those who are worried 

 by a pergola that has become troublesome is, sweep it 

 away and plant trees or shrubs in its place ; and to those 

 who feel inclined to build one I would say, think twice 

 and thrice before deciding. A pergola in the wrong place 

 is distressing ; an ugly pergola is a sin against art ; a well 

 placed pergola of good design, suitable for climbing plants, 

 may be a delightful feature and a source of interest during 

 summer ; but it will not be cheap, and it will need a lot 

 of attention from the gardener ; it must be well furnished 

 with the right kind of plants. There are such pergolas 

 in England, but not many. 



The most pergolarised garden I have seen is that 

 formed by the late Lord Battersea, at Overstrand, near 

 Cromer. Most of the walks appeared to be roofed with 

 pergolas, on which grew a great variety of climbers. In 

 summer the plants were both attractive and interesting, 

 so much so that one did not notice the effect of the 

 pergolas in the general scheme. Probably in winter they 

 would give the garden a kind of bird-cage look. 



There are sometimes positions in a garden where a 

 pergola would not be unsuitable. The best is as a cover- 

 ing to a walk from the house to a shelter house or other 

 structure; or to an entrance gate. Even then it must 

 be considered from several standpoints, for it sometimes 

 happens that a pergola has been erected where it destroys 

 the best view in the garden. Another likely position is 

 over a path running parallel to a tall hedge, the latter 

 to form one side of the pergola, as it were. It must 

 not be forgotten that the plants trained up and over a 

 heavy- topped pergola cannot be properly seen from 



