CHAPTER XVII 



THE WOODLAND GARDEN 



In several country places I have lately seen woods of 

 singular tree beauty — woods with all the natural advan- 

 tages of soil, air, and country, and well placed near the 

 house — a charm which does not always occur. There 

 was all the dignity and grace of trees planted with loving 

 care by past owners ; but such woodland is very often 

 neglected until ugly plants such as Nettles, Dog's 

 Mercury, and, most hateful of all, the Common Elder 

 and Privet take possession. 



In such woods covert is sought for game, shelter and 

 other ends, and there is no reason why it should not 

 take a beautiful form. No situations about a country 

 house offer such opportunity for beauty as these wood- 

 lands, where we can mass and enjoy many of the most 

 beautiful of native and other shrubs for which there is 

 not always room in the garden. They would be far 

 better in the woodland garden than in the usual mixed 

 shrubbery; and while good wholesome undergrowth 

 does not interfere with the trees, but rather helps them, 

 the growth of weeds and Grass rankling over the ground 

 is hurtful in many ways. Some of the finest natural 

 woods have a natural undergrowth of evergreen shrubs, 

 as for instance in the Californian forests with their 

 undergrowth of lovely evergreens, the trees rising with 

 clean stems far above them. 



The first aim should be to get rid of the weedy and 



