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THE PARKS AND GARDENS OF PARIS. [Chap. XVI. 



paration needed for shrubs or flowers may be hidden beneath the 

 green turf. When men come to see the meaning of real garden- 

 ing, they will laugh at the endless weary strainings after patterns 

 in beds. They will not admire a garden that is laid out as men 

 used to design wall-paper ; now better things are expected of 

 wall-paper designers. Here is an engraving of a little garden on 

 the banks of the Seine near Courbevoie, and in it there are no 

 beds at all in the central parts. With its varied trees and shrubs, 



A Paris Garden not spoiled by Beds. 



and masses of Rhododendrons against the house, and deep green 

 fence of Irish Ivy, it is quite charming even through the winter. 

 In such a garden one may have as much variety of flowers as may 

 be desired, and one of the ways of best attaining this end is by 

 having groups of beds, simple in outline, a little Avay from the 

 central scene. All the really fine hardy plants, from Tritomas to 

 Grasses and Yuccas, maybe planted to best effect in good ground, 

 but not in formal beds. Where a geometrical series of beds is 



