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Historic Gardens of Virginia 



labored effect may be understood from the following comment, re- 

 cently heard: "I don't see any design. Just looks like two walks 

 and a lot of bushes." 



A ripening friendship with the garden and the needs of the 

 family have determined a few modifications. It is doubtful whether 

 the rose garden will ever be made — certainly not in the place shown 

 in the plan. More probably the space will be thoroughly leveled 

 for bowls, croquet and clock golf, and the west and south 

 boundaries, formed by low retaining walls of field stone, planted 

 with sedum, wall-flowers, and rock-cress. Probably the seats in 

 the shrubbery will never be placed, as it has been found most 

 pleasant to have garden chairs and tables under the pines near 

 the lily pool. Again, it was found that the arbor vitae hedge on the 

 second terrace did not do well under the large trees, so this part 

 of it has been replaced by a border of cornels, viburnums and 

 shrub roses, to which holly is being added from time to time. 



Up to the present, the design has been carried out only on the 

 first and second terraces, and some little idea of the material used 

 must be given. In the corners, against the north side of the house, 

 are American holly and American and Japanese mahonia, under 

 which are ferns. Bordering the west walk, and screening the ser- 

 vice yard, is a forsythia bank about thirty yards long, planted 

 with viridissima and inteiTnedia edged down with suspensa. This 

 is now about eight feet high, and behind it are a few small flower- 

 ing trees. The shrubbery backing the herbaceous border to the west 

 is almost entirely of lilac and mock-orange, with a few red buds to 

 break the skyline. This shrubbery is not much seen from the house 

 in winter, and the unattractiveness of such bushes during the 

 dormant period is not conspicuous. The shrubbery backing the 

 other border is composed of viburnums, cornels and barberries, with 

 some edging of stephanandra. On the terrace bank, under the pines 

 and near the pool, are summer hydrangea, sorbaria Aitchisonii, 

 aralia and ferns. These are interesting throughout the fall and 



[340] 



