ROCKINGHAM 



In large gardens where ample space permits, and even in those of narrow 

 limits, nothing is more desirable than that there should be some places, 

 or one at least, of quiet greenery alone, without any flowers whatever. 

 In no other way can the brilliancy of flowers be so keenly enjoyed as by 

 pacing for a time in some cool green alley and then passing on to the flowery 

 places. It is partly the unconscious working out of an optical law, the 

 explanation of which in every-day language is that the eye, being, as it 

 were, saturated with the green colour, is the more ready to receive the 

 others, especially the reds. 



Even in quite a small garden it is often possible to arrange something 

 of the sort. In the case of a place that has just one double flower-border 

 and a seat or arbour at the end, it would be easy to do by stopping the 

 borders some ten feet away from the seat with hedges of yew or horn- 

 beam, and putting other seats to right and left ; the whole space being 

 turfed. 



The seat was put at the end in order to give the whole view of the 

 border while resting ; but, after walking leisurely along the flowers and 

 surveying their effect rrom all points, a few minutes' rest on one of the 

 screened side seats would give repose to the eye and brain as well as to 

 the whole body, and afford a much better preparation for a further 

 enjoyment of the flowers. 



It was probably some such consideration that influenced the designers 

 of the many old gardens of England, where yew, the grand walling tree, 

 was so freely used. The first and obvious use was as a protection from 

 wind and a screen for privacy, then as a beautiful background, and 



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