44 GARDEN PLANNING 



path. Rather let it enjoy its liberty. The 

 occasional plant which has more than repaid 

 your care by exceeding its neighbour in vigour 

 of growth deserves encouragement. Let it 

 sprawl in reason. It will soften the edge 

 of your border and redeem the straightness 

 of its line. I would even designedly place 

 certain plants so that they may behave in 

 this manner. 



And, lastly, beware of the too liberal prun- 

 ing of trees and shrubs. Nature is always right. 

 She gives a character to each one of her crea- 

 tions, which is its birthright. To trim all trees 

 to a uniform shape, like the wooden models in 

 a child's Noah's Ark, is to destroy their indi- 

 viduality and charm, and to introduce the 

 very essence of formality into the garden. 



