286 GARDEN PLANNING 



finishing touches that he may add distinction 

 to the picture, and he should, therefore, study 

 his work as it proceeds, looking for opportunities 

 for minor embellishments and effects in detail. 

 I do not mean that he should seek for an over- 

 elaborated result, but he should be alive to 

 possibilities, and should neglect none of the 

 various openings which may present themselves 

 for artistic work in a small way. 



I have already dealt with colour in the plant- 

 ing of beds and borders, but there are other 

 places in which the garden maker may intro- 

 duce charming effects. One of the most gor- 

 geous pieces of colour work I have ever seen 

 was the result of planting Virginia creeper at 

 the foot of a clump of small firs in the fore- 

 court of a country residence. In a short time 

 it had clambered up amongst the dark foliage, 

 and had festooned it with graceful sprays. In 

 summer the foliage told as light green against 

 dark, but the effect in autumn, when every leaf 

 was vivid carmine, was indescribably beautiful. 



I remember also a similar effect in a Scottish 

 garden, in which a flame nasturtium {Tropcsolum 

 speciosum) had taken possession of a large 

 straggling elder tree, and wreathed it about 



