270 COME INTO THE GARDEN 



sive growth of the plants in a wild garden is held 

 just within bounds by the gardener, as a matter 

 of fact, who sets limits and maintains fair play 

 by force of his authority, in order that he may 

 enjoy a greater number of kinds assembled to- 

 gether than would otherwise be possible within 

 the prescribed limits. That this is what the 

 gardener does in any kind of garden — no more, 

 no less — simply indicates further that it is the 

 way in which these plants are assembled, quite 

 as much as the kinds of plants, that we have to 

 consider. Their associations are equal in im- 

 portance to themselves, and the disposition and 

 character of paths, trees, shrubs, stones and 

 every possible element must be in harmony — 

 the whole conveying a sense of solitude and 

 really virgin retreat. 



It is manifestly impossible to hypothesize all 

 the circumstances, places or conditions that will 

 invite the development of a wild garden. Such 

 conditions exist sometimes in the midst of seem- 

 ingly the most uncordial spots and again they 

 are absent when it seems perfectly logical to ex- 

 pect to find them. In general I may say that 

 very often it is the place that seems pretty hope- 

 less from the gardening viewpoint, that may be 

 properly devoted to the creation of a wild gar- 

 den. Sometimes it is the grade irregularities 



