406 Old Time Gardens 



served, to form the lower boundary of a garden, 

 where, laid out with a shaded, grassy walk dividing 

 it from the flower beds, they form the loveliest of 

 garden limits. Planted skilfully with great Art to 

 look like great Nature, with edging of Elder and 

 Wild Rose, with native vines and an occasional con- 

 genial garden ally, they are truly unique. 



Yew was used for the most famous English hedges; 

 and as neither Yew nor Holly thrive here — though 

 both will grow — I fancy that is why we have ever 

 had in comparison so few hedges, and have really no 

 very ancient ones, though in old letters and account 

 books we read of the planting of hedges on fine 

 estates. George Washington tried it, so did Adams, 

 and Jefferson, and Quincy. Osage Orange, Bar- 

 berry, and Privet were in nurserymen's lists, but it 

 has not been till within twenty or thirty years that 

 Privet has become so popular. In Southern gardens, 

 Cypress made close, good garden hedges ; and Cedar 

 hedges fifty or sixty years old are seen. Lilac hedges 

 were unsatisfactory, save in isolated cases, as the one 

 at Indian Hill. The Japan Quinces, and other of 

 the Japanese shrubs, were tried in hedges in the 

 mid-century, with doubtful success as hedges, though 

 they form lovely rows of flowering shrubs. Snow- 

 balls and Snowberries, Flowering Currant, Altheas, 

 and Locust, all have been used for hedge-planting, 

 so we certainly have tried faithfully enough to have 

 hedges in America. Locust hedges are most grace- 

 ful, they cannot be clipped closely. I saw one lovely 

 creation of Locust, set with an occasional Rose Aca- 

 cia — and the Locust thus supported the brittle Aca- 



