THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



to -cind about in all directions and the la-ens tire not to be left a broad e.vpanse, but 

 dotted about icith Pampas Grasses, foreign shrubs, or anything else that id 1 1 break 

 up the surface. As was said by a witty Frenchman, " Nothing is easier than to 

 lay out an English garden ; one 'has only to make one's gardener drunk and follow 

 him about}'- THE FORMAL GARDKN. 



There is not a word said here of the plain fact that we may have 

 true and artistic ways, as well as stupid ones, of forming paths and 

 getting fine variety of surface by planting, without dotting lawns with 

 Pampas Grass, or of the equally plain fact that we can make walks 

 through lawn or wood or by river in lines of easiest gradation and most 

 convenient access without going through any of the antics above 

 described or in any way violating good sense. There is not a word in 

 the above paragraph which is true of good work in landscape planting. 



That bad and ignorant work is done we can no more deny than 

 the existence of the barrel-organ or the Victorian villa, but a man 

 must be blind to the truth who writes thus without knowledge, as 

 there are innumerable instances in every county of picturesque plant- 

 ing without deception of any kind. The true work of the landscape 

 gardener is wholly different ; it is to study the natural forms of the 

 ground and keep to the best of them ; to have keen eyes for every 

 charm of natural growth and to save it for the future beauty of the 

 place ; to know also all the trees of the northern world fitted to adorn 

 it ; to make living pictures, in fact easy to those who have eyes and 

 hearts for the work, but impossible otherwise. 



Another like statement of the writer on clipping trees that wearies 

 us by its want of knowledge of Nature is this : 



A clipped Yew tree is as much a part of Nature that is, subject to natural laius, 

 as a forest Oak; but the landscapist, by appealing to associations which surround 

 the personification of Nature, holds up the clipped Yew tree to obloquy as something 

 against Nature. Sofar as that goes, it is no more unnatural to clip a Yew tree than 

 to cut grass. 



The answer is that we mow turf to walk upon ; for the pleasure to 

 the eye of short turf, or for the pleasure of walking on it in the hot 

 days, or for the relief and repose it gives ; for by cutting grass short 

 we disfigure nothing, throw no naturally beautiful things into grotesque 

 or ugly forms offensive to the artist, and all who care for true form. 

 Moreover, short turf is not an artificial thing, as there are many 

 natural lawns on the mountains of Europe, short and crisp as ever 

 lawn was seen ; set, too, with alpine flowers and guarded by outposts 

 of stately mountain trees. 



LANDSCAPE PAINTING AND GARDENS, There are few pictures of 

 gardens, because the garden beautiful is rare. Gardens around country 

 houses, instead of forming, as they all might, graceful foregrounds 

 to the good landscape views, disfigure all, and drive the artist away 



