SIMPLER FLOWER GARDEN PLANS. 297 



bushes and grass of the country, here and there scattering a few bulbs 

 on the grass, but generally leaving things as nature had left them. 

 The walks, instead of following the French sections of eggs pattern or 

 the conventional serpentine walks of some landscape work were made 

 in the line of easiest grade and where they were most wanted and 

 are not more in number or area than were necessary. There was no 

 attempt made to make the walks conform to any preconceived idea. 

 The grass walk under the Oaks was suggested by the Oaks them- 

 selves, and it is very pretty in effect. Originally several terraces 

 had been run up at all sorts of awkward angles, and the ground 

 was consequently more difficult to deal with than can well be 

 imagined ; these were thrown into one simple terrace round the 

 house planned in due relation to its needs and the taste of the 

 owner. The flower garden was laid out in simple beds as shown 

 on the plan, and below these the necessary grass walks lead out 

 towards the open country. Once free of the flower garden and the 

 walk leading to it the ground took its natural disposition again. The 

 kitchen garden had been in its present place originally ; its position 

 could not be changed, and was therefore accepted and walled round 

 with Oak. The whole garden is quite distinct from any other, which 

 in itself is a great point. This garden was, as I think all gardens 

 ought to be, marked out on the ground itself without the intervention 

 of any plan. A plan is always a feeble substitute for the ground, and 

 even if made with the greatest care and cost has still to be adapted 

 to the ground. The plan shown in the engraving was made after 

 my work was done. 



SHRUBLAND PARK. The plan here given is that of the new 

 flower garden at Shrubland Park, which is situated exactly in front 

 of the house, and tells its own story. It shows the simple form 

 of beds adopted, planned to suit their places, in lieu of the complex 

 pattern beds for carpet bedding, sand, coloured brick, and also the 

 change from such gardening to true flower-gardening. The names of 

 the plants used are printed in position, but the actual way of grouping 

 cannot well be shown in such a plan the plants are not in little dots, 

 but in easy, bold groups here and there running together. The flower 

 gardening adopted is permanent, i.e., there is no moving of things 

 in the usual wholesale way in spring and autumn. The beds are 

 planted to stay, and that excludes spring gardening of the ordinary 

 kind. But many early spring flowers are used in the garden, the 

 mainstay of which is summer and autumn flowers, the period chosen 

 for beauty being that when the house is occupied and all beautiful 

 hardy flowers from Roses to Pansies that flower from May to 

 November are those preferred. There is no formality or repetition 

 in the flower planting but picturesque groups, here and there running 



