rich, and made to resemble stone. 



The border for the beds on the -ides is generally common 



1 ._ burnt clay tiles, 



of neat designs. 

 Occasionally a 

 vase is used 

 for the center ; 

 and we have 

 seen a little 

 rockery occupy 

 I the place, but it 

 is not the place 

 for a rockery. 

 The space not 

 occupied by 

 beds is covered 

 with flagging or 

 gravel. Some- 

 times the side 

 walls, and even 

 I-MKANCK COURT. the front garden 



wall furnish support for rockeries, which then take the place of the borders shown in the engraving. 



We introduce this illustration for the encouragement of those dwellers in our cities and villages 



who have not yet learned how much can be made of little. 



BALCONY GARDENS. 



Those who have noticed the advance of rural taste in America during the past thirty years- 

 have seen developments unequaled in any 



country, in any age of the world. Beautiful 



orchards and lawns, and gardens, and tasteful 



houses abound, where, a few years ago, we saw 



the crooked rail fence, the trees and stumps 



and small log cabins. We scarcely pass through 



a village in any part of the country, but we 



see some place so nicely arranged, so beautiful, 



and possessing some feature so entirely new, 



that we are tempted to take out our pencil and 



make a sketch on the spot. 



We have to thank the architects in Roch- 

 ester for planning houses with shady recesses 



over the front doors, which afford opportunity 



for the most elegant adornment, and which our 



people have not been slow to improve. We 



were so pleased with this feature, that we had 



drawings taken of two which presented exhi- 

 bitions of rural beauty that gave more pleasure 



to their owners and to the thousands who 



passed by, than would thousands of dollars 



expended in architectural display. With plenty 



of water, plants can lie kept in such situations 



through the summer in perfect health. 



In the selection of plants for such places 



more regard must be had to elegant foliage 



than beautiful flowers; but it is absolutely 



necessary to obtain those that will keep in 



perfection a long time, whether chosen for 



foliage or flowers. Plants that rapidly attain their best estate, ripen and pass away, may be 



20 



iiAi.roxv GARDEN. 



