58 



THE VILLA GARBENER. 



surface of the grass, or decidedly above its level, in order to increase the expression of art, 

 and to take avf ay from the common-place idea of merely digging down a portion of the turf 

 of a particular shape, and planting it with flowers. 



8. In the case of flower-beds on turf or lawn, where a regular gardener is not kept, the 

 outlines of the beds ought to be formed by concealed brickwork, masonry, tiles, or slates , 

 otherwise, every time the grass is mown, and the edges of the bed ti-immed with the spade, 

 and, especially, every time the beds are dug, their outlines will be liable to be put out of 

 shape. Where common bricks and plain tiles can be procured, the simplest mode of fixing 

 the outlines of the beds or borders is by forming an underground outline, if the expression 

 may be used, by tiles or bricks laid on their broad sides, at an angle of 45°, as shown in the 



section, flg. 24. ; in which 



a is the brick, 6 the sur- 

 face of the grass, and c 



the surface of the dug 



bed, decidedly under the 



level of the grass plot, 



agreeably to Rule 7. On 



the other hand, when the 



surface of the dug bed is 

 to be above the level of the turf, agreeably to the same rule, the brick should be placed as 

 at d mjiri. 25. ; the turf kept to the level shown at c, and the surface of the bed to the level 

 shown at /. When plain tiles are to be used instead of bricks, they may either be let into 

 the ground perpendicularly, and then- upper edge kept to the level of whichever surface is 

 to be the highest (viz. that of the grass plot, or the bed) ; or they may be laid sloping in 

 the same manner as the bricks, which will form a very delicate outUne, well adapted for 

 beds in small front gardens. IJy using semich-cular tiles, and inserting them perpendicularly 

 in the soil, very neat cui'vilinear outlines may be formed ; but such tiles cannot be used in 



27 



26 \\ ix ^ a sloping direction, like bricks or 



plain tiles. Fig. 26. shows the 

 tiles letm perpendicularly, form- 

 ing a bed 2 in. higher than the 

 surrounding turf. Fig. 27. shows 

 the tiles let in in the same man- 

 ner, and the bed made 2 in. 

 lower than the surrounding tui-f. 

 Fig. 28. shows the tiles laid in, in a sloping manner, so as to form a bed the thickness of 



the tile only under the 



level of the turf; and 



fg. 29. shows the tiles so 



arranged as to form a 



bed only the thickness 



of the tile higher than 



the surrounding turf. 



Fig. 30. is a surface plan, 



showing the manner of 

 forming the outlines of beds with semicircular tiles. 



9. Wliere it is desired to express high art, every bed or border ought to be surrounded ; 

 or, if the border be against a wall, bordered on one 

 side, vrith either a raised or a depressed framework 

 of turf, or of stone, or bricks, or pebbles, flints, &c. 

 Where the beds are raised, the plants grown in 

 them should be such as do not require excess of 

 moisture, and which thrive best in a free air ; such, 

 for example, as pinks. Where the beds are lowered, 

 an excellent opportimity is afforded of growing 

 plants which require more than ordinary moisture, especially when they are in flower 

 such as ranunculuses, polyanthuses, heart's eases, &c. 



10. Borders of brick or stone, or other architectural mateiials, ought, in general, to be 



SHiiiiteiiiiiM 



