LAWNS, GLADES AND GARDEN WALKS. 



glade to give a good colour contrast of dark green and russet, just at the time of year 

 when it is most valuable. Any of these subjects will also make a good material with 

 which to mark the sides of the glade where box is not used. They would be kept to a 

 straight line at either side of the grass and allowed to sow themselves back into the 

 woods as far as they will. All three stand drip very well in any part of the country. 

 Where the glade is of a more formal character, as in illustration No. 155, a stone edging, 

 such as that shown, may be more suitable, or, if the extra trimming of edges involved is 

 not objected to, a freer effect may be obtained by arranging the stones as shown in 

 the sketch (111. No. 158). 



In the consideration of these three features, formal and informal lawns and grass 

 glades, we have mentioned constructional points which specially relate to each, and 

 before turning to the subject of garden walks, must supplement these remarks with 

 a few practical considerations which apply to all. 



Drainage of Briefly, the two things of paramount importance in the formation of a stretch of 



lawns. greensward of any kind are adequate drainage and a good soil. With regard to the first 



of these, if the ground retains too much moisture, the grass turns yellow and is also apt 

 to burn sooner than on well-drained ground, for the roots will be nearer the surface, and, 

 in bad cases, grass will refuse to grow at all and moss will appear instead. Much money 

 and time are often wasted on lawns which are too wet, in sowing and fertilizing with 

 bone dust and other manures, when all that is required is a proper system of drains. The 

 ordinary land drains are best for the purpose. These are earthenware pipes of three 



inches or upwards in diameter and made in short 

 lengths without socketted joints. They are laid end 

 to end in the trench dug for them and a layer of 

 stone, brick-bats or other dry material laid over 

 them, before putting back the material excavated. 

 The water runs into the spaces between the stones 

 and so into the pipes between the open joints. 

 Occasionally one finds that, in certain soils, they 

 soon become choked with loose matter carried into 



the pipes by the water. In this case, heather, furze or some other filtrant should be 

 put into the trench round the pipes; but this should not be done without first consulting 

 the farmer who has tilled the surrounding land, and who will know the method which 

 best suits the local conditions. All land drains will, of course, unless a good fall is 

 obtainable, silt up in the course of years and must be opened up, emptied and relaid, 

 and this is one reason why one finds so many old lawns which are in a poor sodden 

 state, bald in patches and slippery to the feet. The tendency to silt up can of course 

 be very much lessened where it is possible to give the pipes a good fall or slope so 

 that the water will run rapidly in them and scour them out. 



Where the whole surface of a large lawn, say a double tennis lawn, is to be drained, 

 " herring-boning," as it is called, is usually the best way. This consists of laying a 

 main drain pipe along the longest diameter of the lawn and arranging tributary drains 

 on either side every ten to fifty feet according to circumstances, in the same way that 

 the spines radiate from the backbone of a fish. The main drain may be six inches 

 in diameter, with side drains of four inches, or four inches with the tributaries three 

 inches according to the wetness of the ground and the local rainfall. Where the outfall 

 drain crosses a drive for heavy traffic, stoneware pipes should be used, as these are 

 stronger and less liable to be crushed by heavy weights going over. Sometimes drains 

 are formed by cutting a trench and merely partially filling it with dry rubbish, such as 

 dry flints, through which the water can percolate, then filling up with earth. In other 

 cases a V shaped trench is cut and the bottom part, about six inches deep, is bridged 



FIG. 158. 



128 



