THE NEW SUBURBAN GARDEN 225 



making the garden really pretty and artistic ; but other 

 ideas are worthy of consideration. 



It is generally a good plan to divide a small rect- 

 angular plot into two sections. At the outset this seems 

 to be imprudent, because of reducing space. If, however, 

 a rustic fence or trellis-work erection is utilized for the 

 division instead of a hedge, plant-space is really increased, 

 for climbers may be planted on it. Trellis- work painted 

 green makes a very cheap division and support, and may 

 be used, but if curved oak is procurable at reasonable cost 

 it should be preferred. At a convenient point an arched 

 opening may be made through which to gain access to 

 the farther part of the garden. 



Hedges should be avoided in suburban gardens. They 

 are not beautiful, they take up a good deal of room, and 

 the roots are greedy. 



An improvement on the flat border which often lies 

 between the path and the fence of a suburban garden 

 is a raised border supported at the front by two layers 

 of large stones. For this purpose stones should be pro- 

 cured that are nearly as thick as they are long roughly 

 square, in fact. Pieces of a foot to eighteen inches thick 

 will be convenient in size. The first layer should be 

 bedded firmly against loose soil packed in behind and 

 between them ; then the second layer can be put in 

 position on them, but an inch or two farther back. The 

 two layers of stones should not be set geometrically, as 

 in laying bricks for a wall, but somewhat irregularly, so 

 that there are crevices between them. They should, 

 however, be made quite firm and secure, so that they 

 may not slip down on to the path. 



When the soil has been filled in at the back to just 

 above the level of the stones the suburbanist will have 

 a raised border about two feet deep. The soil at the back 



