THE NEW SUBURBAN GARDEN 229 



is here advised is vastly better than having a stiff j^edge 

 of tiles. I am quite prepared to admit that well-laid tiles 

 look neat and orderly ; but they also look stiff. With 

 a straight row of tiles one looks for straight lines of plants, 

 and although a formal border thus formed may look 

 cheerful enough it has not the light, graceful, natural air 

 of one made up with rock- work. 



The only advantage of wood edging is cheapness. Box 

 is not suitable for a suburban garden. Whitened stones 

 are an abomination in a garden. 



In suggesting a rockery in one of the angles of a party 

 fence I mentioned that flat stones might be laid irregularly 

 round it. These, in short, might be used to pave a little 

 garden court the second section of our garden. With 

 a small rock garden, a summer-house and possibly a 

 pool, the whole well enclosed, a delightful little garden 

 snuggery could be made. A pretty idea is to set a sun-dial 

 in the middle. 



A weakness of many suburban gardens is that nothing 

 is done to clothe the walls and fences, which therefore 

 stand in all their native ugliness. Rather than have bare 

 areas the suburbanist should make lavish use of Chrysan- 

 themums, which will grow in almost any atmosphere. 

 When walls or fences are under consideration people's 

 thoughts turn naturally to climbers, and generally be- 

 come fixed, so that other types are overlooked. Now, 

 Chrysanthemums are certainly not climbers, but none 

 the less they are among the best of plants for covering 

 low erections, as if planted near the support the branches 

 can be trained fanwise across the surface and tacked in 

 with shreds. They will grow vigorously if given plenty 

 of water in dry weather, clothe the fence in a mantle of 

 green in summer, and make a brave display of orange, 

 yellow, fawn, white and crimson flowers in autumn. I 



