GARDEN CITIES 139 



discontented until he can live amid equal healthfulness and beauty. 

 And thus, without waiting for socialism or any political revolution, 

 the city life of the world may be radically changed within two or 

 three centuries. Already cities on the Letchworth plan are spring- 

 ing up like magic in old England. 



It is easy to be sceptical and to criticize, but I believe that every 

 doubt and objection you can raise will be satisfactorily answered if 

 you will send for that book of Ebenezer Howard's and write to Letch- 

 worth and Bournville. And I believe that you and I could start a 

 stock company and establish one of these perfect cities within 

 five years! 



GARDENING LESSONS FROM BOURNVILLE 



Having told the most important lessons of a general nature 

 which England can teach us about garden cities, I now wish to re- 

 cord some technical gardening lessons which we can learn from such 

 a beautiful place as Bournville. 



1. Ordinary fruit trees are too big for a city lot. Even half 

 dwarfs take up too much room. Dwarf bushes and pyramids are 

 the best (see plate 57). In this way every one at Bournville has 

 a dozen varieties of tree fruits on his place. 



2. The finest street effects are made by using only one kind 

 of tree on a street and spacing the trees at regular intervals (see 

 plate 58). Thus, Acacia Road is planted with the rose acacia 

 (Robinia hispida), a small tree with showy pink flowers which 

 does not rob the gardens as elms would. 



3 . Streets may be made to look warm in winter and cool in sum- 

 mer by following the Bournville plan. In cold weather red brick and 

 English ivy are comforting. In hot weather Bournville looks cler.n 

 and cool, because every street is lined with trees and every yard is 

 surrounded by a hawthorn hedge, so that the dominant effect is green. 



