October Looking Forward 



a place in which to grow flowers, and it deteriorates into 

 a series of beds and borders, lacking charm and void of 

 inspiration ; it is, in facfc, a flower show. A garden should 

 be a place of alternating light and shadow ; of cool 

 arbours and shady seats looking out upon groups of 

 brilliant flowers ; of winding walks that lead to unsus- 

 pected beauties; of tree and shrub groups, of neutral 

 greys and soft greens, that enhance the effect of the 

 gardener's galaxy of colour ; in short, a happy blending of 

 natural planting and artificial cultivation. Some features, 

 as for example a straight walk or a lawn, are attractive 

 only when possessing the dignity of length or spacious- 

 ness. In a small garden it is better to have a grass walk, 

 as wide and long as circumstances allow, than a small 

 square grass plot ; a short winding walk is better than a 

 short straight one. Much can be done to add variety and 

 fresh interest to a garden by planting a screen of shrubs 

 here, curving a walk there, raising a mound somewhere 

 else, and the present is the time to put this work in hand. 

 Veiling the Outlook. The small garden is generally 

 less attractive than the large one because its incongruity 

 is apparent ; it is out of harmony with its surroundings 

 and obviously an artificial creation. No garden can 

 charm fully unless it is, either apparently or 'really, in 

 an agreeable setting. As the environment of the small 

 garden is usually such as to detract from, rather than 

 add to, its beauty, there remains only for the designer to 

 deceive. Since one is powerless to alter the surroundings, 

 the deception must be directed towards modifying the out- 

 look. This needs to be done with care, or the plot may 

 be exposed by its own artificiality. It is a simple matter 

 to hide an ugly object with a belt of trees or a bank 

 of shrubs (why one should be a " belt " and the other 

 a "bank " it is not easy to say), but there is little gained 

 by doing so ; either is obviously planted for the purpose 

 of a screen, and one does not shut out beauty from a 

 garden. It is better to veil the offending spot with 



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