i8o 



THE NATURE BOOK 



There should be shrubbery borders at the 

 foot of the house walls planted with 

 sweet-scented Verbena, with bush Honey- 

 suckle and Mock Orange, with Myrtle. 

 Lavender, and China Roses. Then the 

 house would seem to ha\'e a greater 

 affection lor the garden and be less 

 likelv to rob it of its charm. 



window with as little compunction as it 

 creeps up the house wall. One cannot 

 help feeling a strong affection for such a 

 plant as this : if only well and carefully 

 pkinted it seems as though it could never 

 do enough to reward you, and considers 

 all obstacles as something to be covered 

 with a delicate tracery- of elegant leafage. 



Photo>^tafh by J'. Mason Oomi, HinJiJuU. 



A LKAF-KNCLUSTEKED COTTAGE." 



The effect of the house on the attrac- 

 tiveness of the garden is seldom realised. 

 Who, after a glance at the creeper- 

 covered, leaf-enclustcred cottage shown in 

 the illustration on this page, can doubt the 

 influence of the house to make or mar the 

 beauty of a garden ? This is an ideal 

 cottage around which to make an old- 

 fashioned English garden. The garden 

 should come near to the doors of the 

 house, then the narrow borders and 

 flower-fringed doorway would bridge the 

 httle ga]). making the whole domain a 

 (k'lightful home of flowers. Even the 

 roof itself should know the clinging 

 Virginian Creeper that recognises no 

 conventions, and cHml)s the chimney. 

 covers the roof, and clings to the bedroom 



Even a cold north wall, where few flower- 

 ing ])lants will thrive, has no terrors for 

 this ubiquitous creeper, which clings as 

 firmly to the shadowed bricks as to those 

 well warmed by the sun. 



But the Rose remains King of climbing 

 plants : there is none to rival its pro- 

 fusion of blossom, its fragrance, homeliness 

 and charm, and in the making of an old- 

 world garden, climbing roses must cover 

 the house walls with a galaxy of fairest 

 blossom. The King of climbing plants is 

 just a little fastidious, and droops and 

 pines under neglect, but who, knowing 

 the fascinating l)eauty that lies hidden 

 within the prosaic green shoots, would 

 be guilty of such bad gardening as to 

 ignore the needs of the consort of the 



