CHAPTER V 



Square and Narrow Gardens 



A SQUARE plot of ground is usually considered difficult to turn 

 into a pretty garden, yet there are many ways in which this can 

 be done. Probably a formal design is most suitable, but this does 

 not preclude the gardener from introducing graceful curves, al- 

 though angles are more in keeping. Fig. 1 gives a plan for quite 

 a simple flower garden. In the centre is a rose-covered pavilion 

 or shelter, open on all sides, but large enough to give plenty of 

 shade in which to place chairs. Rambling should be associated 

 with other climbing roses, so as to ensure a long succession of 

 bloom, and there should be room for some Clematis as well. A 

 grass bank, planted on the summit with the popular trailing or 

 wichuraiana roses, forms one boundary, a rose hedge another. The 

 roses along the lawn edge might be pillars, weeping standards or 

 half standards, or bushes of strong growing sorts, such as Japanese 

 Briar (rugosa), Madame Isaac de Pereire, Briar Una, and others. A 

 square Dutch garden can be made very charming. Note how in 

 Fig. 3 a trellis tops one rockery bank and an' ornamental railing 

 another ; the railing would be best of wood to match the trellis, 

 and both could be painted white, pale or dark green or brown. 

 The second flight of steps leads directly to the grass, but if this 

 was objected to the borders D and E could be divided by gravel 

 paths leading to the gravel surrounding the other beds. A suit- 

 able choice of plants would be A, Lilies ; B, Yellow Begonias ; C, Rose 

 Begonias ; D, White Marguerites ; E, Yellow Marguerites, all to be 

 preceded by bulbs ; F, G, I, and J, Carnations of different colours ; 

 H, Heliotrope ; K, Pompon Dahlias ; L, Hybrid Pyrethrums ; M, 

 Pansies ; N, White Nicotiana ; O, Violas ; P, pompon Chrysanthe- 

 mums ; Q, Polyantha white roses; R, Polyantha pink roses ; S, dwarf 

 Michaelmas Daisies ; T, Pansies ; U, coloured Nicotiana ; V, Cen- 

 taurea montt^na in blue rose and white ; W, dwarf autumn Phlox, 



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