48 GARDENS : THEIR FORM AND DESIGN 



the beds are only kept for this one purpose. The more 

 formal they are in character the more practical they will 

 be, and they should also be near a path, so as to be easy 

 of access (Fig. 39). 



As an example of this, Fig. 40 can be repeated four 

 times round an ornamental feature, for there is no reason 

 why a reserve garden should be ugly or dreary, as so 

 often is the case. We are apt to think of long narrow 

 beds, surrounded by black ash paths, relegated to the 

 vicinity of the frame-ground and the refuse- heap. Surely 

 a garden where the chatelaine brings her friends to gather 



FIG. 40. 



sweet-smelling flowers should have some ornament or 

 design about it. 



The one in the old garden of Bury Rostaing, near 

 Blois, consists of many small plots, with little baby 

 cypress- trees at the corners. A square-mesh treillage 

 pergola surrounds the whole garden, and from here we 

 can walk in shadow and look through openings at the gay 

 flowers in the centre (Fig. 41). 



Lavender is useful when grown as a hedge for dividing 

 some of the plots. It looks nice, casts slight shade on 

 tender young plants, and is useful to cut from for the 

 linen-presses. 



Two very charming terraces in an ancient walled-in 

 grange garden come to mind The plan was formal, 

 and the beds very much raised in the centre, which 

 always gives an important, old- fashioned air. Surround- 

 ing the garden were tall standard Japanese cherry-trees, 



