68 GARDENS: THEIR FORM AND DESIGN 



hidden, and plants flourish best when brought in contact 

 with an unvarying temperature like wood. 



All the gardens that overhang the steep banks and 

 walls of Siena have upon the edge either pergolas or a 

 short espalier of vines. This looks well upon the border 

 of any banked-up terrace-garden. We gain a feeling of 

 security, and plants grown upon the terrace behind are 

 thus sheltered against sun or wind. It is possible, if 

 stone-work be too expensive, to make the foundations of 

 these banks quite firm by embedding in the earth old 

 railway-sleepers. Should these trellises need strengthen- 

 ing in places, a piece of disused gas-pipe can be used and 



FIG. 54. 



skilfully concealed behind a bamboo cane. By bending 

 the horizontal bamboo lines in and out of the upright ones, 

 an almost self-supporting trellis is made. If tied in places 

 it is quite secure, and clematis, with canary creeper near 

 it, looks well on such a fence. The above suggestions 

 may appear very primitive to those who hand over their 

 garden designs to a skilled bricklayer, but in these days 

 of economy for all I venture to offer them. It is not 

 expensive stone- work that makes a garden lovely, for 

 beauty is alone gained by care in the arrangement of 

 details. 



For a town or suburban garden, we may take another 

 idea from Siena. A railing similar to Fig. 54 divides one 

 garden from another. The uprights are painted a dull 



