98 GARDENS: THEIR FORM AND DESIGN 



reproduce. There is a decided feeling amongst the 

 moderate, broad-minded admirers of old-fashioned garden 

 craft that there are certain positions in modern gardens 

 where a touch of it will greatly enhance the values 

 of natural grouping. As the artist, having worked 

 up quietly, and in a minor key, a large portion of his 

 canvas, knows just where to give that bright and 

 gleaming bit of detail which will carry the eye to the 



FIG. 72. 



important feature of his picture, so it is with garden 

 design. Near the house, and where formality calls for a 

 light touch, a playfulness, there we can with full assurance 

 have recourse to a small piece of topiary work. 



Such quaint cut figures as Fig. 72 either may be 

 isolated in some rather striking position in a garden, 

 where they give relief to brilliant colouring and fit in 

 with the historic date of the building, or, more often, are 

 best in pairs to form an entrance to a surprise garden. 



It is but poor fun to spend some guineas upon buying 

 a box or yew tree shaped to a conventional pattern, and 

 chosen from amongst innumerable similar ones at a 

 crowded flower-show. The amusement comes by each 



