i88 GARDENS: THEIR FORM AND DESIGN 



a pennon in his paws, and formed the centre to a raised 

 flower-bed, round which was a low, painted wooden rail. 

 In those days they had not the many flowers that we 

 now boast, and so, perhaps, gardens required more dress- 

 ing up by artificial means to gain enlivenment ; for we 

 read, too, of gilt bird-cages and coloured glass hanging 

 suspended from treillage galleries. 



It is possible that these heraldic representations upon 



FIG. 106. 



columns had as their origin the symbolic figure of Hermes 

 so frequently used in Roman times. This very early 

 decoration went by the name of Hermes. It was at first 

 a squared wooden post, usually tapered, and diminishing 

 downwards to facilitate its being driven into the ground. 

 Used for marking out boundaries of land, it often bore 

 upon it the head of Hermes, who was tutelary god of 

 the fields. As ornaments became more generally intro- 

 duced into gardens, a pillar of stone with the god's head 

 formed the centre of a flower-bed. 



In England our climate does not allow of very free use 

 of statuary, and also we have not the play of strong 

 sunlight, which makes for real beauty when the shadow 

 from trees that surround the marble figure flickers upon 



