THE PAVED GARDEN 163 



and perseverance to turn poor material into good work. The 

 material we used was either dug up in this garden or brought 

 here as rubbish to fill in a new drive ; so each stone had first 

 to be sorted out of dozens and then to be shaped with mallet 

 and chisel. 



Experience was a fine teacher to the amateur builder of 

 this wall. The chief points he learned were these : Have a 

 firm and level foundation trench, with the foundation at least 

 6 inches below ground-level. Place the stones in layers, and 

 keep them in a straight, horizontal line. As in brick-laying, 

 let one stone lock another, that is, one joint come under the 

 centre of the stone above. The face of the wall must incline 

 inwards, so as to lean against the bank it supports. This wall 

 might be called serpentine-fronted. The first illustration shows 

 how it bows forward in the centre, about one third of the 

 length being shown. The seedling Pinks, Dianthus plumarius 

 annulatus hybrids, were planted as the building progressed, 

 and were each encouraged by a handful of good loam. The 

 second illustration shows the result. Another thing to re- 

 member is to ram and pack the soil tightly behind and 

 between the stones. Just above the Pinks is Convolvulus 

 althceoides. All through the summer its soft pink flowers have 

 shimmered and glowed on this warm, sandy bank, and in 

 winter one is thankful for its beautiful silvery grey leaves, 

 shaped like those of the Passion Flower. One word of 

 warning. This graceful Bindweed wants plenty of room 

 one realises this if the illustrations are compared for it has 

 now pushed its way through the stones, has invaded the 

 Cistuses, and is fast taking possession of the Nepeta Mussinii 

 above it ; but it requires a well-drained soil and a southern 

 aspect to make it such a ramper. 



The Cerastium pennsylvanicum was just arriving at its 

 winter's best when the second photograph was taken, for 

 all this young growth has been made since July, when it 

 was cut down to the ground. This bank, which a few years 

 ago was an uncultivated waste, is now, thanks to its w r all and 

 its clothing of motley grey foliage, the brightest spot in a 

 November garden. 



THE PAVED GARDEN 



There is at present a growing feeling among gardeners that 

 the reaction against formality in gardening has reached its 

 limit, and that it is time the pendulum began to swing back 



