HISTORY & DESCRIPTION OF STYLES 13 



The flatness of a series of beds can be broken by 

 raising some by enclosures in low stone or brick 

 walls. The walls should be about 2 ft. high, and 

 may be hidden by trailing plants from the inside ; 

 or if sufficiently ornamental in themselves they can 

 remain exposed. If brick and stone are too 

 expensive split oak posts may be used, driven into 

 the ground and bound by wire or hoop-iron after 

 the fashion of a tub. The commonly seen string of 

 beds (Diagram 4) may be broken by raising the 



DIAGRAM 4. 



circles with excellent effect. Where a single 

 round bed is wanted over 10 ft. in diameter (a 

 clumsy size for flat planting) it may be raised in 

 two or more tiers. But variety should be intro- 

 duced with caution, as it destroys the repose and 

 sense of space given by repetition. 



Very large spaces treated formally tend to 

 become tedious and overpowering, but few will 

 deny the charm of small plots so treated. The 

 spacious designs of flower beds on grass or gravel, 

 edged with box, are seldom made now, though as 

 the old ones are always admired there must be a 

 difficulty somewhere. The trouble of upkeep 

 perhaps is the reason. They demand constant 

 routine attention, and if allowed to become at all 

 untidy they lose their chief claim to admiration 



