n6 GARDEN DESIGN 



should conform to the architecture, exits and 

 windows being carefully considered. When ow- 

 ing to planting, or natural contours, the house 

 ceases to be visible, or at any rate the chief fea- 

 ture, paths may begin to show curves of un- 

 geometrical character. 



It is far more difficult to manage a curved 

 path than a straight one. The formation of foot- 

 tracks across fields and commons is instructive 

 on this point. An indirect approach is made only 

 when some advantage is to be gained by a detour, 

 and over flat pasture land a right-of-way is gener- 

 ally seen to be practically straight, running di- 

 rectly across from stile to stile. But over un- 

 dulating country the track will be seen to curve 

 round the rising ground, returning to the straight 

 after the rise is past. Over steep places where 

 no detour can be made the track runs diagonally 

 up the slope, often in a zig-zag. Over commons, 

 clumps of gorse and trees are avoided ; and in 

 short the natural direction of a path is the line of 

 least resistance. Thus on flat lands paths are 

 naturally straight, and in hilly country they tend 

 to be sinuous. Therefore when the designer is 

 engaged on a flat garden, and wishes to intro- 

 duce curves he must at the same time introduce 

 the features that call for curves, either artificially 

 raised beds, or groups of shrubs and trees. This is 

 the art of the landscape gardener which in many 

 ways is more difficult than the formal style. 



