232 GARDEN DESIGN 



be damage from the weight of heavy snow settling 



on it. 



GRASS 



GRASS is the chief glory of English gardens, and 

 its beauty has given English gardening a name over 

 the world. Its charm lies in its freshness and 

 even purity of colour which is a refreshment to the 

 eyes and a perfect setting to every other colour. 

 Grass in shadow is another pleasure, and quite 

 distinct from the full sun colour. Again, the 

 mowing, while improving its texture, gives an 

 impression of well-being and care for which the 

 French word soigne is the best equivalent. 



The smooth-shaven lawn, broken only by length- 

 ening shadows from tree and shrub, is the heart 

 of the garden, and in his plan the designer must 

 bear in mind that the full beauty of the garden 

 rests with the management of the grass space. Its 

 best characteristics are restfulness, and the appear- 

 ance of well-being. The latter becomes the 

 gardener's part, and the designer must see that 

 good preparation is made, but he alone is respon- 

 sible for its calm breadth. 



It is simplest to give negative instructions to- 

 wards the attainment of this object. The fault 

 most frequently committed is to dot about beds, 

 specimen shrubs and trees. The man who is keen 

 on individual plants is prone to this, and he sets 



