ISO GARDEN-CRAFT. 



fully realised this. They sucked out the honey of 

 wild things without carrying refinement too far 

 before they sipped it ; and in garnering for their 

 House Beautiful the rustic flavour is left so far as was 

 compatible with the requirements of Art " as much 

 as may be to a natural wildness." And it were well 

 for us to do the same in the treatment of a lawn, 

 which is only the grassy, sun-chequered, woodland glade 

 in, or between woods, in a wild country, idealised. 



A lawn is one of the delights of man. The 

 " Teutonic races " says Mr. Charles Dudley Warner, 

 in his large American way " The Teutonic races all 

 love turf; they emigrate in the line of its growth." 

 Flower-beds breed cheerfulness, but they may at 

 times be too gay for tired eyes and jaded minds ; 

 they may provoke admiration till they are provoking. 

 But a garden-lawn is a vision of peace, and its 

 tranquil grace is a boon of unspeakable value to 

 people doomed to pass their working-hours in the 

 hustle of city-life. 



The question of planting and of lawn-making 

 runs together, and Nature admonishes us how to set 

 about this work. Every resource she offers should be 

 met by the resources of Art : avoid what she avoids, 

 accept and heighten what she gives. Nature in the 

 wild avoids half-circles and ovals and uniform curves, 

 and they are bad in the planted park, both for trees 

 and greensward. Nature does not of herself dot 

 the landscape over with spies sent out single-handed 

 to show the nakedness of the land, but puts forth 

 detachments that befriend each the other, the boldest 



