THE LITTLE FORMAL GARDEN 



days on the French Riviera and marvelled at the riot of 

 colour that everywhere greets the gardener's eye, and 

 experienced bewilderment that so much flower brilliancy 

 should be gathered together for his entrancement. 

 Then in the formal garden at home it is reproduced, if 

 the planter chooses flowers of the most gorgeous hues 

 that his catalogue describes and disposes them in masses. 

 Should memories linger of an old-time garden around 

 an old-world house, where the borders are of Lad's Love 

 and Rosemary, Lavender and China Roses, Balm and 

 Bergamot, how easy to adapt the little formal garden so 

 that in esse the flowers of memory rise. Or one might 

 people it with plants and flowers, the gifts of gardening 

 friends, or make of it a garden of places in which each 

 plant revives memories of lightsome days spent north, 

 south, east, or west, many of them holidays when all was 

 well and all the world was fair. One might have the 

 little garden thoroughly up-to-date, and in autumn fill it 

 with formal planting of gaudy, spring-blooming bulbs ; 

 and in May prepare it for another show with summer 

 flowers, with annuals or with bedding plants. One might 

 have it in the shade and fill it with Ferns and Foxgloves, 

 Lilies and Lupins, Day Lilies and Columbines, Christmas 

 Roses and Snowdrops, Anemones and Bellflowers, which, 

 if they do not dislike the sunshine, at least are happy in 

 the shade. Or one might fill the garden with flowers 

 of one colour or even of one kind for instance, with 

 Irises. 



59 



