308 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



ordinated to the design. Some of the most famous gardens 

 of the Old World and of early colonial days 1 were of this sort 

 and many have tried to copy the idea in a small way on their 

 home grounds. 



The result needs no description, for it can be observed at 

 first hand in almost every town and village of the country. 

 Grounds laid out in this way demand constant care, and 

 when neglected they very soon have a run-down appearance. 

 There is a field, sometimes, for formal gardening of this sort, 

 but not for the average American home grounds. 



434. The natural style. In direct contrast to the highly 

 artificial effect of the formal gardens are the graceful un- 

 consciously beautiful lines of the natural style. This type 

 takes its inspiration from the out-of-doors, from the moun- 

 tains and woods, and meadows; from the landscape-gardening 

 of nature itself. 



" In this connection," says John McLaren, 2 " it is suggested 

 that some consideration be given to what may be termed the 

 happy accidents of nature's plantings, for in some of the un- 

 touched virgin spots in nature's garden there are scenes more 

 soft and more beautiful than anything our gardening has yet 

 produced. Those who have undertaken to do what we are 

 now considering, that is, to plant a pleasure garden and lawns, 

 and are in doubt as to how to establish the lines of the lawns 

 or groups of trees, shrubs and flowers, may get invaluable 

 suggestions as to how to arrange them in harmonious com- 

 position if they will do as our best painters do namely, go 

 into the natural forests of our hills and hillsides, or the 

 meadows and baughs of our valleys, and select, from the 

 innumerable beautiful scenes, the one whose beauty most 

 appeals to them and which seems to best fit the general out- 

 line of the site for which the plans are being prepared. Then 

 let the measurements of this part of nature's garden be care- 



1 See Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, Vol. Ill, plate XL VI. 



2 Gardening in California, Landscape and Flower. 



