SUBURBAN GAEDENINa. 



it 



tions, it is necessary to make a few brief remarks 

 at the commencement. Builders of suburban houses 

 more often than not make a most fatal error in the 

 beginning of their work, by the manner in which 

 they treat the ground where building operations are 

 being carried on. One may often see the announce- 

 ment, " Turf and loam for sale." Now this ought 

 never to be allowed by the ground landlord in the 

 first instance, if he values the future appearance of 



surrounding ground as will be trafficked upon during; 

 building operations. This would of course entail a 

 trifling additional outlay, but that would be amply 

 compensated for in the laying out of the future' 

 grounds for planting with shrubs and flowers, and, 

 for laying down in grass. 



Sufficient soil, too, would thus be obtainable for 

 mounds and undulations, which are hardly ever 

 thought of by those who arrange this description o£ 



BACK PA T H 



SCALE. 36 FEET TO 1 INCH. 



Plaits foe Gakdehs of Two Simiiae Semi-detached Villas, 



his estate. It is robbing the intended garden 

 surroundings to a considerable extent. Dispose of 

 the subsoil, if you Uke, from the^ excavations for 

 foundations ; but never that which should nourish the 

 , future shrubs and flowers. Instead of this being the 

 case, the subsoil is too often retained as being quite 

 good enough for the garden. Many a failure with 

 the latter may be set down to this cause alone, which 

 to inexperienced eyes would not be explicable on the 

 surface of things as observed at the time of failure. 

 What ought to be done is as f oUows : — Previous to 

 any cartage being permitted on the gTound, the turf 

 and top spit of soil should be shifted from the space 

 to be occupied by the buildings, to a convenient 

 distance for future use, including as much of the 



garden. These must, however, be made in such a 

 manner as to receive the due amount of rainfall 

 necessary for plant-life. We have often seen that 

 where this kind of work has been attempted, even in 

 larger gardens; it has not had proper consideration, 

 in this respect ; these mounds and undulating sur- 

 faces being finished off at too sharp an angle, thus, 

 causing the water to run away into the hollows. 

 AU variations in the surface arrangement of the 

 ground should be done in a gradual and easy manner ; 

 the proper amount of rainfall wiU then be more 

 likely to be absorbed for the benefit of the shrubs. 

 We have seen these latter suffering miserably when 

 planted on a sharp sloping ban];:, and requiring aa 

 unnecessary amount of attention in manual waterings 



