SUBURBAN UAiiDENING. 



135 



flower-bed and torder, or all these spaces may be in 

 grass ; or the ovals in flower-bed, and the borders 

 grass, or vice veisA. This plan also allows of con- 

 venient return. A pretty variety may be got by 

 laying the centre oval alone in grass, with a vase la- 

 the centre. 



The design at C looks best as a gra«s design, on 

 which the beds are planned, the turf being carried 

 right up to the walls. The efEect of even a very narrow 

 garden so treated is very pleasing. Of course there 

 may be also a narrow border under the walls ; but if 

 these are well covered with green, the grass alone 

 looks best. 



In all the above plans, the central oval or circle 

 may, if convenient, be devoted to such a foun- 

 tain or vase as already suggested. Both A and 

 C may be made exceedingly pretty and eifective in 

 this way, but if a fountain were placed in B it would 

 be better to make the central part circular rather 

 than oval — this would at the same time give a little 

 more variety to the design. We trust these hints 

 will be sufficient to stimulate the ingenuity of the 

 reader. 



Paths. — The walks in such an arrangement as 

 this would in many cases be made of gravel ; these 

 of necessity require attention in rolling and weeding. 

 This labour might be saved by laying the walks or 

 paths down in asphalt, which, if done in the first 

 place in a substantial manner, would last for years 

 without any further trouble beyond sweeping occa- 

 sionally. The manner in which these paths are now 

 laid down and faced off to resemble a gravel path as 

 nearly as possible, commends the method strongly to 

 the owners of small gardens, who always like to see 

 their walks neat and clean, likewise fit to walk upon 

 at any time. For further details under this head see 

 special articles thereon. 



Planting. — In such gardens as these we should 

 never advise the planting of any great quantity of 

 bedding plants. The short season at the best does not 

 give a commensurate return, when it is taken into 

 consideration that other plants of a far more perma- 

 nent character have to make way for them. This, 

 where the space is so limited, is a great mistake, there 

 being no room for a reserve garden to supply the 

 bare places when the first frosts of autumn have 

 destroyed the beauties of the bedding plants. ItwiU. 

 be far better to rely on plants of a hardy constitu- 

 tion, which, if not pl-esenting quite such a display at 

 any one time, will at all times have something to 

 attract the notice. 



"We strongly urge upon those who are planting 

 their gardens to secure a few good shrubs with 

 Variegated foliage. In a small garden they will 



look bright and cheerful ; such, for instance, as the 

 gold and silver forms of variegated Hollies; the 

 Aucuba ; the variegated Euonymus, including the 

 dwarf-growing variety [E. radicans variegata). This 

 is a pretty, neat dwarf plant for edgings, or for 

 planting on rock- work ; the variegated Vincas or 

 Periwinkles too would be useful in a similar position. 

 Prominence should also be given to the small and 

 compact-growing types of Coniferous shrubs [Coni- 

 fera) which retain their good appearance the year 

 round. Of these plants the Yews are the hardiest 

 and most enduring of any, bearing repeated prunings 

 to keep them within the necessary bounds of a small 

 garden. The common English Yew (Jtews baecata), 

 and its golden and silver forms, are the best to 

 select ; the two latter, but especially the former of the 

 two, have a beautiful appearance when the growth 

 is being developf^d daring the early summer months, 

 presenting almost as good an effect as the presence 

 of an abundant crop of flowers would do, but lasting 

 much longer. The Yew is also one of the most 

 accommodating of all shrubs for growing or training 

 into fanciful designs, examples of which are fre- 

 quently to be met with in country villages. The 

 Box-tree can also be applied to the same purpose. 

 Of other Conifers the compact-growing forms of 

 Arbor vita are most useful, Biota aarea being one of 

 the best, and taking several years to arrive at an in- 

 convenient size ; it is also called the Golden Arbor- 

 vitae, from the colour its young growths assume 

 dm-ing the earlier stages. Of these, however, the 

 Cupressus, and the Ketinosporas (from Japan), 

 which are somewhat simUar, but yet of equal value 

 by reason of their very neat appearance, we hope to 

 give a more complete list later on. As a plant for a 

 single specimen, the Araucaria (ChQi Pine) is one of 

 the best that can be chosen. This wiU succeed better 

 when planted in a small state, and where it has 

 a. fair amount of room for expansion. In the 

 suburbs, the Deodar, or Cedrus deodara, would also 

 grow well, and make a pretty plant for the centre of 

 a lawn, but when in closer proximity to the smoke 

 it does not give satisfaction. 



It will also be very necessary to pay attention to a 

 selection of both deciduous and evergreen shrubs 

 which are valuable for the sake of the flowers they 

 produce. The size of the garden must be considered 

 in the Choice of these. The best of the freely- 

 flowering Eoses should of course have a prominent 

 position ; give them, in fact, the best places that can 

 be found. The Lilac is another favom-ite, but will 

 soon grow too large and rampant if not constantly 

 kept in check by a careful use of the knife. The 

 Mock Orange is another beautifully perfumed flower ; 

 this shrub wiU bear a liberal use of the pnming- 

 knif e, and still produce its flowers ; do not cut it. 



