24 THE BOOK OF GARDEN DESIGN 
misfortune it is to work them. Flowers and trees 
raised on them are always backward, and if disease is 
not actually present, growth is nearly always weak and 
stunted. In winter, the land is cold and wet, extremely 
tenacious and demanding added strength and perse- 
verance to dig; in summer, it is parched and baked, 
whilst tender plants have no possible chance of making 
headway. The greasy condition of the garden walks is 
another prominent feature of soils of this description. 
All things considered, a light, free-working loam, 
resting on a substratum of a gravelly nature, is probably 
best adapted to secure greatest comfort to the occupier, 
and health and prolificacy to all forms of vegetable life. 
Drainage cannot be entirely depended upon to remedy 
soils of a cold, heavy nature, and to all whose intention 
it is to devote their energies largely to the delights of 
garden-making, my advice is to shun clay lands by 
every means in their power. 
The careful designer will devote much attention to the 
question of aspect, endeavouring to secure warmth and 
sunlight for the most frequented portions of house and 
garden. It is generally conceded that land having a 
gentle slope towards the south-east more nearly ap- 
proaches the ideal than any other. Especially if the 
public road skirts the northern side of the property, 
allowing the entrance drive to be made from that 
direction, and thus leaving the whole of the southern 
slope free for lawns and garden, will this aspect prove 
pleasing. Nothing can be more disappointing to the 
garden lover than the constant trouble experienced in 
rearing tender plants and trees in the damp and cheerless 
positions assigned to them by certain unthinking design- 
ers. Insuch gardens the sun is only felt for a fraction 
of the day, and as a consequence those beautiful effects 
of light and shade, without which the finest scenes are 
flat and uninteresting, are conspicuous by their absence. 
