CHAPTER II 
GENERAL PRINCIPLES 
BerorE bringing his attention to bear on special cases, 
the garden designer must have clearly in view the general 
principles which are the underlying features of all good 
work. In this way more real progress will be made, 
and far deeper insight obtained into the mysteries of 
garden planning and arrangement, than by the most 
devoted study of complicated plans, or the careful 
examination of the methods of any particular school, no 
matter how excellent its teaching. It is useless attempt- 
ing to compass the most simple form of design if all the 
while we are ignorant of those elementary laws which 
are mainly the outcome of common-sense and good taste. 
The greatest danger to which the novice is subjected, 
that of being hopelessly confused by a multiplicity of 
‘styles, of which by the way we hear far too much, is 
considerably lessened if he will but bear in mind the few 
laws which tend to show that gardening is not a mere 
haphazard science, but one founded on a very sure and 
substantial base. It is the neglect of these simple ob- 
servances that has caused men like Capability Brown to 
be ridiculed, when they might have received nothing but 
praise. No matter what style of garden arrangement is 
contemplated, or whether we are going to China or 
Holland for inspiration, our work is bound to prove un- 
satisfactory unless beneath the outer veneer which pro- 
claims its origin there is observable a respect for Nature’s 
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