222 PRACTICAL LANDSCAPE GARDENING 



dense, cool, shaded places, where ferns and mosses thrive, and again 

 through open, sunny, meadow-like spaces where Buttercups and 

 Daisies abound. 



WALKS 



In the wild garden the paths should be of turf (Fig. 171) or 

 stepping stones, and very broad, allowing the flowers to sprawl over 

 the path in places without interfering entirely with the purpose of 

 the walk. Stepping stones should be placed twenty inches apart, 

 center to center. 



Beds for the estabhshing of flowers should not be more than 

 six feet wide. Where it is necessary to have them of greater width, 

 it is preferable to place shrubbery in the center of the bed and to 

 allow about three feet between the shrubbery and the turf edge of 

 the path. 



PLANTING IN THE ^\^LD GARDEN 



The proper planting of the wild garden will require an intimate 

 knowledge of plants and a fine sense of fitness. The proper plant- 

 ing relates not only to the colonies of the smaller flowers that border 

 the walks and the edges of streams, but also to the trees, shrubs and 

 evergreens needed to make up the scene. Trees and shrubs should 

 be selected which will supply the overhanging branches desired in 

 places without encroaching on the open meadow-like sunny spots. 



Many plants, such as the Foxgloves and Cardinal Flowers that 

 are given places in the regular flower garden, are equally at home 

 in the wild garden, but plants such as Geraniums and Scarlet Sage, 

 which are peculiarly garden plants, have no place in it. 



FLOWERS IN THE WILD GARDEN 



As in the flower garden, the aim should be toward continuity 

 of bloom. There should be no lack of flowers at any time, although 

 the Spring and Fall seasons will be greatly to the fore. In this re- 

 spect great aid may be looked for from the free use of hardy bulbs. 

 Nothing is quite so pretty as colonies of Snowdrops, Jonquils, Daf- 

 fodils, and similar bulbs, thoroughly naturalized. 



Splendid color effects may be secured by very simple combina- 

 tions of plants in the wild garden. These may be copied closely from 



