62 GARDENS OF ENGLAND 



pier which it will quickly cover with its wonderfully 

 strong growth, almost hidden with flowers in late 

 summer and early autumn, but I may point out 

 that the pergola should be solid — a rickety suc- 

 cession of poles is not beautiful. There is a great 

 advantage in having solid piers of masonry for 

 such structures, but often the expense of this 

 cannot be undertaken, and something lighter and 

 less costly must be used. Sometimes the pergola is 

 of squared wood, with the beams partly supported 

 and much strengthened by slightly curved or 

 cambered braces of the same; the curve of the 

 brace adds to the strength of the support and 

 satisfies the eye. The feet of the posts, instead of 

 going into the ground, should rest on a stone, 

 letting an iron dowel into both stone and posts, 

 and fixing it firmly. Thus there is no danger of 

 the foot of the post rotting. For the first year or 

 two there is no need to fill in the top with the 

 slighter poles that later will support the more 

 extensive growths of the creepers ; indeed, the 

 whole thing is very pretty, with a different kind of 

 form and beauty to the mature pergola with its 

 fully filled roof. In their earlier years one sees 

 more of the individual plants, and their first vigour 

 of growth and bloom can be more fully enjoyed. 



