64 BOOK OF THE COTTAGE GARDEN 



The proximity of walls and buildings will influence 

 the colour selection of plants grown in their vicinity. 

 Especial thought must be given to the choice of climbers 

 and flowers grown in narrow wall borders. Brickwork, 

 when old and mellow is a charming background for 

 almost all flowers, except those in shades of red, 

 crimson, and yellow. Against white or grey stone, 

 mauve and purple climbers are perfectly contrasted, and 

 for covering such walls nothing can exceed in colour 

 beauty Wistaria and the large white and purple Clem- 

 atises. Many country cottages are now rough cast, and 

 against a warmly tinted wall of this description the 

 climbing Roses look particularly well. New brickwork 

 is an example of bad background colour and is exceed- 

 ingly difficult to treat satisfactorily. Perhaps the best 

 way is to cover it quickly with a growth of Virginia 

 Creeper or Ivy, and to relieve the latter with loose 

 trails of Jasmine and the smaller white Clematises. 



In planning a border, which from its size may contain 

 a whole colour procession, both harmony and contrast 

 must be studied. A gradual merging of allied colours 

 into one another throughout its length would produce a 

 tame and featureless effect ; we must counteract this by 

 a few judicious contrasts sufficiently notable to catch 

 the eye. In the same border the same progression of 

 colour should never be repeated ; bold masses of each 

 hue are better than small patches, duplicated at stated 

 intervals. It is well, too, to arrange groups of plants 

 whose flowers display various tones of the same colour. 

 Thus, instead of a mass of bright yellow flowers, we 

 might introduce into the same space a variety of yellows: 

 lemon, sulphur, chrome, orange, passing finally to ochre. 

 This would enable us to get bold, dignified masses 

 without monotony. It will be necessary also to make 

 a study of succession, so that in say our red section of 

 the border there may be red flowers constantly coming 



