128 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



November, 1914 



been at least an in- 

 offensive, and even at- 

 tractive lawn. 



But no! Paths were 

 laid out to wiggle 

 hither and yon, cutting 

 the lawns into ugly 

 beds. Then trifling 

 little flower beds were 

 cut out of the turf to 

 follow the paths, ac- 

 centuating the bad geo- 

 metrical lines. 



Probably the de- 

 signer considered that 

 his beds were natural- 

 istic. But even a su- 

 perficial observation of 

 Nature's gardening will 

 show that the lines on 

 the edge of the wood, 

 swamp or thicket do 

 not follow mathemati- 

 cal curves with sharp 

 edges. Nature fre- 

 quently follows a definite curve in a broad 

 way. But the edges of such curves are con- 

 stantly recessed and projected like the capes 

 and bays of the ocean shore. In the pic- 

 ture the edges are uncompromising and 

 sharp. What is worse, they are edged with 

 long lines of conspicuous plants. Even the 

 relief of irregularity in planting is denied. 



There are good ways and bad ways of 

 laying out beds and paths in natural design. 

 The best way is to lay out the beds so that 

 they follow, or appear to follow along bank 

 or stream as nature would plant them. 

 Paths laid out parallel with such beds will 

 then seem to have taken advantage of 

 existing growth. As the beds will not be 

 sharply edged, but will have bays and pro- 

 jections, the path should follow the general 

 curve of the bed, however, not each minor 

 irregularity. 



A clever designer can go at this problem 

 from the wrong end and get the same effect. 



II. — This garden shows ambitions but does not hold together 



In other words, he can make his paths along 

 curves and in positions where they are 

 most convenient and comely. Then he 

 can design his beds to make the paths appear 

 to follow the planting as they should. But 

 this is not an easy thing to do well, and the 

 tyro should begin the other way. It may 

 be asserted with assurance that paths which 

 wiggle about aimlessly, accompanied by 

 planting which follows aimlessly, obviously 

 controlled by, not controlling the line of 

 the paths, will always produce an artificial 

 and with rare exceptions, an ugly effect. 



III. Artificial Stream Beds and 

 Bank Treatment 



UERE are two pictures showing widely 

 different naturalistic treatment of 

 small waterways. In the first one the 

 planting is very well done, and the picture 

 up the stream reflecting sky and shadow and 



exquisite foliage pat- 

 tern is exceedingly 

 interesting. Natural 

 vegetation has been 

 preserved and sup- 

 plemented. From the 

 sharp slope into the 

 water, uncovered with 

 vegetation, together 

 with the quiet surface, 

 we may judge that it 

 is near the mouth of a 

 little stream on tide 

 water or else a sluggish 

 stream running 

 through stiff clay. 



The second example 

 is all frankly artificial. 

 Large boulders have 

 been brought in to 

 cover and disguise the 

 end of a conduit, and a 

 stream bed has been 

 made of smaller stones 

 to carry off the water. 

 It is not an easy thing to group boulders to 

 get a naturalistic effect. Part of this work is 

 very well done. From the mouth of the 

 conduit down stream the work might well 

 be the result of natural forces so far as the 

 general appearance goes. On top of the 

 conduit, however, is just a pile of rocks, 

 looking as if they had been put there to get 

 them out of the way. The difference in 

 effect is plainly seen when first one part of 

 the picture is covered and then the other. 

 What is the reason that one part of the 

 picture is good and the other bad? 



Under natural conditions one rarely sees 

 a large boulder all above the surface of the 

 ground. Occasionally a single stone is so 

 found, but the other stones around it will 

 be more or less buried, you may be sure. 

 In this place all the stones below the con- 

 duit seem to be half buried, at least, while 

 those over the opening all rest on the surface 

 of the ground. This makes it obvious that 



III a. — A well treated water effect on natural lines 



III b. — Another water treatment that is not entirely successful 



