38 THE BOOK OF TOPIARY 
his garden can never expect to see his work perfected ; 
for, even in its natural state, the yew is an extremely 
slow-growing tree, and when it is subjected to continual 
clipping and pruning year after year, its growth i is con- 
siderably impeded. 
But, even after allowing for this objection, I think it 
is a style of gardening that should be more encouraged, 
and, if possible, made more popular than it is at the 
present time. I am fully aware that there are many 
authorities in the gardening world who condemn the 
Formal Garden as unnatural; but I am certain that 
there is a charm and a beauty of its own in Topiary 
work not to be met with in the modern garden. No 
doubt it would be a pity were every person’s tastes to 
be alike, and fortunately opinions differ in gardening as 
in other matters. 
We will suppose, however, that, notwithstanding the 
objections I have named, some reader of mine has decided 
to make for himself a Dutch, or Topiary Garden—for 
both styles are practically the same. 
The choosing of a situation, if a choice can be had, 1s 
of primary importance. A place should be selected where 
the trees to be planted can obtain the fullest possible 
amount of sunlight. At the same time, it should be 
completely sheltered from every wind that blows. 
It must be remembered that although the yew is a | 
tree which will grow and flourish in almost any out-of- 
the-way corner when left alone in its natural state, it is 
quite a different matter when each individual tree in the 
garden is intended to be as fine and as perfect a specimen 
of Topiary work as it is possible to make it; and, like 
everything else in a Topiary garden, a tree should be 
trained as well as possible, or else let alone altogether. 
It is very easy to perceive the great difference between 
trees which have been planted partly or wholly in the 
shade and those that have always enjoyed a full measure 
