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FORMATION OF A TOPIARY GARDEN 39 
: of sunlight. There is a strong and vigorous growth 
about the latter which is not to be found in those planted 
in a shady spot. It may not always be practicable to 
plant each tree in a garden where it will receive the full 
benefit of the sun; but it is an object which should ever 
be kept in mind, and carried out as far as possible. 
The yew is a tree which repays good treatment, 
especially when year after year it is subject to clipping 
and never suffered to grow in its natural state. 
The situation chosen for a ‘Topiary Garden should be 
a hollow, or piece of ground slightly sunk below the 
general level of the surrounding land. If this should 
be impracticable, it would be advisable to make a terrace 
on at least one side of the ground marked out for the 
garden, preferably the north side, as a terrace on the 
north side cannot interfere with the full benefit of the 
sun, or obscure it from the trees in any way. ‘There is 
no place whence Topiary work is seen to greater advan- 
tage than from a terrace, or, indeed, from any elevated 
_ spot from which one can look down on the garden. A 
terrace, in my opinion, has a double recommendation, 
inasmuch as besides adding beauty to the garden it also 
affords good shelter; and shelter is a necessary con- 
sideration. In fact it is of almost as much importance 
to provide efficient shelter as it is to get the greatest 
possible amount of sunlight, which I have always con- 
sidered to be absolutely indispensable to the welfare 
of the various species of trees planted ina Topiary garden. | 
Nothing is more injurious to the yew tree than strong 
winds from whichever direction they may happen to blow, 
and more especially are they hurtful if the garden be 
situated near the sea. If such be the case, and the garden 
be not well sheltered, the salt spray every now and then 
blown up even several miles inland, has a very deleterious 
effect on the trees. I have seen old and splendid speci- 
mens of the yew disfigured for several years from this 
