THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



49 



adapted to the growth of plants than the more fanci- 

 ful shapes. Utility rather than ornamentation should 

 be a prime consideration, if the growth of plants is 

 to be of a satisfactory nature.. 



Baskets. — These may be said to be forms of 

 vases on a large scale, and are better suited for 

 certain positions than ordinary vases are. A basket- 

 formed bed, in fact, looks well in almost any spot 

 where a flower-bed does not look out of place ; and — 



constructed of wicker or strong wire according to 

 the taste of the operator. Baskets of this character 

 are' most appropriately placed in quiet nooks among 

 shrubs, or as a terminus to walks where it is desired 

 to have flowers. On a small scale they look ex- 

 ceedingly well in old-fashioned gardens of hardy 

 flowers, and being just as appropriately filled with 

 this class of flowers as with summer bedders, there 

 is no reason why they should not be assigned a 

 place in such gardens; certainly they ought to 



Basket-bed at Heckfield Place, Winchfield. 



what to some is a great consideration — such can 

 be constructed of home materials. The stump of an 

 old tree hollowed out, and handles of wicker or 

 wire-work over it for climbers, makes a basket-vase 

 equal in appearance to the finest stone or cement 

 work, and is certainly preferable to the latter for 

 placing in distant parts of the pleasure-grounds, 

 or indeed in any part except in a " dressed " garden 

 which abounds in stone-work. 



Another kind of basket-bed that looks exceedingly 

 well is that formed by cutting up Larch or Spruce 

 Fir poles into regular lengths of, say two feet, 

 which, after being pointed, are driven into the 

 ground close together, to the form the bed is desired 

 to assume (round looks best), then to be filled in 

 with soil to the height of the wood, and handles 

 28 



be far preferred to vases of a dressy and formal 

 pattern. 



Basket-beds intended for the parterre, as a matter 

 of course, must be of a more elaborate description. 

 The one shown in the illustration is made of 

 Portland cement, in imitation of stone, the design 

 being of a true basket description. It stands two 

 feet six inches above the ground-level, is sixteen 

 feet long, and eight feet wide at the middle, and 

 gradually tapers to five feet at the ends, the shape 

 being what may be described as a well-balanced 

 oval. The position this bed occupies is the centre of 

 the turf on a terrace-garden, on each side of which 

 there are beds of geometric design ; this, and 

 smaller baskets of similar design, allowing when 

 necessary of such beds being planted after the most 



