TOJVy GARDENS— PRACTICAL WORK. 



39 



on tiic road-levcl, space for affording liglit to the ground-floor window being Availed 

 off. A screen or narrow evergreen hedge could be planted right up the tradesmen's 

 entrance, entering the forecourt from the first wide step. Flowers and shrubs can 

 be planted in the borders, also ivy ; roses or other climbers for the walls, and in 

 the open gi-avelled space a vase could be placed. House C is not supposed to have 

 any ground-floor window to mar the effect of the forecourt garden, the tradesmen's 

 entrance being under the front-door steps. The clear space may be gravelled over, and 

 the irregular borders formed all round converted into a rockwork for ferns and other 

 appropriate plants. House D has the advantage of a side entrance. The front door 

 and drawing-room are only slightly raised above the road-level, and the forecoui't 

 sunk 2 feet or so below that level, steps leading down into it from French windows and 

 a passage to the front door. In the centre a small flower-bed, 4 feet in diameter, 

 may be formed; and in the borders a ground-work of ivy, with yuccas and other 

 ornamental hardy plants, would bear inspection. The best trees, shrubs and flowers 

 for town gardens, with cultural instructions, will be duly set forth. 



rKACTICAL AYORK. 



Far too many town gardens are practically spoilt by builders and others who first 

 set feet on the ground. Where there is any turf this is often sold, and not unfrequently 

 with it also goes what little soil there is underneath of a fertile nature. Instead of this 

 robbery every square of turf and spit of good surface soil should be wheeled back to 

 where the garden is to be formed, and only the sub-soil and other excavations carted 

 aAvay. "Where the position is low or the sub-soil of a clayey nature, at least one 

 drain should be taken through each garden at the outset, as this cannot well be done 

 after the house is ready for occupation. These drains may be formed with 4-incli pipes, 

 and should vary in depth from 30 to 36 inches according to the outlet. Either sods 

 grass side downwards or a few stones or brick-ends ought to be placed over the pipes, 

 especially where there is much clay, for preventing the joints becoming clogged in the 

 near future. 



If the ground happen to be fairly level the first proceeding should be to stake out 

 the walks as well as the site to be covered by a building of any kind ; then remove 

 the surface soil from those portions and spread it over the plots and borders for increasing 

 the depth of fertile free-working soil there. When there are many irregularities to 



