THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



iron are made at reasonable rates by Messrs. King & Co. of Hull, and, having 

 had some difficulty at first in getting these as I wished them, I have pleasure in 

 stating the fact here. 



A common source of failure with the nobler evergreen trees is the mixed, 

 muddle way which is common everywhere with us, and fatal as regards the 

 evergreen wood. Planters think merely of the effect of the 

 pudding-like masses they form at first, and follow no principle, 

 the planting being too often a mixture of evergreen shrubs of the south of 

 Europe, forest trees of the north, and conifers of California, or any other coun- 

 try, in one mass, usually uniform back and front, and planted for size only. In 

 Nature trees have distinct habits of growth, and some notice should be taken of 

 this in planting for the sake of effect or for timber. We rarely or never see a 

 mixture of conifers, evergreens, and summer-leafing trees growing naturally in 

 one place ; the Oak and the Pine run together sometimes, and as we go up high 

 mountains the Beech and the Birch also, but the association ceases eventually, 

 and we have the Pine on the higher hills, as we have the Oak on the plain and 

 the Willow in the marsh. Nothing like the incoherent mixture which we see 

 in Britain is ever seen in Nature, nor should be seen in any good planting. 

 These remarks as regards stupid mixed-plantings are not addressed to the true 

 forester, but to the many people who, often with good opportunities of plant- 

 ing, never think of the matter from that point of view; so that we see under 

 their forest-evergreens the remains of flowering shrubs and rare evergreens 

 which are quite unfit for such association, but which, grouped by themselves 

 in right positions, would have given a beautiful result. I do not say that some 

 association with summer-leafing trees is not right in the Pine wood; in fact, 

 such trees often come by themselves in planting such woods. Oak, Beech, and 

 Ash in a forest country are blown in, or in some way come uninvited, and often 

 with good effect. Birch and Beech might even be planted among Pines ; but 

 that way has nothing in common with the mixture, which is so wrong, of soft- 

 wooded trees with Californian conifers and every conceivable tree that happens 

 to fit in at first, to make a show as to size. And this important thing is but 

 one of many we have to think of, if our planting is to be true and beautiful, 

 and lasting. We live in a time when it is laid down in some books that design 

 has nothing to do with knowledge of trees, and when there is much confusing 

 talk about the name we may give to the mere plan of the ground around the 

 house, while little is said of the planting — among them, views, foregrounds, 

 tree masses, light and shade, breadth, and the many things that may influence 

 the beauty of a country place, 



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