LAYING OUT A GARDEN. 



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grass, and if backed by a wall so much the better. Here, in rich, deep soil, the beautiful 

 hardy flowers will flourish abundantly, and provide a dainty picture from early spring until 

 late autumn, while a host of lovely climbing plants, such as Roses, Honeysuckles, 

 Clematis Jackmani, Wistaria, Passion-flowers, and many other perennial and annual creepers, 

 will garland the wall with festoons of blossom and form a fitting background for the 

 denizens of the border. 



A path can generally be arranged fur in front of such a border, and is advantageous 

 in permitting a close inspection of the flowers at times when grass would be sodden 

 under foot. In laying out a garden much depends upon the arrangement of the paths. The 

 first reason of a path is to provide a means of proceeding from one spot to another with as 

 little delav as possible ; therefore meaningless twists and meandering?, such as are often 

 seen in public gardens, designed under the mistaken impression that a departure from the 

 straight line is necessarily artistic, should be avoided. Where, however, any obstacle 

 furnishes cause for a deviation from the straight line, such deviation is not only allowable, 

 but rational. Thus a lawn in front of the house at once suggests that the path should 

 skirt instead of dividing its expanse, while groups of shrubs, necessity of access to flower 

 beds, garden seats, summer-houses, or any objects of interest, afford ample motive for 

 departing from the straight line. With pergolas, arches, and other garden structures the 

 same rule that applies to paths holds good. They should appear to fill a want in the 

 positions in which they stand, and should not give the idea of owing their existence 

 merely to the whim of the designer of the garden plan. Let the work' be of 

 lasting materials. Oak" is the best wood if procurable, as when well seasoned it will last 

 a lifetime, while for the upper portions of pergolas bamboo answers the purpose well. 

 All so-called "rustic work" should be avoided, for it is generally trivial, useless, and in 

 bad taste. Simplicity and strength should be the objects aimed at in small gardens quite 

 as much as in large domains, and in many of the former pergolas and arches draped with 

 flowering growths are delightful. 



A GROUP OF KNIFHOFIA (TRFFOMA). 



