THE RECTILINEAR PRINCIPLE 47 



I claim no novelty for the rectilinear system. 

 In some form or other it has been in use by 

 garden planners since the days of the ancient 

 Egyptians, but not always applied in a way 

 to secure the best possible results. Modern 

 gardeners, having acquired a horror of formal 

 effect, have sought to avoid it by the introduc- 

 tion of winding paths and sinuous edges to 

 their borders. My object is to show that 

 these devices do not achieve their purpose, 

 but rather defeat it. 



The question of formality in a small garden 

 must be tackled in another way. 



The use of straight lines does not preclude 

 variety and the other factors which make for 

 picturesque effect. But when allied to an 

 obvious symmetry it does engender formality. 

 Therefore I exclude from the rectilinear system 

 any arrangement which gives equal-sidedness 

 to the garden. 



These points will be better appreciated 

 by reference to Fig. 3. 



At A is shown the type of garden only too 

 common. I may call it the rectangular sym- 

 metrical style. It has crystaUized into a 

 permanent feature in many city lots. Its faults 



