52 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



\dsited in winter ; but when paths are necessary the usual trim garden 

 path is evidently little suitable. If, as occasionally, a part of a garden be 

 converted into wild garden, and already has paths through it, these 

 doubtless often be left. But even so, any fancy edgings as of tile or brick 

 should be abolished or masked by over-growth. The paths themselves, 

 too, should by every means be "naturalised," as by reducing them to 

 mere hard and natural-looking tracks, or by allowing them to become 

 moss-grown, or other vegetation to invade them, and by destroying all 

 angular outlines. Since moss rarely sur^dves into the drought of summer, 

 it is an excellent plan to plant mossy Saxifrages in quantity among stones 

 sunk into the sides of the edgings of the paths. These also add their 

 tribute of colour in the flowering season. 



Where there are no existing paths, any which are wanted should 

 generally be made on the lines of ordinary woodland or field paths, rather 

 than of garden paths proper. Turf walks may sometimes be suitable and 

 be liked, and gravel tracks, moss or plant-gro-^Ti, are in good character. I 

 have heard lately that common Ling Heather {Calhina vulgaris), mown 

 and rolled annually, makes a good path. Personally I have not seen it so 

 used. 



I do not recall, though I may be wrong, that the matter of garden 

 seats has yet been wholly satisfactorily dealt vdth as respects the wild 

 garden. I have seen and had them admirably modelled in the shape of 

 giant and coloured fungi ; but, frankly, they are uncomfortable on the one 

 hand, and the suggestion is disagreeable on the other. Stone seats, too, 

 are generally excellent in appearance and permanence ; in every particular, 

 indeed, except as safe and desirable receptacles for the human form. 



In order to annex them to this paper I have carefully prepared 

 lists of Conifers, shrubs, creepers, carpeters and plants of all sorts, which 

 are most suitable for the varied purposes and positions of the wild 

 garden. I shall not therefore trouble you with them now. But I think 

 I ought to indicate roughly the classes of plants most suitable, as also 

 what I regard as the principles governing the selection. It is also obvious 

 to observe that the selection for any particular soil or locality must be 

 largely governed by special conditions, and by the means at command, 

 as well as by the labour available for keeping the garden in order in the 

 future, or rather perhaps I should say in admired disorder. 



In my ^*iew all strictly " florists' flowers " are unsuitable for inclusion, 

 and natural species or natural hybrids are pre-eminently suitable. 



As regards the large class between these two, viz. garden plants which 

 have been improved by art, it is a fair question whether or no to use 

 them. If doubles are generally objectionable because on their face 

 unnatural forms, some, like the clambering Eoses, are at once so beautiful 

 and so otherwise valuable for our purpose that they may well be allowed 

 in ; and I should think it pedantry to object to include, say. Clematis 

 Jackmanni, and still more the Penzance Sweetbriars. A fair rule to go 

 . by I should personally think to be, " Will the flower strike one as 

 unnatural-looking in such surroundings ? " 



Annuals and biennials I would generally only include if self-sowing, 

 and, of course, quite hardy ; and, as with bulbs, I would generally only 



