DESIGN IN THE SUBURBAN GARDEN. 



73 



ditions, and if so, how will they help us to the evolution of a satisfactory 

 scheme ? Before attempting to answer these questions I may say I take 

 it for granted that all are agreed that in small gardens, such as those 

 under our consideration, some kind of formal treatment w T ill be considered 

 imperative. Whatever may be said of the rival merits of a so-called 

 " natural " or landscape garden and the set lines of the so-called " formal 

 garden " when applied to a country house or cottage, it is surely an im- 

 possibility, indeed a crime, to attempt any naturalistic methods within 

 the narrow limits of the suburban brother. 



I have already said that seclusion is still desirable in the ordinary 

 garden of the twentieth century, and it seems to me that it is even more 

 desirable in that little forecourt of the suburban house which lies so open 

 to the passer-by. But by " seclusion " I do not for one moment mean the 

 seclusion of the nunnery or the gaol — rather the friendly shelter of a trim 

 hedge which will serve many a useful purpose. In the first place, if 5 or 

 6 feet high, it will afford shelter from inquisitive gaze to the ground-floor 

 rooms looking on the street, and therefore do away with the objectionable 

 necessity of lace curtains, which, if they effectually block out the view from 

 without, still more effectually block out the view from within, together 

 with light and air. It will also act to some extent as a screen from the 

 road dust — that bane of town-dwellers, and probably, so scientists would 

 have us believe, the most fruitful source of all contagion. Nor is it necessary 

 for the hedge to be of great thickness and thus encroach on our scanty 

 space. We can take a lesson in this from the hop-growing counties of the 

 South-east of England, wmere hedge- growing has become a fine art, and 

 where, for the sake of the shelter they give, hedges are grown tall and 

 thin, thoroughly efficient for their purpose and withal most pleasing in 

 appearance.* Within its friendly shelter may be a square of turf, a trim 

 gravel walk, and, according to aspect, such flowers as can best be grown. 

 Against the house itself might be tall-growing plants such as Holly- 

 hocks, Honeysuckle, Roses, and Creepers, which through the narrow cleft 

 for the gate would give a glimpse of cheerful colour. 



Now the chief charm of a real garden is, I think, shown, not only in 

 its arrangement, but in the care which is taken of it. If the latter is 

 wanting and turf verges &c. are shaggy and ill- kept, the charm of line is 

 gone, and the feeling of love and care, which should be induced, is lost. 



I know a garden, and I say "garden" advisedly, which is only some 

 14 feet by 1G feet 6 inches, and yet, year in year out, it is the pride of the 

 village, and that solely by reason of its arrangement and the love and care 

 bestowed on it by its cottage ow T ners. Some idea of its size may be gained 

 by comparing it with an ordinary suburban garden, as shown on the accom- 

 panying illustration of a garden at Ealing (fig. 19). I know also gardens 

 which are gardens in name only, because either there is no logical arrange- 

 ment or they are too ambitious for the staff, and therefore paths become 

 weedy and turf gets dull for want of sufficient attention. 



These may sound great platitudes, and be well known, but it is so easy to 

 attempt too much —to draw on plans gravel walks, grass borders, or sunken 

 lawns, forgetting all the while that walks want constant attention, and 



* It is interesting to note that these hedges are called locally lew or lea, said to 

 be derived from the Saxon word " hleow," meaning shelter. 



