GARDEN DESIGN. 



571 



country many beautiful specimens of each style which the boldest 

 advocate of either type would hesitate to alter in favour of an 

 arrangement more acceptable to himself, and from this we may 

 infer that either form of construction may be right in the right place, 

 and that the two systems are not necessarily in conflict. Personally 

 I do not hesitate to advocate each form in the place to which I think 

 it is best fitted. 



Informal gardens are specially suited to a country such as our 

 own, where the climate is so favourable to the luxuriant growth of 

 grass and shrubs that the most satisfactory effects in landscape 

 gardening can be obtained with comparative ease and economy. 

 I will try later on to indicate a few positions in which one form or 

 the other may be preferable, but it may first be worth while to define 

 the root differences between the two styles and to understand what we 

 mean by the words " formal " and " informal." 



In some minds there is a tendency to associate the term " formal 

 garden " only with complicated parterres and exaggerated architectural 

 effects, but the definition I suggest gives a more liberal interpretation. 



As I conceive a formal garden, it is one in which we frankly dispense 

 with any direct guidance from Nature as to the kind of picture we 

 produce. We allow her little or no voice in the shape of the garden 

 which is intentionally artificial. Although formal gardening does 

 not preclude the full development of trees and plants, the positions 

 occupied by them are strictly defined, and their relation to each other 

 is such as is not seen in natural planting, except by accident. Formality 

 implies methodical arrangement, and generally carries with it a 

 character of symmetry and regularity. 



There is no reason why a formal garden should be lacking in 

 picturesque qualities of a tender and appealing nature. 



In the informal garden, on the other hand, we make a pretence of 

 indulging Nature, but, in reality, we persuade her to assume a form 

 of our own choosing. We do not profess to copy Nature, but freely 

 accept hints from her. We select materials from our horticultural 

 treasures and we arrange them in masses and groups which we know 

 Nature can develop to the most picturesque advantage, because we 

 have seen the effects produced in broad landscape, and particularly 

 in the woodlands and glades. An informal garden, nevertheless, should 

 bear evidence of care and attention, and an appearance of refinement 

 in keeping with the house. Although the general shape of an informal 

 garden will not be strictly symmetrical, there is no reason why de- 

 tached features of regular shape should not be introduced into suitable 

 positions. 



Having said that either style may be right in the right place, it is 

 but right to submit a further explanation of such a general statement. 

 The standard test of suitability is that there should be complete unity 

 between the house and the garden. Peculiar fitness to the site is 

 equally necessary. No definite rules can be laid down, but there are 

 certain conditions under which one style may be more appropriate, 



