132 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



" The Practical Book of Garden Architecture." By Phebe West- 

 cott Humphreys. 8vo., 330 pp. (Lippincott, Philadelphia and London, 

 1914.) 215. net. 



It is to be regretted that this book describing American ideas 

 upon garden design, many of which are both new and suggestive 

 for English gardens, has been published at a moment when thoughts 

 are centred upon economic work, and we can plan only how best to 

 obtain the highest yield from land. It will only be when peace returns 

 with prosperous, restful days that English gardens can be beautified. 

 Meanwhile, it is interesting to note the most striking results of 

 Mrs. Humphreys' experience. 



American gardens are considered primarily as an extension of the 

 house. Even the smallest suburban villa is an example to us of how 

 to create and use out-of-door living-rooms. Whether it be the porch 

 pergola, a somewhat verandah-like structure, or the floating garden, 

 a flower-boxed barge to be propelled by secret cables, amidst beds of 

 lovely water-lilies, to the thatched tea pavilion where rainproof rooms 

 are filled with books for study, the one aim is kept in view — to live 

 much out of doors. 



We read of swimming-pools, and close beside them ornamental 

 bath-houses with their pretty roof gardens. Upon either side of the 

 dressing-rooms wide pergolas, painted white, lead to red-tiled spaces 

 where tea can be taken under the shadow of overhanging vines. 

 Then, too, those unsightly windmills, used sometimes for raising water, 

 are converted into picturesque Dutch towers, surmounted by a dome. 

 The lower part of the structure is fitted up either as a playhouse for 

 children, an artist's studio, or a garden storehouse. 



But it should not be thought that imaginative ideas upon a large 

 and expensive scale are the only ones. Many excellent practical 

 suggestions are given for small gardens. For instance, a terrace 

 retaining wall, built of sleepers, or, as they are descriptively called, 

 " railway ties," and stones, would be useful in a villa garden. The 

 mention of a few goldfish being all that is required to keep a lake free 

 from larvae and " wrigglers " (mosquitos) is good. Then, too, there 

 is a practical account of the best way of applying copper sulphate 

 in order to free water from the green Algae or " scum " that so often 

 forms upon the surface. These hints, together with particulars of 

 heavy glass espalier walls, upon either side of which the same varieties 

 of fruit-trees are trained so that experiments can be made as to which 

 aspect suits best, are all of interest. 



A criticism that may be suggested is that but little space is devoted 

 to the best water reflections, and how they are obtained, and no 

 pictures are given showing well-shaped outlines of lakes and ponds. 

 So much depends upon varied contour and clever imitation of natural 

 lakes. Then, too, height in the garden, to be achieved by placing 

 tall features in the centre of beds, which is much done in French and 

 Italian gardens, is insufficiently dwelt upon. These points, together 

 with a study of proper proportions, whether in the width and length 



