INFORMAL AND WILD GARDENING. 



better dispense with it entirely. Get rid once and for ever of all idea 

 of formality and then try to imitate nature, or rather work in accord 

 with nature. It is not easy in many cases to do this, but an effort 

 should be made in that direction. Then, having made a start, we may 

 feel greater confidence in extending in the immediate future. 



It may be asked — How and where would you commence to treat a 

 garden in an informal manner ? I would start immediately contiguous 

 to the house itself. The building itself would be of a formal character, 

 not necessarily square or rectangular, but probably straight lines will 

 prevail. With these one cannot associate curves, as regards beds, 

 so as to be in harmony with the surroundings. I would therefore 

 start away at once with the lawn, and if any planting be done near 

 the building let it more or less follow the lines of the building. I 

 would not permit any terraced walks of gravel to obtrude, so to 

 speak, on the view. Personally I favour a verandah on two sides at 

 least ; here an excellent opportunity is afforded of furnishing the walls 

 with rather choice and possibly somewhat tender wall plants. It 

 may be said — Why have but few gravel paths ? My reply is, we often 

 have too many of them. Paths add to the expense of upkeep, as all 

 gardeners know. Rather expend the same amount of labour in actual 

 cultivation, is my advice. I would in any case dispense with broad 

 walks, and the sooner these are lost to view from the house the better 

 as regards effect. Let the lawn near to the house be the chief feature, 

 with plants or shrubs of divers kinds dotted thereon. This planting 

 should be done quite informally. Let the grass be kept closely mown 

 for a reasonable distance away from the house. Then I would break 

 away into a semi-wild style of gardening, with the grass cut only once 

 or twice in the year. Paths to suit the exigencies of the case will 

 have to be arranged. Let these be of grass wherever possible and only 

 sufficiently wide for two, or at the most three, to walk abreast. Such 

 paths may curve according to the position and levels, but straight 

 paths are inadvisable — i.e. straight for any great distance. In a 

 garden so treated there will be a great saving of labour in upkeep, 

 such as in sweeping, mowing, roUing, &c. No drains will have to be 

 provided, as in the case of gravel paths, to drain off the water in order 

 to keep them dry. With grass paths the water will soak away 

 into the soil and be a benefit, as it should be to the surrounding 

 vegetation. 



In the distance let the arrangement be such as to make foreground 

 and background merge insensibly together. Do not attempt to shut 

 out the view if it be such as one could wish. Where trees exist, let 

 the idea be to blend all new planting with them. They may be most 

 invaluable as shelters from the most harmful winds, notably the east 

 and north-east. Deciduous trees act as a great break to keen, cutting 

 winds, but I like to have some Fir trees as screens. Where no such 

 screens exist some should be provided, whether the garden be formal 

 or informal. My advice was once asked anent this for a most exposed 

 position on the east coast. I advised the planting of the Canadian 



