GEOMETRICAL GARDENING. 
453 
equal, but when formed of gravel it must be 
the same width all over. The simplest method 
of preserving uniformity in beds of any kind, 
and of obtaining various shapes, is to draw a 
number of circles, after the fashion of those 
stars and Turk's-caps which used to form the 
playthings of boys at school, (sometimes to 
ornament a kite) by first drawing a single 
circle with the compasses, and then drawing 
others around it, by first placing the point on 
the outer edge and drawing a second, which 
will of course cross the first circular line in 
two places, the point may next be placed on 
the spot where the lines cross, and then again 
on the place where the second circle crosses, 
and continue this until you have drawn circles 
round every place where the circular lines 
cross. This may be continued until you have 
drawn a third series of circles outside the 
second, and by the same rule of placing the 
point wherever the new circle crosses the old 
ones. If you please, you may now alter your 
compasses to a measure half the width of the 
first, and then draw a small circle within every 
one of the large ones ; you will find the lines 
so intersecting each other as to make a thou- 
sand different shaped divisions, and your fancy 
may appropriate these in any way you please, 
so that you take care the beds or divisions 
..-■ - -' ------ : 
v 13 :o 
shall be free of each other and uniform. In 
short, with the papers thus marked, if you 
have fifty of them you will be able to make 
fifty different patterns, only by filling up a 
different set of divisions in each pattern. In 
selecting these you have to take care that the 
beds or divisions you appropriate are con- 
nected in size with the quantity of lawn or 
grass left between, for beds cut on grass must 
not be too near, nor at all crowded. The an- 
nexed specimens of beds formed by the easy 
means we have mentioned would do well for 
lawns. They are worked out with the compasses 
only, and it is nobad amusement to diversify the 
exercise of these useful instruments for the 
express purpose of bringing out new forms. 
For instance, by making half circles from 
some points, to bring out a series of novel 
clumps, and by working the compasses along- 
a line so as to make an elongated figure, the 
design may be greatly varied. This enables 
us to bring out the accompanying oblong 
figures, which are also adapted for grass. la 
making provision for narrow gravel walks 
and box edgings, the compasses must be made 
to draw a double instead of a single line, be- 
cause the double line forms the walk, and 
ensures a similar width all over ; the follow- 
ing is perhaps a good specimen. of this kind of 
Wl 1 
garden, and one glance will show the reader 
that by filling up different portions, instead of 
those that are filled up, a totally different 
figure could have been produced without in 
the least disturbing uniformity or trenching 
on the proper width of the gravel walks. It 
is impossible to imagine the beautiful effect 
that can be produced by dwarf flowering 
plants, when the heights and colours are 
arranged discreetly, and uniformly with due 
regard to the blooming season. 
In laying out these gardens, a peg and a 
line are used, instead of compasses ; the use of 
a six-foot line would make twelve feet circles, 
and they must be drawn as perfectly on the 
ground as on the paper ; the peg should be 
iron, the line should be double, and be tied at 
the ends, because each end is then a sort of 
loop, but a single line with a short loop at 
