6 
HERBACEOUS GARDEN 
garden (a cc matured ” garden with the house- 
agent), the first thing he will have to do in 
nine cases out of ten, nay, in every case, is to 
let the sun in ; for it seems as if he who plants 
trees and shrubs is either blind to any imper- 
fections in the creation of his brain, or else 
does not dare to thin out in the bold and 
drastic manner that is imperative after some 
years. Let him arm himself with saw, hatchet, 
and secateur and go forth valiantly to let in 
the sun. It matters not whether the garden 
be small or large. In the former there will 
certainly be laurels to cut out, and privet to 
cut to the ground, and some more or less leggy 
shrubs and poorly grown saplings to remove ; 
while in the latter there should be vistas cut, 
and plantations removed, leaving only the finer 
trees, and either grassing right up to the bare 
stems (and what is there more beautiful than 
the bare stem of a tree — “ the type of aspira- 
tion ” ?), or planting with some of the finer 
shrubs and noble herbaceous plants. This 
was done with gorgeous effect by the late Rev. 
Bulkeley Owen, who grubbed up many acres of 
laurels growing under fine deciduous trees, 
replacing them with coloured maples and 
flowering shrubs, and carpeting with plants, 
ferns, and bulbs. 
