THE HARMONY OF COMPOSITION HOW A HOMELIKE PRIVACY RE¬ 
TYPICAL OF ENGLISH GARDENS ~~ ' SUETS FROM PLANTING METHODS 
THREE FACTORS WHICH UNITE IN GIVING THEM THEIR PECULIAR CHARM AND INDIVIDUALITY 
by Grace Tabor 
Photographs by Thos. W. Sears and Others 
G ARDENS are gardens, of course, and at a superficial glance 
one may seem very like another, although even cursory in¬ 
spection usually notes the presence or absence of that elusive 
charm which is the very soul of a garden. It requires really close 
observation, however, com¬ 
bined with careful analysis, to 
discover the reason for the 
presence or lack of this qual¬ 
ity. Indeed, gardening is so 
subtle and intimate an art that 
one despairs altogether of 
presenting some of its nicer 
points, or of defining many of 
its requirements. Knowledge 
of them and feeling for them 
must grow, along with the 
growth of cultural skill, as 
one gardens. 
But there are three factors 
in the garden which is now up 
for consideration which are 
obvious, and that go a long 
way toward establishing its 
individuality and very dis¬ 
tinctive charm. These are, 
first, its brim-fulness, if I may 
coin the word; second, its 
absolute freedom from any 
sense of clutter and crowding, 
in spite of this; and, third, the 
fact that it has a “brim” and never runs over. It is in the analysis 
of these three factors, I think, that we shall find a clue which may 
be taken as a guide to the reproduction of a true setting for the 
house which has had the English dwelling, whether cottage or 
manor, for its prototype. 
Gardens and gardening about the old houses of this type begin 
at the house door and extend to the limits of the space set apart 
for dooryards. Against this brim the abundance within rolls up 
and falls back upon itself, as it were, in an abandon of plenty; 
and it is not too much to say 
that the very existence of the 
garden depends upon this 
sharply defined and very care¬ 
fully defended division be¬ 
tween it and the world. Re¬ 
move this and it would spill 
out and run away; and the 
outer, coarser world would 
run in — and no more would 
there be a garden in that 
place. Wall, fence or hedge 
must therefore inclose the 
garden space first of all. Out 
from the house and in from 
this the garden then develops, 
and in the smaller gardens 
that are a part of cottage 
homes, every inch of the 
space lying thus between 
house and boundary is not in¬ 
frequently a mass of flowers. 
It is in the care of these and 
in their arrangement that the 
sense of crowding which 
might so easily result from 
such planting, is avoided. Margins are scrupulously kept; rows, 
where they exist, are as rigidly maintained; tall growing plants 
that have a tendency to lop over or spread themselves about, are 
trimly supported and held in place; dead growth, either leaf or 
branch, is removed as soon as it shows withered, and turning 
A hillside garden where there is ready entrance from every level and a 
delightful air of familiarity prevails 
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