May, 1917 
49 
den—the Italian is the most practi¬ 
cal for a small plot of ground. Its 
very formality simplifies its plan¬ 
ning. While an Italian garden with 
marble seats, fountains and statu¬ 
ary is quite inappropriate to a 50' 
space, the geometrical plan is excel¬ 
lent ; and a garden of this type is 
certainly easier to keep in shape than 
the picturesque sort with its irreg¬ 
ular edges and careless grouping. 
The small garden may be expressed 
by straight lines, some forms of 
ovals, circles or parallelograms, 
with paths that cross at right angles 
or that are part of an arc of a 
circle, just as the garden that covers 
an acre or two of ground. There is 
much room for originality, but the 
principles of harmony, unity and 
variety should be observed in what¬ 
ever style is selected. 
Before you begin your small gar¬ 
den, plan it on paper. The ruled 
architect’s paper will simplify mat¬ 
ters. Working out the plan on 
paper, even to the color scheme, 
is much easier than going into the 
garden without a definite mental picture. 
Simplicity, always a safe keynote, is al¬ 
most a necessity in the small garden. The 
position of the ground, of course, will be a 
factor in determining the arrangement of 
the garden, and the planting of tall shrubs 
should be made contingent on the beauty or 
ugliness of the background. 
Flowers in the small garden must har¬ 
monize with each other as well as with the 
surroundings. If the buildings are of grey 
or cream a color scheme is not hard to plan, 
but where they are of red sandstone or 
brick it is a more difficult matter. If, after 
you have planted the flowers, you find the 
colors jar, do not hesitate to tear up your 
beds and replant until the effect suits you. 
Put your own personality into the garden. 
A Definite Scheme 
The suggestion for a small formal garden 
offered in the accompanying working model 
is capable of many variations without alter¬ 
ing the general lines. The walks can be of 
gravel, crushed stone or concrete. The lat¬ 
ter, while inartistic, are preferred by many 
Boundaries should he well defined. A low wall, a fence or a hedge will serve the purpose. 
Here a wall is used with millstones for steps. Beyond lies the massed bloom 
because of their permanency. The center of 
this garden is of grass and has a Chinese 
lantern on a stone base—an idea borrowed 
from the city garden before mentioned. A 
bird bath, small pool, sun dial or gazing 
globe could fill the center just as well, if the 
garden is too far from the house to have 
electric connection for the lantern. 
The beds nearest the center can be filled 
with early tulips and hyacinths, to be re¬ 
placed later with bedding plants. If the 
shallow rooted annuals are afterwards used 
they can be planted over the bulbs without 
disturbing them. The plants that occupy 
the most prominent position should be those 
that bloom the entire season. The baby 
rambler (Anchen Muller) is a continuous 
bloomer, and its color, a deep warm rose, 
blends well with nearly every flower here 
suggested. With the baby rambler lavender 
and violet verbenas form a happy combina¬ 
tion in two of the central beds. By way of 
reversing the color combination, the other 
two may have heliotrope in the center, sur¬ 
rounded by Rosy-morn petunias. 
Across the walk from these central beds 
are four others. In these roses occupy the 
greater part of the space, their exclusive 
natures demanding wide breathing space. 
As companion plants for the roses use dian- 
thus pinks, pansies and sweet alyssum. 
Against the hedge at the back of the gar¬ 
den may be planted a double row of the 
beautiful Hungarian canna, while a Hia¬ 
watha rose can be used for the gate arch. 
In the Corner Beds 
In the two rear corners of the long beds 
one may have Hydrangea arhorescens, 
grouped with belladonna, delphiniums, can- 
didum lilies, and pink and cream gladioli, 
(America, Niagara and Panama), flanked 
on either side by masses of hardy phlox. 
The R. P. Struthers and the Pantheon phlox 
are the best to use, as they are both a clear, 
deep rose color. The front corners of these 
beds can be planted with buddleia—the 
summer lilac—and Hydrangea paniculata. 
The warm colored Chinese wool plant, 
which has a deeper tone than any of the 
other flowers, would give added character. 
Over the seat, at the right as you enter 
the garden, is a good place for wis¬ 
taria. On either side of the seat 
may stand immense clumps of pink 
hydrangea, (the E. G. Hill variety 
is best used here) and back of it all 
groups of stately hollyhocks. 
The sides of the long beds should 
be filled with perennials and an¬ 
nuals. In filling these beds the gar¬ 
dener can follow his or her fancy, 
for there is a wonderfully large 
number of plants to choose from. 
There are many small plants of 
scarlet or orange tones that can be 
worked in as fillers, since it is neces¬ 
sary that the ground be all covered 
to protect the roots from the sun. 
Drummond phlox, ageratum, gypso- 
phila and mignonette are especially 
recommended for this purpose. 
{Continued on page 76) 
Even grass paths are permissible if 
kept closely cropped. In this garden 
glimpse white and bhie delphinium and 
Japanese iris silhouetted against a 
background of Dorothy Perkins roses 
