CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

Preface v

I. Of Gardens and Garden Designers 1

Nature’s Gardens—Qualifications necessary for the Designer—“Garden Architects”—Formal Gardens, Old and Modern—“Capability Brown”—Repton—Artificial and Natural Design—Uselessness of Stock Plans and Patterns.

II. General Principles 12

Comfort and Convenience the Primary Essentials—Undue Complexity to be avoided—Variety Desirable—Garden Paths—Eccentricity Condemned—Attempting too much—Colour and Contrast.

III. The Selection of a Site 21

Accessibility—Approach—Soils—Aspect—Altitude—Shelter—Surroundings—Outlines of Property—Existing Timber to be retained.

IV. Walks and Lawns 30

Carriage Drives to be Direct—Walks for Different Parts of the Garden—Serpentine Paths—Edging—Value of Lawns—Breadth and Space conveyed.

V. Formal and Landscape Planting 37

Avenues often Pretentious—Objections to Clipped Yew Hedges—Topiary—Flower Walks—The Maze—Natural Planting—Boundary Plantations—Specimen Trees—Grouping.

VI. Kitchen-Garden and Orchard 44

Unfounded Prejudice against Kitchen-Gardens—Site—Aspect—Boundaries—Borders—Good Walks a Necessity—Water-Supply—Fruit Plantations—The Orchard Beautiful.

VII. The Treatment of Water 52

Value of Water in the Garden Scene—Artificial Treatment—Natural Effects generally Preferred—Running Water—Planting on the Margin—Banks.

VIII. Hardy Herbaceous Perennials 60

Importance of Living Plants to Design—Border Plants with Various Coloured Flowers.

IX. Plants for Alpine, Aquatic, and Bog Gardens 69

Alpines, with Blue, Pink, Yellow, and White Flowers—Water Plants—Suitable Subjects for Marshy Margins—Bog Plants.

X. Flowering Trees and Shrubs 74

Evergreens Overplanted—Deciduous Trees—List of Varieties.

XI. Hardy Climbers 83

Climbers on Trees—Roses, Clematis, and other Desirable Subjects.

Index 89