GARDEN ORNAMENTS

TALL POPLARS LEND DIGNITY TO A GARDEN SETTING

GARDEN

ORNAMENTS

BY

MARY H. NORTHEND

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK

DUFFIELD & COMPANY

1916

Copyright, 1916,

by Duffield & Co.

I Dedicate This Garden Book

to My Friend

Ekin Wallick

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

FOREWORD

Doubtless we have all realized the allurement of the garden, as we walk between the beds, drinking in the sweet perfume of the many flowers, or as we watch the birds perched on the branches or lazily swinging on the flowers, twittering to their mates as they sip the nectar or prune their plumage, after bathing in the sparkling water of the pool.

There is more than enjoyment that comes to the garden lover through his life among the plants. He grows broader and becomes forgetful of the trivial cares and prejudices of every-day life as he watches their development. He comes to the garden for inspiration and finds it among the flowers.

We are by nature garden lovers, and though with some the feeling has not as yet been developed, yet deep in the depths of their soul is a yearning for intercourse with Nature and her lessons—taught through the cultivation of flowers. It spells Contentment, Happiness and Love.

It is a delight to visit gardens, and study the character of the designer. It is no hard matter to read through varied planting likes and dislikes in the owner. It brings us closer together, this mutual love of floriculture, and it is in discussion of this theme that we forget the sordid phases of life.

Visit the gardens with me, listen to the anthem of the birds sung at morn and eventide. Learn their habits, and make them friends, so that they will nestle into your often lonely life, bringing with them a gladness that is not only delightful but alluring.

Many a love story has been told among the flowers, many a real story has been developed as one sat gazing at some flower-laden field. Joy and sadness has been our varied lot since we began our garden work, but as the years go on, gladness predominates. We grow to look forward with a tender longing for the coming spring. We hang lovingly over the opening buds of the early flowers. We are glad that we, too, have grown to know the flowers, that we have learned through their poetic language solace for the wounded soul, and how to live better lives, through intercourse with them.

To my many friends who have made it possible for me to visit their gardens, and to reproduce their carefully thought out schemes in pictures, I extend my hearty thanks. It has done much to make not only my life but other lives happier. It is with the hope that others may find the same enjoyment in this work that I have that I send it forth to perform its mission and with the hope that it may encourage others to start gardens of their own and to give to them a happiness they have never known before. If I have accomplished this I have met the desire of my heart.

THE GARDEN PATH AND BORDER

LET GUTTERS OF COBBLESTONES LINE YOUR PATH

CHAPTER I

THE GARDEN PATH AND BORDER

"All the world's a garden and we are garden lovers in it." This is not a new theme, for it has been in existence ever since the planting of the early flower plots, those that were in evidence in our grand-dames' time. There is a distinct atmosphere connected with those simple one-path gardens that is most delightful. It lies not only in the gravel paths and the stiff box-borders, but in the fragrant old-fashioned flowers that were grown promiscuously inside the trim line of box. Perchance some dainty line of cinnamon pinks whose delicate blossoms when we find them in the twentieth-century gardens, carry us back vividly to the Colonial days when they so often formed a part of the garden scheme.

Great changes have taken place in the evolution of the posy beds, for, with the passage of time, they have developed into wide expanses of floral landscape, subtly moulded into charming pictures and fascinating vistas.

In the planting and the planning of the flower beds of the present day many of the general motives of the older gardens have been retained. They have, however, been enlarged upon and developed until they are perfected in every detail. The landscape architect of to-day realizes that the achievements of yesterday can be interwoven with the possibilities of to-morrow.

As we saunter leisurely through the twentieth-century garden, we come occasionally upon a simple box-border, much more scientifically treated than those of long ago. This special feature of garden culture should be planted in the early spring that it may obtain deep rooting, so as to resist the ravages of the winter season. The plants should not overcrowd but be set three inches apart in narrow, shallow trenches, with plenty of mulching to insure the best results. Unlike those found in the gardens of Colonial days, they should be carefully clipped, sometimes for topiary effects.

Here and there, we come unexpectedly upon old-time flower plots, showing a box-border, not like those of the present day, carefully trimmed, but scraggly and unkempt, preserved for sentiment's sake. They still line the central walk, much as they did long years ago. In those days there was no laying-out of gardens or creating odd designs, but, instead, there was a simple, narrow, dividing line, worked out by the removal of turf and filling in with earth.

Few realize that garden culture can be divided into periods, each one of which is well defined, so that it is possible to determine where the old-fashioned ideas left off and the new-fashioned ones began. The earliest period has a straight, simple path, about six feet in width. These gardens came into existence when our shipping was greater on the sea and the merchant princes demanded large and more elegant houses with gardens laid out in the rear. Many of these were planned by the mistresses of the stately homes, while some were designed by English or German gardeners, who in their planting reproduced the gardens across the seas. There are a few only that deviate from the general plan of the single walk dividing the beds and ending in a summer house, vine-clad, where the Colonial dames during the summer months held afternoon teas. These garden houses were the nucleus of the garden furniture that has come into fashion with the passing of time.

One of the distinctive features connected with these gardens is the border. This varies in width with the size of the plot and the flowers enclosed. It must be borne in mind that the gardeners of those days knew little of the theory of color schemes, yet the results were pleasing to the eye, so much so that to-day the old-fashioned garden stands in a class by itself.

With the evolution of gardens, new ideas sprang into existence. All landscape architects realize the importance of giving particular attention to the laying-out of the path. Here the bit of garden demands a straight path, yonder to bring gardens into unity a grass path should be laid, while level stretches demand charming floral treatment, wrought out through proper use of flowers in the borders.

A SUCCESSFUL GRASS PATH

Every ambitious gardener realizes that during the summer months, his particular garden will be on dress parade, and must be always at its best. Therefore, he gives special attention to the trimming of the borders, the smoothing of the path and the right coloring in beds, so that no discordant note be found. Every part must be kept in good condition, for there are no closed doors for untidiness to skulk behind. This he knows means constant and unremitting care and that he may avoid sameness, he changes the flower scheme every year, to give a fresh note to the planting of his own particular plot.

The greatest care must be taken that borders are properly balanced, for any deviation from this rule results in lop-sided effects that spell failure. No walk in any part of the garden but should be planned to serve a definite purpose, either to connect other paths or at its end to bring out some carefully laid plan that will lend a picturesque effect to the finished design.

Let us take as an instance a curved path. First of all, we must realize that it is not following any haphazard plan but has a definite aim. Perchance it has been most carefully laid out to avoid the felling of a tree that is needed for picturesque effect, but whatever the object may be, it is fulfilled by the design of this particular path.

There are to be found, quite frequently on large, extensive grounds, grass paths that cut the lawn, connecting separated gardens. In any case like this, how much better to introduce English stepping stones. There is a picturesque coloring in their soft, gray hue, contrasting pleasingly with a line of grass between. They also break the monotony given by a solid mass of green and lend to this particular part of the ground an old-world aspect.

Have you ever stopped to think when planning for your next year's garden that designs can be easily varied to bring out some new thought and make a change that is alluring? It is the careful introduction of these novel ideas that gives zest to garden culture. Every person has a different idea of what is right in garden culture and unconsciously treats the old plan in an individual manner. A little touch here and there goes a great way in producing odd effects.

Among the many materials that can be used for this feature of the garden is brick, and of this there are many kinds. For the old-fashioned garden the second-hand brick gives a Colonial atmosphere. For the gardens of to-day it is generally better to use the hard, burned brick—these can be laid in straight lines or herring-bone fashion as fancy dictates, and should show a line of straight brick or headers as they approach the border. This feature should be used generally in formal types of garden landscape. Great care should be taken, however, that the brick be laid perfectly dry and cemented in mortar.

If you are looking for novelty, why not try cobblestones? They are very inexpensive, particularly if you live in a seaport town where the beaches are strewn with them. Be sure to pick out those that are nearest the same size and shape, for this gives a better effect. There is nothing that gives a better backing for earth beds, especially as they are easily kept weeded. If the cobblestones prove too conspicuous for the scheme of the garden, it is a comparatively easy matter to plant as a background a flowering plant that will in time fall over them and hide them from view.

A turf walk is, properly speaking, the most effective path. It also has many advantages, chief among them the fact that it is not hard to keep up and can be replaced with very little trouble, save the cutting of new sod. Be very careful not to make the mistake of laying old sods that have been piled for a considerable length of time and have thus lost much of their vigor. In order to have them at their best they should be freshly cut and laid carefully in a rich foundation, the pieces joined as closely as possible together and the crevices filled in with either grass seed or dirt. Plenty of watering means success; still one should not be impatient, for it is not until a second season that grass comes to its own. One difficulty in a border like this, which can, however, be easily remedied, is that it needs constant cutting to keep the grass from overrunning the beds.

If you are planning a garden of the English type, it is well to carry out the idea of introducing irregular stones for the walk. It is desirable that the stones should not all be of the same size, otherwise there will be no chance for grass and moss to grow between them and give them the old-world aspect. In gardens of this type such a path is really imperative, for the flowers crowd against the dividing line and would be much less interesting if stones were not introduced.

Bear in mind, in dealing with this particular subject that the width of the walk depends in a great measure on the size of the garden. Here a narrow path is all that is necessary to carry out the scheme; there, a wide one seems to fit appropriately into the plan. It is not always possible to have gardens large enough to allow a wide path, yet the effect of one can be produced by a little contriving; for instance, if you use grass for the central feature with an earth border on either side.

If you desire a successful garden you should seek for variety, not only in the cutting of the walk, but in the planting of the borders. To-day everybody is striving for originality and to work out odd ideas that still are practical. One should remember, too, that no two gardens are exactly alike, any more than two faces bear an exact resemblance.

In describing the border, one might liken it to the setting of a gem. Doubtless, it might be said to be artificial but so is the planting of the flower plot. It is not nature's work, but designed by the hand of man and in it harmony should be developed in the highest degree.

Let us take as an example the damp garden. This is usually laid out in one corner of the estate. If we should treat it with a gravel walk, what would be the result—dampness and disappointment. Now, let us change the whole plan and place stringers on which boards are laid, so nailed that they can be lifted during the winter season and stored away in a friendly barn or cellar. Watch the result and you will find it is always dry and practical for usage. Better still, if wearing properties do not have to be taken into consideration, use cedar boughs that resemble in contour miniature logs. They fit into place as if put there by nature, all the more if they are bordered by ferns. If you build at the further end a rustic summer house, it gives a refreshing touch.

Many garden lovers delight in collecting wild flowers, digging them up in the neighboring woods to blossom in their cultivated garden. Why not give them a home by themselves in a rough rockery? This can easily be built from stones found on the estate. Here we deviate from the stilted idea of paths and introduce stone steps. These should be large and rough enough to fit in with our plan. Hardy ferns should be planted on either side and rock plants between the steps. You will then see the wisdom of creating a path like this which is in sympathy with the general idea of the garden.

A BRICK-PAVED PATH FLANKED BY MANY-HUED IRIS

Landscape gardeners are at the present day endeavoring to work out results that are in harmony with any period that they are called upon to reproduce. Occasionally they come upon a subject that is very difficult to treat, such as the concrete walk. This is an absolute necessity in some locations. Yet, when finished, it presents a bare appearance and demands special treatment. Very successful results are produced by bright borders of flowering plants, and if in addition to this an arch of wire or rustic boughs is made for the entrance and covered with rambler roses, of which to-day there are many varieties, a happy solution will be found to the perplexing problem of a colorless path. During the time of blossoming, the touch of brightness adds to the effect while later on the bright green of the leaves relieves the cold gray of the concrete.

The late Joseph Jefferson, in speaking of gardens and their borders, once said, "They are all expectation." And so they are from the early spring when the first bulbs come into bloom until the falling of the late chrysanthemum. As we con the seedman's list to prepare for the spring gardening, we go through the procession of the seasons noting the colors and finding a joy in anticipation that is exhilarating.

In order to give correct handling to your paths, the color scheme of the borders should be taken into consideration. Different kinds of gardens demand varied treatment, and for this, the situation on the grounds and the type of the walk, should be carefully thought out.

For earliest bloom, one should use bulbs. To have them at their best they should be planted in the fall, about six weeks before the hard frost sets in. Trenches are first dug, from twelve to eighteen inches deep, enriched and topped with a layer of sand, to insure the bulbs touching nothing else. Each bulb should be planted six inches deep and the same number of inches apart. They should be covered with from four to six inches of straw, dead leaves—hardwood ones being best for this purpose—or pine branches. Great care should be taken that these are not removed too early in the spring. Years of careful experiment have developed better colors and more strength in bulbs and have succeeded in producing a greater variety, both single to double. This evolution in bulbs makes it possible to choose suitable varieties for any border work.

Snow drops are the first to poke their tiny heads up through the cold, hard earth. They rise above the snow, bringing gladness in their train. Then comes a procession of dainty bulbs including the hyacinth with its many hues, and the tulips, that stay by us until late in May, clothed in Dolly Varden gowns, or simple Quaker garb. It is a good plan to plant pansies among the bulbs, so that they will show their painted faces before the last bloom has disappeared. Many people in such borders use sweet alyssum for the outer row, but this, while it is decorative, is not always satisfactory for it grows so high that it is apt to shadow the major scheme. Bulbs can be left in the ground for a second year's blossoming or if new varieties are desired they can be carefully lifted and replaced by potted plants, such as the scarlet geranium or the dusty miller, whose soft gray sheen makes an interesting note of color as a foreground for the bed that stretches down to touch it, a solid mass of one-toned flowers.

Within the last few years iris has become a popular accessory for border use. One reason for this is that it stays in bloom from the time of its first opening until the hot blast of the August sun touches its closed head. Well may this be termed the "fairy's favorite flower," it is so dainty in its hues.

The rose moss or portulaca is a valuable border plant. It grows luxuriantly in sandy soil, where no moisture is retained, and seems to draw sufficient sustenance from the dews that fall at night, rather than from the unkindly sand which touches its tiny roots. One advantage in its use is that it grows quickly from seed, that is, if it is planted in a dry spot. The needle-shaped foliage is inconspicuous, while the blossoms are as brilliant as poppies and are produced in large numbers. A serious fault, however, is that it closes during the afternoon. If one decides to use portulaca, choose solid colors rather than to mix a mass of varied ones.

For a shady bit of garden, why not try out delphiniums? They are not expensive, the roots costing about a dollar and a quarter a dozen, but they are so graceful that they are effective for use of this sort.

The plants chosen must be in harmonious contrast to those that fill the beds, otherwise one shudders as they view the completed scheme and wonders how it is that the gardener is so color-blind. Hardy borders or annuals are used very often. Each of them having a distinctive charm, some gardens demanding one, and others another, so that one cannot dictate to the owner of a garden which kind is best for his use, it lies with his own whims and fancies, to develop beautiful combinations, and to work out variations of the last year's scheme, so that the gardens of yesterday may differ essentially from those of to-day.

It may be that long borders of bright-eyed verbenas greet our eyes as we gaze upon the vari-colored beds, or perchance gorgeous Sweet Williams, vieing in hue are shown. Tall rosy spikes of lythrum lift their heads, while stately hollyhocks uncurl their silky petals, shaking out the tucks and wrinkles of the bud like newly awakened butterflies stretching their wings. There is a busy hum of bees as we saunter down the garden path, stopping now and again to watch their flight as they light on flowers to sip their nectar, furry with golden pollen dust.

So we stand wondering what our grand-dames would say could they view, with us to-day, the transformation of the old-fashioned garden, into a magnificent show of rare plants in a well-developed design.

THE PERGOLA AND ARCH

THE SUNLIGHT SIFTS THROUGH THE SHELTERING VINES OF THE PERGOLA

CHAPTER II

THE PERGOLA AND ARCH

"I have made me a garden and orchard, and have planted trees and all kinds of fruit." Thus spake the wise Solomon who in all his glory found time to enjoy his flowers. Nowadays, blossoming plants are intermixed with marble fragments, and the garden contains many interesting features that were then unknown. Sir William Temple, on his return from a visit to Holland, where he went for garden study, tells us that he found that four things were absolutely necessary in order to complete a perfect garden. "Flowers, Fruit, Shade, and Water."

Originality is to-day the key-note in every garden design. Gardens have been developed with the passing of time so that instead of one type we find an infinite variety of styles, each one of them so distinctive that one need have little fear of repetition in results. Here we find the formal, the Italian garden while over yonder is the wild, and the rambling one. They are carefully designed to bring out some individual scheme. Unlike the little posy plots of long ago with their unobtrusive green arbors, now we come upon a large space which has been laid out for picture effects. This is the work of the landscape architect, who takes as much pride in his garden structures, as does the architect in the design of his house. He vies with his rivals in producing odd effects with marble fragments and artistic combinations in his color scheme.

Each one of the many types, that are shown at the present day, shows distinctive features. These appear and disappear in endless variety, and among them are the pergola and the arch, the latter a grandchild of the green arbor that was in evidence in our grand-dames' time.

Unlike those seen in the old-fashioned gardens, it is not always built of wood. Sometimes it is so placed as to define the terraces, leading with its shadowy treatment to delightful glimpses of vistas beyond, well laid out for this very purpose. Again we find it shadowing the garden at one side, where it makes a covered walk, under which one can pass, and view the garden pleasantly.

Simple and unostentatious were the early gardens, for not until 1750, was there found any trace of garden architecture in the North. It was about that year that one Theodore Hardingbrook, came to this country bringing with him a fund of information to strengthen and enlarge this line of work. He gathered around him a faithful, interested little band of students, and taught them new ideas, and awakened an ambition for new designs in Colonial flower plots. Then was evolved the little summer house with its cap of green, which stood generally at the foot of the garden path ending the central walk and it was then that the green arbor came into existence, spanning the centre of the little plot. Covered with vines it made a pleasant break in the otherwise straight lines of the old-fashioned garden, and it also gave a touch of old-world gardens to the new-world plan.

This was not the commencement of pergola construction, which had its origin in the vineyards of sunny Italy. They were not like those of to-day, wonderfully beautiful in design but rude and rustic, roughly put together as a support for the vines. Through the intersecting crevices fell glorious clusters of pale green and royal purple grapes, to ripen in the glimmering shade. These rough arbors, shadowed by hardy vines, graced the Italian hillsides, when Columbus as a wool comber's son frolicked the summer days away long years before he discovered the new country that lay across the sea.

The birth of this feature was not romantic but plebeian, for it was built for practical use only. The hardy Italian grape growers had come to a realizing sense that their fruit throve better if held aloft, and so they conceived the idea of a supporting arbor. As the bright sun filtered through the vines, the picturesqueness caught the attention of gardeners on large estates and from this was evolved the long pillared pathways over which cultivated vines were twined, casting their long shadows far over the path beyond in Roman gardens.

When larger and better gardens were demanded to meet the architecture of the large, square, Colonial homes, green arbors were popular. They were crudely put together, often the work of the village carpenter, simple and unconventional in their treatment yet prettily draped with vines. During the summer months they were especially picturesque and inviting, with their little wooden seats placed on either side. To the garden came the gallant, dressed in knee breeches and wearing powdered wig, there to meet his lady love, bending low he plucked from the branches of the trailing vine a flower to deck his fair beloved's hair.

BUILD YOUR PERGOLA WITH COBBLESTONE SUPPORTS AND RUSTIC TOP

These green arbors gave a distinct individuality to the old-time garden. Over them were carefully twined the Dutchman's pipe. It showed nestled away beneath its leaves, tiny, almost invisible little green pipes that were coveted by the little ones for "Let's pretend smoke." Invariably, the yellow and white Baltimore Belle rose sometimes known as the Seven Sisters, lent their charm, boldly peering out from under the vine to watch the lovers seated on the simple seats. They gave them a welcoming nod as they swayed to and fro in the passing breeze, mingling their blossoms, with a dainty Scotch rose and the pink moss, that seemingly grew on the same stem. It is the former rose that was the greatest favorite, for it lasted longer, giving dashes of yellow like sunshine to light the dark, autumnal days.

Now and again, we come unexpectedly upon a garden such as this. It lies in the heart of a Colonial city, hidden away from passers-by behind a high paling fence.

The twentieth century pergola in the modern garden lends itself to a great variety of treatment. It is an important feature and should be properly treated in order to bring out the right effect. Often the amateur, when dabbling with garden culture, neglects this feature on his grounds and gives it a wrong setting.

It must be remembered that the mere setting out of a garden does not always bring about the best results. It should be done with some definite aim in view, such as color or suitability to situation. In this way only can one obtain perfection. There should be taken into consideration the formation of the different beds, especially those that are in close proximity. It cannot be a successful experiment unless carefully planned.

If you have never tried to form combinations that will intensify the loveliness of the grounds by a happy gathering of right colors, you have missed a delightful experience. This idea does not come quickly to the amateur floriculturist, but once he fully grasps it, he turns as if by instinct to the structural part of the garden plan. It is then that he realizes that while he has not seemed to have progressed during his first year's work, yet he has laid a solid foundation that will stand him in good stead. In the midst of his garden he rears a house of flowers, placing it in a situation where he can watch the growth and maturing of the plants. Each corner of the garden is given separate treatment. In some gardens, where the space is small, it would be impossible to carry out the pergola scheme. Then it can be simplified and condensed into the child of the pergola, the arch, excellent for decorative effects. This means for flower showing can be made of wire, simply fastened to posts, bent into shape, or of wood and painted white; either of these methods is satisfactory and can, if properly used, be most successful.

The arch, to fit in with the garden plan, should span the entrance. Over it should be trained either a blossoming vine or many, to work out a succession of bloom. Sometimes it will be the wisteria with its drooping clusters of lavender, or the rambler rose found in such a variety of colors to-day. These two with the clematis, are especially adapted for this purpose, if one is willing to use proper fertilizer and depth of planting.

In order to insure better and more prolific growth, the vines should be cut back to about six or eight inches in height when first set out. It must be remembered in dealing with them that they are like little children, each one requiring individual care. We must also be sure that the soil is frequently stirred to avoid caking.

Properly placed, the curved trellis is a joy. It gives a decorative setting to the garden proper. As the eye travels down the path, it greets a charming bit of color in the bed of solid green that tops the roof.

The arch would not be a proper note of setting for every garden. There are only certain kinds with which it blends. The narrow path demands it, for it needs a break to show it at its best. A judicious fashioning of a series of arches, extending here and there along the entire depth of the walk is sometimes attractive. They serve to break the monotony and add a flower note that is delightful. In the planning of these, great care should be taken that they are set at proper intervals. They should be on the same level and correspond in width, otherwise the result would be a wavy line that is most distressing.

THE MOSS GROWS BETWEEN THE STONE WALK

The color scheme depends on garden planting. If lavender is chosen it should be reproduced all through the line. Do not be so foolish as to choose one vine only but plant them in order to make a succession of bloom. One does not wish to view a spot of color now and a mass of green later on.

There are so many different kinds of vines that can be planted for this use, each one of which is admirable, that it is hard to choose. Commencing with the earliest why not take the American or the loose-cluster wisteria. It has many advantages over other vines, in that it is a strong grower and bears an abundant cluster of flowers resembling the sweet pea in formation.

One can reasonably assert, that the wisteria is the leading flower for the pergola or arbor. It dons a rich and graceful foliage and unlike other vines, has two distinct seasons of bloom. It is especially good if one wishes to carry out a one-tone color scheme, making lavender the key-note, and using this particular vine for the early bloom in May, at which time the luxuriant clusters of drooping flowers show their wonderful shading as they peer through the arches dropping down below the leafy growth and making a note of exquisite beauty. In August, when they show their second season of bloom, the flowers are less abundant.

They should be followed by the Clematis Jackman. This vine, if it reaches maturity, is most effective, but it has the distinct disadvantage that though it starts right, and sends out shoots, they are apt to blight early and disappoint the gardener by dying before putting forth its wonderfully beautiful flowers. June, the month of roses, is a suitable time for one to watch for the blossoming of this vine.

Many people avoid the Cobœa Scandens on account of the large, conspicuous flowers it produces. They make a decided mistake when they shun this particular vine, for it has good qualifications for pergola covering. No vine grows more rapidly, as it reaches often from twenty-five to thirty feet in a single season. It bursts into blossom in July, in rich, purple, trumpet-shaped flowers.

For the successful growth of vines many things have to be considered but principally the soil. The amateur makes a mistake in starving the ground, and thus losing half the quality it would otherwise have had. In order to obtain the best results, put plenty of barn-yard manure, or bone meal, at the foot of the trellis, and this should be plentifully renewed at the commencement of each year.

Rambler roses are one of the most effective treatments for arbor or pergola growth, and the most popular of these are the white, yellow, crimson and pink. Each year new varieties are put upon the market and if one wishes to follow the new ideas they will be forced to constantly change the plants.

In some cases, the pergola is used to form a trellised pavilion or summer house to shelter a marble statue and again with carved setting to outline a bed, as the central feature around which the flowers are arranged. Thus the simple vineyard trellis has been transformed into a gem of graceful construction, and we find it to-day, with its slender marble columns, supporting a delicately carved marble roof of slabs, over and through which the green of the vine, and the glint of the flower hover, dipping down between the intervening sections, in festoons of green and color.

It can well be called a distinctive summer structure, for with the sun streaming through its mass of vines, it shadows the walks from May until late October. In the long winter months boxed in it stands like a sentinel guarding the long, bare paths, and showing a leafless network of interlacing vines.

The pergola of to-day is not like that of yesterday. When first introduced into our gardens it was taken up on many small estates, and so badly designed that it combined badly with the garden. It was then it fell into disfavor and was pronounced a failure for use in our garden plan.

But landscape gardeners, with an eye to the unique, felt that it was a necessary rounding-out of the garden design, and rescued from ignominy, it took its place in right surroundings, in the heart of the garden with a border of elaborate flower designs. Garden seats were placed inside and when it fronted on an Italian garden, a fountain was often introduced, the musical tinkle of the spouting water giving a special charm.

Among the many designs the simplest is a simple rustic frame structure, appropriate for small or wild gardens. It is formed of cedar posts driven four feet into the ground, and reaching to the height of eight feet. This is covered with a beam or a slab roof structure over which is trained the morning glory, the California creeper, or the grape. This latter is much used, the picturesqueness of the ripening fruit adding to its attractiveness. These pergolas are generally eight feet wide and have for a flooring irregular flags through which peer grass or moss.

This type of garden furniture is perfectly well adapted to Italian, English, or Colonial types of architecture, and is constructed often of marble. It is not merely an ornament but a useful adjunct to a garden, and can be made of concrete, or cobblestone, if one does not wish to go to the expense of using marble.

There is a modern form of this feature that is a development from century-old customs, the porch-pergola which is fast supplanting the old covered porches of yesterday. This is designed with an open, vine-covered roof. It gives an added charm to the exterior of the house and furnishes a shady nook for sunny days, without the drawback of the old porch whose roof darkened the house in winter by withholding the sun.

No one, no matter how small their grounds, need deny themselves a pergola. It is such an important feature and so decorative that it is almost a necessity. For the little backyard it may be simply a rustic porch planted in the middle of the garden. Properly laid out, it can be used as an out-of-doors living room. Across the end a hammock can be swung, while table and chairs can be fitted in at one side.

THE TEA HOUSE IN THE GARDEN

A TEA-HOUSE

CHAPTER III

THE TEA HOUSE IN THE GARDEN

There is a delightful imaginary intimacy that seemingly exists between we garden lovers who live in the twentieth century and those of early days. So closely are we connected by a common band of sympathy that we eagerly scan their books to glean here and there some important bit of garden lore that can be introduced into our work of to-day. It is this pleasant mingling of old and new-world gardens that gives to present-day designs such a delightful atmosphere.

One of the old-time floriculturists, John Lyle, tells us in his old-fashioned way, about the flowers that bloomed ages before our grand-dames were born. "Gentlemen," he says, "what floure like you best in all this border? Here be fine roses, sweete violets, fragrant primroses, gille floures, carnations, sops of wine, sweete John, and what may please you at sight." Surely we see in retrospect, the gardens of that early day, and we come more and more to realize that all through the ages, the hand of Man has fashioned nothing more beautiful than a garden of flowers. The most famous poets have not found any more ideal trysting spot in which to place their lovers.

Each individual part of the flower garden has its own distinctive charm. It lies not solely with the flowers that bloom so profusely in the beds nor with the marble fragments, for the romance of it all is centered in the little summer house, as it was quaintly named by our ancestors in the long ago. In these little tea houses, built in a retired part of the garden, the mistress loved to spend a pleasant summer afternoon, seated inside knitting flower thoughts into a shapely bag or reading some delightful book, which dropped from her hand, as she sat dreamily watching the unfolding of some favorite flower.

Let us enter one of these gardens, rich in its summer garb, walk slowly down the path, stopping now and again to view some bud slowly unfold its petals one by one, disclosing a new specimen to be added to the ever-increasing number that are comprised in the floral scheme, and waving a welcome as it is tossed to and fro by every passing breeze.

Over there against the white paling fence stands the stiff hollyhock nodding his satiny head to greet the dainty heliotrope who glances coquettishly up to meet his eye. Nearby is a dialetrea or bleeding heart, the pet of the little ones, who pluck them to form tiny boats with snow white sails to float down the lily pond. Bursting into bloom behind the stiff box border is the old-time "piny," sending bits of color into the sober green.

None of the old Colonial gardens were considered complete without an ever varying assortment of bloom. There were the Sweet Williams, Bouncing Bet, and perky little Johnny-jump-up, sending greetings to his comrades nearby. Flowers are everywhere, they peer out at us from hidden corners, swing their heads in very ecstasy of enjoyment of their being.

Simplicity was the key-note in the construction of those summer houses that came into existence during the latter part of the seventeenth century. They stand for the first type of garden furniture made in our country, coming into vogue after the close of the grim struggle for existence made by our Puritan forbears. Then when the tide turned, and money flowed into the colonies, houseowners had more time to devote to garden culture. Behind the large Colonial houses sprang into existence gardens devoted to flowers, the owners doing the best they could with the material at hand. These delightful little plots secluded from the world outside by high paling fences were the homes of the old-fashioned flowers, many of them descendants of the originals, brought over in the ships that first touched our shores.

They were not like the twentieth-century ones constructed of marble or concrete clothed with vines and standing in a wealth of up-to-date blooms, showing slender marble columns and carved capitals supporting the marble roof.

Rather are they covered with plain, every-day vines, such as the Dutchman's Pipe with its heavy leaving, clambering roses and the Bitter Sweet or Roxbury Waxwork, whose drooping bunches of yellow and red poke their heads through the lattice work, making a bit of bright color all through the winter months. This when the ground is covered with snow livens up the surroundings. On either side are planted a wealth of timely flowers, these include the Sweet William, the Hooded Larkspur, and the many-colored Phlox.

Many of these little garden houses show such a variety of form that they are interesting, fitting into their surroundings as if they had always been there. Some are square, formed like a large box, depending for their picturesqueness on their coverings of vines. Others are round, and still again we find oblong summer houses, each one fitted up with seats and sometimes a rustic table.

Occasionally, we come upon a more pretentious one that is two stories in height. They were planned in the early nineteenth century, some of these are still standing and among them we find that of Elias Haskett Derby, designed by Samuel McIntyre, Salem's noted architect and wood-carver. For years it stood on the grounds of the summer home of Mr. Derby and to-day is so well preserved that it seems as if it had been recently built. Exquisite carving is a feature of this particular tea house, where rural images top the roof.

It is only in the gardens of the rich, that elaborate tea houses are found, simple designs grace the little gardens and are in harmony with their surroundings. The rustic summer house has its own mission to fulfill. Its cost can be determined by conditions. Some are finished in elaborately decorative designs while others show plain treatment.

The best kind of wood to be used for this purpose is the red cedar which has wonderful lasting qualities. It is more expensive than the locust but out-wears any wood on the market. Great care should be taken that the supports be placed deep enough to avoid throwing by the heavy winter frost. Holes should be dug at least four feet deep, and squares of stone or cement pounded into the bottom to prevent its coming in contact with the earth and rotting. This makes a solid foundation, and durable. Do not have the roof made flat, so that water can stand upon it and rot it, but raise it slightly and either shingle or thatch it.

This last is an old-time handicraft that has recently been revived. Following the old English rule, reeds are more endurable, while straw is admissible. An advantage of its use is that it grows handsomer with age. In its second year it has collected moss, weeds and plants, and these, matted down and weather-beaten, give it the hue of a gray lichen. If properly treated it will last for years.

STEPPING-STONES IN A GRASS PATH

One should, if possible, when planning the garden, include a summer house. There is no more enjoyable feature that can be constructed on the grounds. Its design, size, situation and type, must correspond with the period of the garden. A formal lay-out should, in order to be correct, receive entirely different treatment in its setting from the Italian, while the rambling depends upon simpler characteristics to produce correct results. Rustic tea houses fit into this project appropriately. They would be entirely incongruous if placed in Italian gardens elaborate in their plan and full of wonderful bits of marble fragments transplanted from foreign lands.

Fortunately for us, there are so many different types of gardens that one is not continually finding a repetition. Garden houses, covered with bark, fit into simple plans, such as the rambling and the wild gardens, their rustic effect being in harmony with the flowers and beds.

It is one thing to plan a summer house but quite another to pick out a suitable situation. It should not be placed in the heart of the flowers more especially where there are tall blossoms. Let the beds in the foreground be low and show quiet colors, shading the height and brightness as they go farther afield, the most conspicuous being used for the extreme edge. Here, like a beautiful picture, they fit into the landscape and produce correct effects.

Level stretches do not always bring about right results. If your ground slopes to the garden edge why not design a rustic tea house to fit into the hillside? Should you visit it of a clear afternoon, seat yourself on the wooden settle and glance around you, you will be delighted with the view obtained. Below is the garden rolled out like a carpet brightly patterned at your feet, smooth stretches of lawn between rest the eyes as they gaze off to the horizon when the blue of the sky seems to melt into the masses of waving bloom.

Do not start this feature of the garden unless you have first planned situation, size and cost, otherwise you will be disappointed, and may feel it is more expensive than you wished. If you do not care to bed it underneath, you will be sorry. Every house of this sort should have a hard ashes or cement foundation in order to keep out the dampness. This is a serious fault which if not carefully watched results in quick rotting of the wood and constant expense. It is better to start right and in the end it will cost less. Posts used for supports should be made of cedar or locust, driven four feet into the ground and resting on stone supports, used as preservatives. They can be elaborately designed or simple in finish and if plenty of air and light are wished for, trellis supports can be used, but if it demands shade, shingles or canvas painted, are advisable, the former better for rounded effects and the latter when a flat surface is used.

Marble is used prominently in Italian gardens, whose elaborate setting demands striking effects. Give the tea house a cover of soft green vines, dotted here and there with a bit of color and it will be a joy forever, taking on a dignity that is in keeping with its surroundings. Cement, no matter where it is used, is always effective. In coloring and lines it seemingly fits into the elaborate landscape scheme and it improves with age. There is an advantage in the use of cement, in that it costs nothing for repairs, is fireproof, does not collect vermin, and is never shabby. With its clinging vine cover, it is a desirable material for use in the construction of tea houses when wood and marble are not suitable.

There is a romantic charm in vine-clad tea houses. The clinging vine lends a picturesqueness to the slender columns and the slanting roof emphasizes the beauty of it all.

There are so many decorative vines that are suitable for its use that it would be impossible to name them all.

For marble, delicate, tender climbers are the best. For concrete a larger leaf can be used to give more stable effects, while for rustic tea houses, the large, hardy vines and stronger climbers are more suitable. Each one has its own use, and appears at its best in congenial environment. The tiny canary-bird vine would make little show if allowed to clamber over rustic supports, while the Boston or Japanese ivy are especially adapted for this treatment. This is on account of the small, flat leaf that clings to the side, helping out the design without a deep massing of leaves.

LILY PONDS IN A FORMAL GARDEN

Some summer houses depend upon hardy vines for their cover and others on tender climbers whose delicate tendrils wind in and out clouding but not hiding the exterior coloring. It is the wise man who is able to provide a suitable over-spread for houses of this description. It must be remembered that it is not the cover alone but the planting that surrounds it that aids in the picturesque effect. There is as much need of careful thought here as there would be in any part of the scheme. For right coloring, height, and time of blossoming help or mar the plan.

There is as much difference in the growth of vines as there is in children. Some to be at their best require a very rich soil, while others will do equally well if it is poorer. The important thing, if you wish successful results, is to give them plenty of food, plenty of water and look out for a proper insecticide, in order not to retard their growth. A general rule that is permissible for almost any grounds is to dig a ditch from three to four feet deep and put in the bottom a foot of rotted manure. This can better be attended to in the fall, leaving time for it to get well soaked into the ground and ripen before planting. Fill in alternate layers of soil and manure until the trench is even with the ground. In clay soil, it is better in order to lighten it to mix in a little sand.

For a rustic summer house, where heavy planting is needed, a honeysuckle is effective. The scarlet or Sempervirens is a very decorative variety and this differs greatly from the Japanese one, bearing tubular scarlet flowers that continue in blossom all summer. Of the many varieties this is the freest and the best. Its leaves are a blueish green which make a pleasing contrast with the coral color of the flower.

The Clematis is always effective and is the best vine of medium growth in existence. Its small, white, star-shaped flowers, deliciously fragrant, cover the vine completely in August. The Japanese Clematis or Paniculata is most attractive. It prefers a sunny position, the foliage is handsome and at the end of August it bursts into a wonderful mass of fragrant, pure white, star-like flowers that last nearly a month.

For shady places, the Helix or English ivy is advisable. This well-known, small-leafed ivy is perfectly hardy in this section and is much used for covering the ground in shady places where grass refuses to grow. Young growth sometimes gets winter killed, but this is due to sunburn rather than frost.

For tea houses painted white and for concrete, wisteria takes a prominent place. It grows equally well in city and country, being able to withstand the smoke of cities. Of these the Multijuga loose cluster is advisable. It is not so strong a grower as the Chinese varieties but distinguished from them by long, loose clusters of purple flowers sometimes obtaining a length of two feet.

The Crimson Glory Grape Vine, Coignetiae, is a strong grower, showing large, heart-shaped leaves, ten inches long, deep rich green on top and bright yellow beneath, which assume a brilliant scarlet in autumn. The grapes are black and form a pleasing contrast to the bright colors of the leaves.

The Canary Bird Vine is suitable for either this kind of a tea house or a marble one. It is a beautiful, rapid, annual grower and when in blossom, the charming little canary-colored blooms bear a fancied resemblance to a bird with wings half expanded. Do not forget the Cardinal Climber which is a cross between the Cyprus Vine and the Star Glory. It attains a height of thirty feet or more with a beautiful form like laciniated foliage and is literally covered with a blaze of circular fiery cardinal red flowers from midsummer until frost. The flowers are about one and one-half inch in diameter and are borne in clusters from five to seven blossoms each. Wherever it has been grown it has attracted favorable comments. It delights in a warm sunshiny situation and good soil.

The Kudzu Vine or Peuraria Thunbergiana is very popular. It came from Japan and is still rare. Its flowers are large clusters similar to a white Hydrangea and when in flower during July and August make a wonderful display. It is one of the best of the flowering vines to plant against a wall as it clings naturally to any rough surface.

The plants selected for either side of the tea house need as much care in choosing right colors as do the vines.

THE GARDEN STEPS

STONE STEPS ATTRACTIVELY PLANNED

CHAPTER IV

THE GARDEN STEPS

The air was laden with the sweet fragrance of flowers. They wafted a delightful welcome to the hardy explorers, who, worn with the long voyage, viewed for the first time the rocky shores of New England. Their soothing influence brought heart to the wearied men, as they revelled in the spicy odors that brought in their train pleasant thoughts of the wonderful gardens they had left behind them. From the sandy coast of Florida to the bleak New England shores they felt its enticing power. So pungent was the perfume, that it touched the heart of Barlow, one of the commanders of Raleigh's expedition who wrote on landing on the newly discovered shore, "We smelt so sweet and strong a smell, as if we had been in the midst of some delicate garden. The woods were not such as we find in Europe, barren and fruitless, but the highest and reddest cedars, pines, cypresses, and many others of excellent quality. Of grapes we found a plenty climbing over every shrub and tree down to the waters very edge. I think in all the world there is not the like in abundance."

Among the earliest settlers, came a colony of Spaniards choosing for their home the sunny shores of Florida. Here in the heart of the woodland they made clearings, laying out extensive grounds that followed no set plan, but with semblance of the old-world garden. Here they planted for coolness and shade, vines and trees, laid out their grounds with walks, paved like mosaic with vari-colored stones. In these gardens no semi-tropical plants, such as abounded on every side, were planted. It has always been man's way when warring with the wilderness that lay beyond his door, to gather into the enclosure flowers and plants that had been dear to his heart in his far-away native land, to re-establish the atmosphere of his old home in new surroundings.

The colonists who settled on the southern shores of Virginia, were men of rank, wealthy men, who had left stately homes to settle in this unknown land. In the lay-out of their gardens they introduced the Elizabethean style of floriculture, following the fashion of the English gardens of that day. These old gardens showed terraces, steps, leading from walk to walk, paths laid at right angles, through which one walked to view the spaces intricately designed with "knotted" beds and mazes, each one of which conformed to details in the buildings of their stately homes.

There were the first steps laid out in gardens in America, a novel feature that has been evolved into elaborate designs with the passing of the years. To-day no garden is complete that does not show some form of steps or terrace.

Rockeries have come into vogue not only in large, elaborate garden plots but in simple little home grounds. They are approached by steps of stone that correspond with the rough, rural aspect of this feature of garden culture. Shy wild flowers peep timidly out from their homes between the crevices of the rock. Here in the early spring we find the cup-shaped crocus with its yellow tongue nestled contentedly in among the brown furred fern fronds, that soon will unfurl in dainty loveliness. Leading from the steps are grass banks and low walks, surrounding the rockery and affording pleasant promenades, from which to view the garden in its entirety.

Like every other plan contrived by man, the garden step should be fashioned to fit into its proper place, adding and not detracting from the general picturesqueness. It depends upon the personality of the creator as to its success, for steps while seemingly a minor detail, can add or detract from a garden's beauty materially.

One should never swerve from the thought that practicability should be the motive in planning stepping stones to connect different levels of your garden. They should not be added just for appearance sake, any more than one should wear a showy gown to attract attention. They should carry out some well-thought-out plan.

It would be bad taste to introduce rustic steps into a formal garden, as much so as it would to place delicately wrought slabs of marble in the heart of a thicket. One should, that is if they wish to excel other creators in the introduction of original ideas, think out each individual part of the ground assigned for garden purposes and determine where each feature can make the best showing. It is then and then only that we come to a realizing sense not only of the kind of material that should be used but the shape and the setting.

There should be a definite purpose in the use of this particular feature and the most important one is that it should be so arranged that one can reach different levels easily. There should be no precipitous pitch that makes one feel while ascending that they are performing tiresome gymnastic feats. This necessitates that they should be constructed on a gradual incline, thus making the ascent so easy that one is hardly conscious they are walking always upward until they have reached the top, and stand on level ground. This is often not enough considered and yet is most important.

In laying the stepping stones, there should be definite proportions thought out between the risers, breadth of the treads and the height between. Any variation would produce awkward results. Great care should be taken in choosing slabs either of stone or marble that are of the same size.

If the steps connect different parts of the garden scheme or lead to a rock garden, they should be cunningly introduced into the side of the ascent, placed so that they will add to the picturesqueness of the effect. They should break the hillside pleasingly, so that when completed they will form a pleasant picture, delightful for the eye to gaze upon. More than this, there should be planting, not only between the risers but on either side, and this requires careful thought, for a stately hollyhock rearing its gorgeous stock of rich coloring would be entirely out of place while delicate ferns or humble rock plants emphasize the desired effect.

If the height of your step should be low, then risers, six inches in height would be in good form, and the treads in order to correspond must be twelve and a half inches in width. Should, however, five inches be the height needed, then an additional inch and a half should be added to the treads. This point is such an important one that garden owners and landscape architects should see that it is properly carried out, if they wish to get the right results.

A FOUNTAIN THAT SERVES AS A BACKGROUND FOR A LILY POND

Ramping steps, if successfully developed, brings about an additional ease in mounting. This can be accomplished by placing the tread so that it shall imperceptibly slope downward. This is not an easy matter to accomplish successfully. It requires much care, so that the steps shall not slope too noticeably and yet enough to add to the comfort of the garden lover who walks from path to path using the steps to aid him in reaching the upper level of the ground. This idea of ramping is not original, for it has been carried out in the old Italian gardens for centuries, but it is only within recent years that it has been successfully developed by landscape gardeners in our country.

Two important things connected with these stairways are ease and comfort. There is no doubt but within the last few years, marvels have been accomplished by introducing them into steep hillsides. In this way they connect the lower level and the terrace, making it practical to develop unused land for flower purposes.

The placing of steps cannot be determined by cast-iron rules, rather should good taste predominate. Nothing can give such an awkward look to your garden or terrace as a series of narrow, cramped stairs. If, however, you should in the same place introduce a flight ample in proportion, then even if it is a small space there will be imparted to it an agreeable air of breadth.

Be sure that each step should extend farther to the side than the one above it. They should be rectangular so that the outline of the stair mass is pyramidal or circular in formation. If stone is used, a very good result is brought about through the use of carefully selected field stone or cobble. There are sheltering crevices in which to plant tiny roots which when grown add much to the general appearance of the whole. If the garden is a formal one, a design in which architectural features play an important part, one should take great care in the arrangement of this flight. There is nothing that gives such a delightful atmosphere as a well-planned stairway. It conveys a much better picture than does a vista of successive flights of steps that ascend to higher grounds.

The principal use for a feature such as this, is found to be in informal or unpretentious lay-outs, yet, fashioned in marble it is shown in the most elaborate Italian gardens found in this country. It takes on such a variety of forms and is available for so many purposes that it is fascinating to study where it will give best effects. Sometimes it helps out in the making of a garden pool. Here it is specially alluring, forming as it does, a step from one little world into another.

If you wish originality in your work, do not attempt to copy from the plans of others. Surely there is no lack of material from which to draw and there is no reason why steps cannot be placed in any sort of a garden nook. The material depends on the style of garden, but wooden steps are not generally advisable on account of their rotting, which makes them need constant repair. It is far better to use stone, slabs of granite, concrete or marble, for each one of these has the lasting qualities that make them durable.

Measure the space carefully before the work is commenced. You should make allowances for crevices between each step so that suitable planting may be carried out. It is a very good idea to have the wide spreading plants placed near the bottom, graduating to those of more moderate growth at the top. Careful consideration should also be given to the right planting on either side. Low plants should border the step with a background of taller ones. They may, if you like, be used to express the idea of balusters on either side and are much more picturesque than real ones.

Do not forget that rich soil should be employed, for the plants need it to grow successfully. They require sustenance just as we need meat to feed our bodies. In many cases it can be rich loam taken from the woods, in other instances rotted manure can be used for a foundation with a heavy soil covering. Great care should be taken to make proper planting, for delicate growth near hardy is disastrous, the stronger plants absorbing the strength of the weaker ones and doing permanent harm. Do not flatter yourself that once planted nature will do the rest. This part of the ground demands continual care, for weeds—plants' enemies—will intrude and must be carefully removed lest they feed upon the soil, taking away the richness and starving the plants. Water is a necessity, for plants like human beings grow thirsty all the more when exposed to the dry heat of the summer season. For best effects a sprinkler should be used and it should be borne in mind that the plants should be thoroughly soaked and not given merely a surface treatment. The importance of this cannot be over-estimated, or through lack of proper drink the plants will be in no condition to put out their full strength during their season of blossoming. Better results will be obtained if each fall before the winter sets in, they should be given a heavy top dressing of grit. There is nothing that plants enjoy as much as this and it provides them with strength during the next year's growth.

Concrete may not find favor with many garden lovers. It covers the surface so thoroughly that there is no place to introduce growth, but a little ingenuity and common sense removes this difficulty. Holes can be bored through the cement, and these should be large enough to allow the plants full scope to grow.

Many people for step planting prefer a succession of blossoming plants while others care for growth only. If the former plan is worked out, a charming early bloomer is the Alpine Anemone. Of these the Pulsatilla, or "Pasque Flower," is effective. It shows rich purple blossoms, which rising above the green leaves with their downy, feathery collarette of green, develop into handsome seed heads, which are decorative. They nestle into the crevices of the rocks, sending forth their exquisite blossoms nine inches in diameter during the months of April and May.

Variety is always delightful. For this decorative purpose why not use crocuses, "The Heralds of Spring." They thrive in any soil or situation, but in order to obtain the best growth, they should be planted in rich, deep, sandy loam. One of the choicest kinds is the Baron von Brunow. It is free flowering, putting forth large blossoms, dark blue in coloring. These can be mingled with a stripe variety such as La Majestueuse, which shows large, violet markings, exquisite in shading. The Giants, of which the Mont Blanc is a favorite, put out large, snow-white blossoms, forming an effective foil for the dark blue flowers of the other assortments.

In planting your steps do not forget to have plenty of bulbs introduced among the other plants. The graceful dwarf anemone seemingly fit into this early scheme, their delicate blossoms giving a touch of daintiness. For the best results these should be planted in the fall six inches apart and three inches in depth. Few bulbs exceed in loveliness the Blanda-Blue, Winter Wind Flower. This is matchless in coloring, originating in the hills of Greece, and has been naturalized in this country, where it takes kindly to the soil and produces flowers of charming hue. A feature of this special plant is that it blossoms during the winter months as well as the early spring. You make no mistake if you place it in every development of steps in your garden. It naturalizes best in grassy places in warm soil, and it can be distinguished by its round, bulb-like roots. Should you, however, wish to have more than one variety, why not try the Bride, that puts forth a single white flower, or the single Fugens, "Irish Anemone," which is semi-double, found in shades of scarlet, blue and purple.

MARBLE STEPS LEADING TO THE WATER IN A FORMAL GARDEN

Anyone can carry out their own idea as there are so many plants to draw from, each one of which is permissible for decorative effects. In our choosing let us not forget the Lily of the Valley. It is surely one of the most useful of our many spring flowers, pure white in coloring and delicately scented. For best development it should be planted in open ground, where it quickly spreads so that unless you wish masses of it, it will have to be separated almost every year. The Dutch Valley is an excellent kind to choose, as it sends forth so many flowering pits. This dainty little plant is a general favorite with everyone. Its sprays of drooping, white, wax-like, fragrant bells give a bit of color that is picturesque.

If you are looking for evening bloom there is the Ænothera or evening Primrose; this has the advantage of blooming all through the summer months. There are so many kinds, each one so beautiful that it is a difficult matter to pick out the most decorative. Of these the Arendsii is very popular, showing, as it does, a profusion of lovely rose-colored flowers, and it is to be preferred to the Speciosa. Then there is the Pilgrimi with its glorious golden clusters that seem to light the garden during the twilight hour.

In your planting do not forget the Acre, or golden moss. This is a creeping variety and especially suitable for rock work. Its delicate growth makes it particularly appropriate for this use. The Vinca Minor can be mixed with this. This is evergreen, and excellent for covering or rockery, and can be combined with the Moss Pink, sometimes known as creeping phlox. This latter is in bloom in May or June. It shows broad sheets of rosy pink, white or lavender flowers, and an evergreen foliage. As it grows either in sun or shade, it is a very decorative plant to be used for step treatment.

For the border can be used as a setting low, old-fashioned, hardy perennials, which are particularly adapted for grouping. In their planting use good soil, let them be placed where there is a reasonable amount of sunshine, keep them free from weeds and give them an occasional surface cultivation.

It is better to set these out in the fall, so that some of them will blossom during April and May. The late blossomers, however, can be saved until early spring, like Asters, and Heleniums. In making the selection, consideration should be given to those that grow in certain settings, as while some will flourish luxuriantly in ordinary garden loam, others are not dependable unless very rich soil is given to them.

For the outer border why not use hardy Candytuft (Iberis Sempervirens), which sends forth a profusion of white flowers in April or May, showing a spreading foliage that is evergreen and very attractive. With this can be grown the Rock Cress or Arabis Albida, which from April to June sends out sheets of pure white, fragrant flowers. Back of this one can plant the Fleur-de-lis. They should be given a sunny position in any kind of soil. As they come in all sorts of colors, there is no trouble in getting them to carry out the scheme that you have in hand. The Silver King, which is a silvery white with lavender shading, can be placed with the Florantina, which is light lavender, and the Pallida Dalmatica, which is lavender bloom. If you wish to carry out this color scheme further, why not try the Purpurea, which with its rich, royal purple, will make during the season one of the handsomest displays possible for a setting to the low growth decoratively used in steps.

ENTRANCES

AN OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN IS OFTEN ENTERED UNDER AN ARCH OF LATTICEWORK

CHAPTER V

ENTRANCES

We view our flower-plots at their best, gazing at them through the vine-clad entrance, as we glance down the gravel walk bordered on either side by masses of brilliant flowers. Involuntarily, our eyes wander along farther afield till we meet the background of trees clad in verdant foliage, a fitting setting for the picture laid out in patches of color, fitting into the canvas with a well-defined plan. We can but feel as we stand looking down on this paradise of flowers that we are thankful for the thought that first created gardens.

When they came into existence it is hard to determine, for mention is found of flowers and the traditions of wonderful gardens, laid out long before man had chiseled the hieroglyphics depicted on Egyptian tombs. The love of flowers is a heritage handed down from generation to generation.

Homer, when speaking of Laertes, trying in vain to find consolation in his flowers, while mourning the departure of Telemachus, goes on to show us that great men turn to gardens to heal sorrow. Philosophy was taught by Epicurus surrounded by his beloved pupils among the flowers.

From the early Greeks the Romans took their first lesson in floriculture. It was after their invasion of Brittany that they introduced certain flowers and fruits, like grapes, roses and violets, into English gardens. The art of gardening advanced steadily, reaching its zenith in good Queen Elizabeth's time, when there were in England many pleasing gardens, formal and stiff, to be sure, but a fit setting for the architecture of that day.

While the garden designs abounded in beautiful walks and flowers, yet the entrance to the grounds formed as it were the key-note to it all.

Has it ever occurred to you, as you stood hesitating at the portals of the gardens, that these were suggestive of some well-thought-out plan, as like grim sentinels they stand guarding the flower treasures? There is as much contrast in this part of the plan as there is in the design itself. Here we find a narrow, forbidding entrance, giving no glimpse of the flowers within; again we come to a wide, welcoming one, beckoning, as it were, for us to pass through the portals and gaze with delight on the beauties hinted at beforehand and now disclosed to the eye.

For Colonial treatment there is nothing more dignified or stately than the square wooden posts, inclosing a locust inner one. They are built of white pine, one of the most lasting woods to be found in our country, and are Colonial or Georgian in design. Many of them are ornamental, topped with balls, urns, or torch devices and with elaborate hand-carving, so wonderful in its design that architects copy them in their modified Colonial houses of to-day. This was the work of one of the most noted wood-carvers in our country, Samuel McIntyre, whose name is a household word to architects and landscape designers all over the country.

There are two ways of treating the entrance. One of them is by adding an ornamental gate, corresponding in type with that of the posts. The other is to leave the posts gateless; while both are correct, yet the former way is more often used as it lends an air of privacy to the ground. It also helps out the effect planned by giving a touch of picturesqueness that would be otherwise lacking. A much too common mistake is the introduction of Southern architecture into Northern gateways; the lines and details do not always conform with the type of the house.

Most of these gates are hung by iron or brass hinges, but the earliest ones use the strap hinge, which carries out the Colonial idea. The difficulty with the strap hinge is that it is not always strong enough to hold the gates without sagging, and the wider the entrance the heavier the strain. While the design varies, yet rarely do we find one constructed in the seventeenth century that is not simple and with picket effects. The pickets have pointed tops and are sometimes irregularly spaced, while the brace often shows an artistic curve.

Occasionally, we find the posts yoked, through a connecting arch. This is often latticed and if rightly designed adds to the ornamental effect. An old lantern is sometimes an attractive feature. The arch should be painted to match the color of the posts, a very good combination for this use is pure white lead, or zinc, combined with linseed oil. If you do not care to mix it yourself it can be bought ready for use. For the best effects, a thin coat should be used at first and it depends upon how easily it is covered as to how many coats to apply. If you wish to give a better finish, have an excess of turpentine over linseed oil in the last coat. There is more economy in covering it properly at first, as otherwise it will have to be re-painted each year.

With the evolution of garden culture has come a similar change in the design and material used to form our entrances. On the large estates of to-day, rarely if ever, do we find the ornamental Colonial. It would be as much out of place as if the mistress of the house affected silken brocades with wig and patches.

The white paling fence, unless for simple cottages, has entirely gone out of style and in its place we find cement walls. Often these are topped with a coping of limestone. The gate-posts, being formed over strong locust posts that have been driven firmly into the ground, are supported by brick or cement foundation.

Where the mansion shows in exterior brick, often with trimmings of limestone, the same idea is worked out in the wall. In cases like this an ornamental iron gate, hung on staples, supercedes the simple Colonial ones of former days. Occasionally, the name of the estate is interwoven in the ornamentation, or sometimes it is carved on the stone entrance posts.

Natural material is coming more and more to be used and we find a rubble wall, constructed from stone and boulders picked up on the grounds, left often rough, and again filled in with red cement to make it more stable. The rubble wall is generally topped with cement laid perfectly flat. The entrance posts follow this same line of treatment and while they are often left hollow for several inches down, these are packed solidly inside with small rocks to keep them in place. The excavation is filled in with rich soil and bright blossoming plants introduced. This gives a bit of color scheme that is very effective as a foil for the cold gray of the stone. Vines are often planted at the foot of the posts, the turf being dug away for several inches, and rich loam introduced to better insure their growth. It depends entirely upon how heavy one wishes the covering to be as to the kind of vine planted. If it is the idea to hide it effectively from sight and produce massing of green, an entirely different planting should be made than if it was intended to have a delicate coloring of green that would only enhance the color of the background.

A FINE DECORATIVE IRON GATEWAY

Right combinations are very important in this line of work. It would be foolish to use woodwork combined with heavy stone or iron. It is sometimes in better form to have wide slabs of granite or cement defining several layers of brick. The height and width naturally depend upon what it intends to imply.

Low piers of masonry capped with a pointed effect should stand by themselves without any planting, as the latter often disfigures architectural effects. It is not always necessary that this feature of the exterior should be conspicuous, more particularly if the posts are constructed of wood. Treat them to a light creosote stain, thus giving a picturesque background for the overlapping vines. Sometimes combinations work out well in producing artistic results. With a rough stone pillar, it is sometimes in good taste to introduce gateways of oak, which while effective under certain conditions, are very bad under others. These are much more attractive the second year, when they have weathered to a picturesque pearly gray. This color harmonizes delightfully, not only with the walls but with the flowers and their foliage. An important thing that should not be forgotten is the use of wooden pegs and copper nails, neither of which are injured by rain. If you choose to use a wire fence, let the gate-post and gates correspond for it is far better than to combine materials inharmoniously. They are not only practical but light and in their construction there is a chance to work into the scheme ornamental designs. Do not finish this with a square box top, rather give it a bit of ornamentation such as a ball or a lantern. There can be had to-day so many ornamental lanterns, constructed of wrought iron, that they can be purchased in almost any type desired. It is far better not to cover the posts with vines and thus conceal the beauty of the work. The most effective way would be to build up wire arches and plant rambler roses back of the posts for them to run on.

The Sweet Briar, if one is looking for perfume, is desirable. They can be purchased in single and semi-double flowers, created through the developing and crossing of the old-fashioned variety. Rambler roses are always in good taste. It is better to plant three or four kinds that show harmonious coloring. There is the Lord Penzance, a soft fawn, turning to lemon yellow in the center. This is particularly adaptable for covering arches as it is a strong grower and abundant blossomer. The Meg Merrilies fits into this color scheme, putting forth gorgeous crimson flowers during the six weeks of its flowering. Combine with these the Brenda, and you will find that this mixture lends a brightness that is very effective. Many people object to roses on account of their many enemies. One of the most common is the powdery mildew. This is easily distinguished by a powdery growth of white that is found on both leaves and shoots. Use sulphur very freely, and you will find it disappear. The stem cancer is a serious disease, and it is found on both the cane and the branches. In dealing with this the grower must not be afraid to use the pruning knife vigorously, so that the diseased parts can be thoroughly removed, in this way preventing spreading and the ruin of the vine. From the time of its planting the rambler needs constant attention, but it brings its own reward, in that there is no vine that can equal it in beauty. The advantage of having a variety of colors instead of one is readily seen, for it prevents a large mass of one individual color.

There is a pleasure indescribable felt by lovers of plants when designing any feature of their grounds. This is particularly true with the gate and the planting. They must bear in mind, however, the true purpose of gates and their proper use on country estates. It is designed as a means of ingress, and as such, should be suited to the type of mansion. Therefore, into its plan should be worked the atmosphere of the residence as well as the characteristics of the surrounding country. For instance, a wooden fence and gate-post would be entirely inappropriate if one were dealing with a beautiful summer estate where the house was to be built of brick.

Compositions should not be carelessly used and it should be remembered that there is great danger in our zeal for producing something unique, of going to the other extreme and giving an over-ornamental creation. One cannot be too particular in making the entrance and the adjoining fence accord with the idea one is trying to bring out in the whole plan.

The driveway is of fully as much importance as the entrance. It should be kept scrupulously neat and free from weeds. To have it at its best it should be thoroughly under-drained, and for this the open-joint drain tile is advisable. It should be laid under ground and connected, if possible, with the sewer. Properly attended to, this keeps the road-bed dry and in good condition. The bed itself should be dug down for several feet, a foundation of earth from six to ten inches should be laid, over which can be thrown a layer six inches thick of either broken limestone or chopped trap rock. Cover the whole with a screening of limestone and finish it with gravel. Have it rolled hard and you realize the advantage as the season ends.

The drive should be sufficiently wide for carriages to pass through without besmearing your gate-posts with mud and dust. One should realize that the driveway is in reality a foot-path enlarged, and should always be kept immaculate. The gate, if you wish to prevent its sagging, should open in the center. A two-part gate gives often a better effect than one long one. Nothing equals iron, which can be treated in so many different ways that there is little danger of repetition in design.

The capping is as important as the post itself. Simple square box treatment is advisable in some cases. Balls fit into the scheme on some estates, while Colonial urns are in keeping with wooden posts and lantern effects belong to iron gateways. The latter, of course, are effective for lighting at night. Gas pipes can be laid under the roadway, connected with the ornamentation in such a way that they can be turned on from the house.

In many entrances, side gates, similar to the main ones have been inserted, which relieve the main entrance from use by pedestrians. They can be so laid out as not to interfere with the use of the motor cars. They should be separated from the main driveway by a turf border and covered with gravel.

Planting is very effective for this feature of the ground, and trees, that is if the right sort are chosen, are admirable, used in this connection. White birches lend a picturesqueness that cannot be equaled, but they are short-lived. The elm with its graceful branches seems to fit into every landscape scheme. Do not plant them too near the posts. If you do, their roots will reach out often causing upheaval and creating havoc. For best effects the trees should be used outside rather than inside the entrance. In the latter case they are too apt to cut off the view.

A SUCCESSFUL ENTRANCE TO A FORMAL GARDEN

Many people prefer a hedge and this can be planted either with or without a fence. Arbor-vitae is practical for such use as is the Buckthorn and the Berberis Thunbergii (Thunberg's Japanese Barberry). This is a Japanese hedge with round, drooping habit. It leaves out in a fine brilliant green during the summer months and from autumn until December takes on a wonderful showing of color. During the winter months the branches, loaded with scarlet crimson berries, make an effective contrast with the white of the snow. Its value as a hedge is because it is impenetrable and thickly set with spines, never growing bare. The most popular shrub for hedge treatment is Privet-Ligustrum. It is very ornamental with a rich dark green foliage that is nearly evergreen and remains on the plant until late winter. It is a good grower under the most adverse circumstances. In order to form the most effective hedge it should be planted from ten to twelve inches apart and pruned back during the first two seasons.

The Ampelopsis Arborea woodbine is useful for entrances. It is a distinct variation from the other forms, making a spreading bush rather than a strong climber. Its leaves are dark green and comparatively coarse, and its autumn coloring is superb. The Boston Ivy clings even to wood, its fine shoots cover walls and while it requires some covering during the first two or three winters of its life, yet it pays. In the fall, nothing can be so gorgeous as the varied colored tints of its foliage.

The Clematis Paniculata should never be forgotten. It is a rapid and vigorous climber and can be depended upon to clothe large spaces quickly. Originally, it was introduced from Japan and is allied to our native Virgin's Bower. The flowers are effective, borne in long panicles which are white and their fragrance is perceptible a long distance away. They open the latter part of August, staying in bloom for nearly a month. Combined with this should be the Clematis Coccinea (Scarlet Clematis), whose showy bell-shape, brilliant scarlet flowers are produced in great profusion.

The Wisteria is adapted to almost any purpose and can be used picturesquely on many types of entrances. The Wisteria Magnifica is admirable and resembles Frutescens, but it varies from it in that the clusters are larger and denser while the yellow lilac colored flowers have yellow spots.

Among the other vines it is well to plant some that will give a touch of color during the dark, cold days of winter when the vines lie barren and bare, their leafless branches swaying in the wind. Why not use for that the Celastrus Scandens (Bitter Sweet or Wax Work). It is one of our native climbing plants and can be found in almost any part of the New England woods, a rapid grower, with attractive, light green foliage and yellow flowers, followed by bright orange red berries that are cheering in the fall and lead us to forget the shedding of the foliage by the other vines.

In order to hide the base of the vine, ferns can be planted. It is better to use the hardy varieties rather than the more tender ones, although a combination of the two is always attractive. Take, for instance, the Adiantum Croweanum, which is one of the hardiest of the maiden hair species. This, like every other of its kind, should be well watered and fertilized, grown in a rich, open soil, with plenty of leaf mould. There is nothing difficult in their culture and they need absolutely no attention after planting. The Polypodium Vulgare, which is evergreen, showing smooth, shiny fronds resembling the Boston fern, is another that is adapted for this purpose.

With these can be combined the Comptonia, or Sweet Fern, a native plant with fern-like, dark green scented foliage, very useful for foliage massing on rocky, barren places, and thriving best in dry, sterile soil. There are many more varieties and it would be impossible to mention them all. They are, each and every one, suitable for adding to the beauty of private gardens and estates.

BIRD BATHS

THE CENTRAL FEATURE OF THE GARDEN MAY BE A BIRD-BATH

CHAPTER VI

BIRD BATHS

John Burroughs, in his description of a garden, has told us that "To love the birds, to appreciate their place in the landscape," is one of the most important things. It does much to bring happiness into our lives. In the forming of a perfect garden, many things are requisite and among them are birds, flowers, bees, and the flashing butterfly who darts joyously from flower to flower, a thing of beauty and perishable as the day. Should anyone doubt the truth of these assertions, let him seat himself in some retired spot during a beautiful day in the month of roses. He can then listen to the song of the birds, caroling as they sway on the branches of the trees above our heads, nestling at our feet, or hidden away deep down in the heart of the flower beds. Birds are everywhere, they flit in and out of the garden, sipping sweet nectar from the blossoming plants, and flaunting their bright colors when catching the sunshine as they swing by.

God made nothing more interesting than birds and man should care for them, giving them a distinctive place in his garden, realizing that through their industry they free the plants from harmful insects and slugs. The birds can be coaxed into anyone's garden, that is, if care is taken in proper planting, giving to the plots trees and plants that they love. Under the rose bushes place a bath, where they can come and preen their plumage, but if possible have it placed beyond the reach of intruding cats.

When the custom of providing drinking cups to quench the thirst of our native birds first came into fashion, it is hard to determine. Perchance, it was in the early days when in 1621, the colonists built rail fences, to enclose their separate lots. Over these they trained the wild morning glory and sweet-scented honeysuckle, the perfume of which doubtless carried them back to the beautiful English gardens that still existed in their native land.

Doubtless, during the life of William Penn, when he encouraged the laying out of old English gardens, he included in the design a planting to attract bird life. This was still further encouraged when the first botanical garden came into existence in 1728 through the thought of Bertram Bartran, of Philadelphia. He was a man who had traveled much and was thoroughly versed in the art of floriculture. In his garden he planted rare and practical seeds partly for the mere joy of carrying out his own whims. This garden, like many others, was individual in its planting, a quality that lent to it an additional charm.

During the early seventeenth century there were imported into seaport towns principally at Salem, Massachusetts, unique bird baths. They came packed in among the cargo that was stowed away in the holds of the slow sailing ships that plied continuously between Singapore and the New England shores. Many of these were the result of orders given by the ship owners who wanted to set them in their posy beds, laid out at the rear of their stately homes. Rare were these shells with their fluted framework, and hard to find, yet so spacious that a whole colony of feathered songsters could hold concourse within their pearly depths.

Underneath the shade of the drooping lilac, they peered out at us from the time the melting of the snow released the snow drops from their icy cover, thus allowing them to lift up their pure white heads as if in rejoicing to be free, to be followed later on by the gay little crocuses, clad in their gowns of many hues. Few of these baths are still in existence. We come across them occasionally, however, in old-fashioned gardens where they are treasured for sentiment's sake.