Page 553 [553]
HISTORTOO GARDENS ORS VIRGINTA
labored eftect may be understood from the following comment, re¬
cently heard: ‘I don’t see any design. Just looks like two walks
and a lot of bushes.’
A ripening friendship with the garden and the needs of the
family have determined a few modifications. It is doubtful whether
the rose garden will ever be made—certainly not in the place shown
in the plan.. More probably the space will be thoroughly leveled
for bowls, croquet and clock golf, and the west and south
boundaries, formed by low retaining walls of field stone, planted
with sedum, wall-flowers, and rock-cress. Probably the seats in
the shrubbery will never be placed, as it has been found most
pleasant to have garden chairs and tables under the pines near
the lily pool. Again, it was found that the arbor vitae hedge on the
second terrace did not do well under the large trees, so this part
of it has been replaced by.a border of cornels, viburnums and
shrub roses, to which holly is being added from time to time.
. Up to the present, the design has been carried out only on the
first and second terraces, and some little idea of the material used
must be given. In the corners, against the north side of the house,
are American holly and American and Japanese mahonia, under
which are ferns. Bordering the west walk, and screening the ser¬
vice yard, is a forsythia bank about thirty yards long, planted
with viridissima and intermedia edged down with suspensa. This
is now about eight feet high, and behind it are a few small flower¬
ing trees. Ihe shrubbery backing the herbaceous border to the west
is almost entirely of lilac and mock-orange, with a few red buds to
break the skyline. ‘his shrubbery is not much seen from the house
in winter, and the unattractiveness of such bushes during the
dormant period is not conspicuous. ‘The shrubbery backing the
other border is composed of viburnums, cornels and barberries, with
some edging of stephanandra. On the terrace bank, under the pines
and near the pool, are summer hydrangea, sorbaria Aitchisonii,
aralia and ferns. Ilhese are interesting throughout the fall and
[340]