Stranica 553 [553]
OCR
HISTORTOO GARDENS ORS VIRGINTA labored eftect may be understood from the following comment, recently 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found that the arbor vitae hedge on the second terrace did not do well under the large trees, so this part of it has been replaced by.a border of cornels, viburnums and shrub roses, to which holly is being added from time to time.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 service 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 flowering 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]
