This section is from the book "The Villa Gardener", by J. C. Loudon. Also available from Amazon: The Villa Gardener.
On the supposition that the walks are of flagstone, supported on brick piers, then the wall borders need not be more than 18 in. wide; as the space under the flagstones (the latter not touching the soil) will be almost as available for a border for the roots of the wall trees, as if it were fully exposed to the sun; while, in effect, as we have elsewhere observed, it adds all the space occupied by the walks to the superficial area of the garden. If the walks are of gravel, then the width of the borders between them and the wall on which peaches and grapes are to be grown ought not to be less than 5 ft.; and those for the other hardier fruits not less than 2 or 3 feet In fig. 34., the direction of the side walls of the back garden is east and west: and, the walks being supposed to be of gravel, the border to the wall a, having a south aspect, is 5 ft. wide; that to the end wall b, having a west aspect, is 3 ft. wide; and that to the south wall c, having a north aspect, is 2 ft wide; d is the rubbish-pit The interior of the garden is laid out in beds for the cultivation of kitchen crops.
 
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