To lag out a small suburban garden, where the main object is a display of ornamental trees and shrubs and border flowers.

144. General Arrangement

We shall suppose the extent and form of the ground to be the same as in fig. 34., p. 71., and that the walks are flagged, and the ground thoroughly drained and prepared. The walls we would plant with flowering shrubs, instead of fruit-trees; and the trellis we would plant solely with roses. The centre of the garden we would lay out in beds, in which the finer kinds of border flowers might be cultivated; or, we would form a border on both sides of the rose trellis, and lay down the centre of the garden in grass. In selecting such flowers as might be grown in the beds which we have supposed laid out within the space enclosed by the rose trellis, various objects may be kept in view, according to the taste of the occupier. He may have a favourite colour, or a favourite height; he may prefer climbing plants, or trailers, or bushy plants, or bulbs; or evergreen-leaved herbaceous plants, such as the pink, etc, to look well in winter. He may choose to make the greatest display in a particular month; or to cultivate plants which will continue in flower for two or three months at a time; or to grow only perennials or annuals, and so on.

One of the most general objects of gardeners, in cases of this kind, is to have an equal number of plants in flower during every month of the floral year, which consists of nine months, rejecting the three winter months. Of those in flower in each month, the next object is to have an equal number of each of the most prevalent colours; and more particularly of red, scarlet, orange, purple, blue, violet, yellow, and white. Where this is the object in a small garden, like that which we propose to plant, we would recommend a bed for each month; or, if the plants are to be arranged in borders, a row for the same period; or, rather, an imaginary row, so that there might be an equal quantity of plants in flower at the same time in every part of the border. Both in borders and in beds, it is desirable to place the lowest plants next the walk, and the tallest at the greatest distance from it, so as to produce a sloping surface of vegetation, in which mode it will be found that the most effectual display is made; the green foliage of the plants not yet come into flower, or that of the plants which are gone out of flower, contrasting advantageously with those in full bloom.

The front garden may be surrounded by a border, and have a small circular, square, or diamond-shaped bed in the centre; or it may be laid out in many different ways, some of which are shown in fig. 41., care being taken to employ artist-like shapes for the beds, and never to have less than 1 ft, or, what is still better, 2 ft., of turf between one bed and another; and between the beds next the walk and the wall. The wall of the front garden facing the south may be pleated with the more showy evergreen and deciduous shrubs, the planter being guided in his choice of kinds by the desire of displaying different sorts from those prevalent in the adjoining gardens, in order to increase the general variety of the street. As there will be 230 ft. of walking in the back garden, and 30 ft of walking in the front garden, if 4 ft. be allowed for each plant, 60 different sorts may be introduced, which will include all the finer climbers, twiners, and showy flowering shrubs in cultivation in British gardens, exclusive of the rhododendron and heath families, which, in general, are unsuitable for training against walls.

From this general rule we except the stronger-growing rhododendrons, the tree hybrids of which may be placed against the wall with a south aspect; and R. pon-ticum and R. catawbiense, with their varieties, against the wall with a northern exposure. Some of the more hardy azaleas might also be planted against this wall. The rose trellis being above 160 ft. in length, 80 sorte, allowing 2 ft. to each plant, might be displayed on it; in which might be included, all the very best kinds; and in addition there might be standards placed along the trellis at regular distances, which, at 10 ft. apart, would give 16 sorts more. The 15 beds contain 50 square feet each; and, allowing 2 square feet to a plant, this would give 350 herbaceous or flowering plants; so that the collection in the back garden would stand thus: - 60 select climbing, and other deciduous and evergreen flowering, shrubs; 96 kinds of choice roses; and 350 kinds of choice flowers. Besides these, there might be a border of candytuft, or ten-week stock, slightly mixed with mignonette, on each side of the main walk.

The choice of the shrubs and plants we shall leave the reader to make for himself from our descriptive lists; recommending him to introduce the evergreen shrubs here and there among the deciduous ones, so as to make the evergreen kinds prevail on the border with a north aspect, and to place the tenderer kinds on the wall which faces the south. Fragrance and the beauty of foliage should be kept in view, no less than the beauty of the flowers.