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[Illustration: Book Cover]
GARDEN ORNAMENTS
[Illustration: TALL POPLARS LEND DIGNITY TO A GARDEN SETTING]
GARDEN ORNAMENTS
BY
MARY H. NORTHEND
ILLUSTRATED
[Illustration]
NEW YORK
DUFFIELD & COMPANY
1916
Copyright, 1916,
by DUFFIELD & CO.
_I Dedicate This Garden Book
to My Friend_
EKIN WALLICK
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
FOREWORD
I. THE GARDEN PATH AND BORDER 3
II. THE PERGOLA AND ARCH 21
III. THE TEA HOUSE IN THE GARDEN 37
IV. THE GARDEN STEPS 53
V. ENTRANCES 71
VI. BIRD BATHS 89
VII. GARDEN SEATS 107
VIII. GARDEN POOLS 125
IX. THE SUN-DIAL IN THE GARDEN 143
X. THE FOUNTAIN 163
ILLUSTRATIONS
TALL POPLARS LEND DIGNITY TO A GARDEN SETTING _Frontispiece_
LET GUTTERS OF COBBLESTONES LINE YOUR PATH _Facing p._ 3
A SUCCESSFUL GRASS PATH 6
A BRICK-PAVED PATH FLANKED BY MANY-HUED IRIS 12
THE SUNLIGHT SIFTS THROUGH THE SHELTERING VINES OF THE PERGOLA 21
BUILD YOUR PERGOLA WITH COBBLESTONE SUPPORTS AND RUSTIC TOP 24
THE MOSS GROWS BETWEEN THE STONE WALK 28
A TEA-HOUSE 37
STEPPING-STONES IN A GRASS PATH 42
LILY PONDS IN A FORMAL GARDEN 46
STONE STEPS ATTRACTIVELY PLANNED 53
A FOUNTAIN THAT SERVES AS A BACKGROUND FOR A LILY POND 58
MARBLE STEPS LEADING TO THE WATER IN A FORMAL GARDEN 64
AN OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN IS OFTEN ENTERED UNDER AN ARCH OF
LATTICEWORK 71
A FINE DECORATIVE IRON GATEWAY 76
A SUCCESSFUL ENTRANCE TO A FORMAL GARDEN 82
THE CENTRAL FEATURE OF THE GARDEN MAY BE A BIRD-BATH 89
A WELL-PLACED BIRD-BATH 94
AN ORNAMENT DELIGHTFULLY USED TO MARK THE OPENING OF PATHS
THROUGH WOODS 98
A FORMAL GARDEN SEAT 107
A SIMPLE AND ATTRACTIVE GARDEN SEAT 112
STATELY LILIES ADD CHARM AND DIGNITY TO A GRAVELLED WALK 118
A POND-LILY POOL OF A VERY ATTRACTIVE SHAPE 125
A LILY POND THAT FILLS CHARMINGLY A CORNER OF A GARDEN 130
THERE IS AN EVER-CHANGING BEAUTY TO A GARDEN WHOSE PATHS ARE
BROKEN HERE AND THERE BY POOLS 136
GRASSY PATHS LEAD PLEASANTLY TO THE SUN-DIAL 143
THE SUN-DIAL IS A FEATURE IN ITSELF 148
AN OLD WELL USED EFFECTIVELY AS A DECORATIVE FEATURE 154
NARCISSUS STANDS IN THE HEART OF THE FOUNTAIN 163
A ROMAN FOUNTAIN PLACED AGAINST A VERY APPROPRIATE BACKGROUND 166
AN ARTISTIC FOUNTAIN PARTICULARLY WELL PLACED 170
THIS WALL FOUNTAIN WITH ITS SHELL BACKGROUND AND BASIN IS MOST
FITTINGLY PLACED 174
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
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: 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.
[Illustration: 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
[Illustration: THE SUNLIGHT SIFTS THROUGH THE SHELTERING VINES OF THE
PERGOLA]