The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-06-08

average sort, inasmuch as most of the flowers
'Aat nave place in a colonial garden are of the
olu-lash1ohed hardy sort. There are, however,
some features of the layout of the flower beds
that render the colonial garden distinctive, and
parucularly is this the with the neatly
trimmed little hedges that serve as borders for
the various flower beds and in many instances
supply screens and boundary markers for the
garden.
In the OF many of the older gardens all
or portion Of these hedges are formed of the
richly tinted and sweet scented box. Indeed 1t
is the presence of this shrub which is likely to
distinguish genuine colonial garden from the
newer sort Of floral setting. For be it known the
box 10 very difficult to transplant successfully
some say impossible-and it is of very slow
growth. So much SO, indeed, that a handsome
hedge of box is more likely than not to represent
the fruits of century Of care and atten-
tion Withal the box will grow fairly we'll if left
to itself and only given time, but the watchful
care OF gardener is required if it is desired
to restrict it to certain limits, as, for instance,
the borders of flower beds.
In the days preceding and following the Revo.
luton there colonial gardens in all the thir-
teen original states, but the finest of these were
To- eted in Virginia. Nor was this to be won
dered at, for the Old Dominion was at that time
the seat Of the most notable country seats in the
new world History tells of the magnificent es-
tates maintained by George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson. Madison, Monroe and other prominent
Vrglnlans OF that period, but there were dozens
of other wealthy landed prcprietors who, though
perhaps not nationally as prominent lived in the
same baronal style on their expansive planta.
tons and had the slave labor that contributed so
much to the development of such estates. co.
lonial garden was not only inevitable adjunct
of Virginia estate in those days of lavish lv-
ing, but it in many instances the special
pride and hobby of the lord or mistress of the
manor house.
Now, strange to say, surprising number OF
these old colonial gardens retain to this day
much of their old-time splendor. We say surpris-
ing, because 1t must be remembered that when
the devastating tide Of great Civil swept
over Virginia it played havoc with many
cesral estate and it would be too much to expect
that the gardens should not suffer as did the
mansions. Furthermore, many Of the old Vir
ginia families have been in greatly reduced cir
cumstances s:.lce the war and have not had the
means to E4intan the old gardens in the man
ner that ;.1eir ancestors did. That in spite of
these ccsiitions the colonial gardens in the state
known us 1.-THE Mother of Presidents" retain so
much VI their beauty and fascination is tribute
to tie advantages of this form of gardening.
There some formal gardens in old Vir-
gna, but for the most part the gardens are what
are known as informal, or suggestive of natures
own arrangement rather than masterpieces of
the fancy gardeners ingenuity Only in rare in
stances do we see the box or other hedge shrubs
trimmed and fashioned into fantastic shapes to