Gardens for Small Country Houses. By G. Jekyll and L.
Weaver. (Country Life Offices. 15s. net.)—Miss Jekyll has wide practical experience of gardening and special knowledge of adapting her experience to the various landscapes of Surrey : Mr. Weaver has long been occupied by descriptions in Country Life of the small houses and gardens of any distinction in all parts of the country: thus they are a pair of writers admirably fitted to compile such a book as this. It is no great blame upon it to say that it is to a great extent made up from articles and photographs that have already appeared in Country Life, or that Surrey claims a pre- ponderance as regards locality. One chapter is added by Mr. Raymond Negus on rook gardens. The authors take the gardens, which have been admirably photographed by Messrs. Hudson and Kearns, to illustrate their general theories. They regard them not merely from the horticultural point of view, but also as wholes, that is to say, with regard to the setting, the colour schemes, and all the artificial accessories in stone, brick, wood, or lead, from the stateliest entrance- gate to the smallest toad or frog designed by Lady Chance to adorn a lily pond. The easy and obvious criticism of all such garden-book making is that gardening may be rendered too "tricky," and in the hands of a soulless gardener it will. But when so many new gardens of all sizes are being made throughout the country, there could be no more helpful book than this to consult. If anyone tries slavishly to reproduce these pictures without due regard to larger surroundings and conditions, or care for that personality which grows up in a beloved garden, well, such a person would fail quite as badly without the book. Besides the lavish reproduction of photo- graphs there are some imaginary designs by well-known layers-out of gardens.
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