Large timber trees, such as oak, lime, beech or sycamore, cannot very well be planted within the garden, though they may easily be so in the grounds, or even outside them. They should not be planted singly, but either in large clumps or thick enough to form a wood which, in course of time, may afford shelter to the whole garden. The next thing requiring the attention of the Topiary gardener, and one which must be considered in a special degree, is the general formation of the garden. This is a matter of vital importance, and, in common with all branches of garden architecture, needs great forethought and technical skill. In commencing a Dutch or Topiary garden, everything should be laid out in a formal way; always, of course, taking care to avoid unnecessary stiffness in design. [Illustration: VARIOUSLY SHAPED YEW TREES ] [Illustration: A PEACOCK CUT IN YEW AT COMPTON WYNYATES ] In the carrying out of the Topiary work, Man is striving to a very great extent against Nature, and Nature is never an easy adversary to fight. Natural beauty, therefore, must not be considered too deeply in the formal laying out of a Topiary garden. I am far from wishing to imply that Nature should be entirely neglected; but in the general formation and practical management of a Topiary garden, a quaint and unique appearance is the thing that must be aimed at, and sometimes even a grotesque effect. Hence Nature must occasionally be relegated to a secondary position. Natural beauties, however, appeal to everybody, and if it can be found possible to combine the two, so much the better. If it is intended to lay out a garden in which plenty of space can be allowed for planting, let us say, a hundred or more trees, a large piece of ground will be found to be necessary. It is always advisable to devote plenty of ground to the work, as it is a great mistake to plant the trees too close together. Although the trees when in a small state may not appear to be crowded, if sufficient space has not been allowed for their growth and development, the garden will afterwards present a cramped and heavy appearance which will greatly mar its general effect as time goes on. The system of planting entirely in grass is not, I think, to be greatly recommended, although a few single trees planted here and there on the lawns may look well. For various reasons which shall be explained hereafter, I believe it to be better to combine the Topiary proper and the flower garden. When it has been decided how many trees it is intended to plant, and how much space is available for the work, the ground should be mapped out in six or eight large squares or quarters. These squares need not be all of one uniform size, or of exactly the same shape. As a general rule, the person who is laying out the garden will have to be guided by circumstances as regards the shape and size of these divisions.