Studio: international art (49.1910)

Architectural Gardening— VIII.

Architectural gardening.

—VIII. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
BY C. E. MALLOWS, F.R.I.B.A.,
AND F. L. GRIGGS.

It may now be safely assumed in any project
for the building of a house or garden, or in any
complete scheme of development of land for
building purposes of that nature, that the artistic
value of the house and garden is a real commercial
asset. A certain standard of artistic merit is now
demanded by that circle of the public (it is pleasant
to note that the circle widens every year) which is
seriously and intelligently interested in the work of
house and garden design.

Many and various are the causes that have
brought about this encouraging state of things, but
perhaps the most potent of recent years have been
the actual illustrations, as built, in such samples
as are to be found in the Hampstead Garden
suburb and elsewhere. Such instances as these
tell in a way that is not possible either by pen or
pencil of the advantages of forethought and
common-sense in the design of an estate as a
whole; of the placing of the houses and gardens
in their right relation to each other so as to secure

to each the maximum advantages the site has to
offer, and of the reasonable and sincere treatment
of the building materials. At no period in our
own time has there been a better opportunity for
such development schemes as at the present.

Amongst minor efforts in this direction is one
about to be made on a small scale on the out-
skirts of the village of Speldhurst, near Tunbridge
Wells, Kent. The intention in this scheme is to
extend the character of the old portion of the
village to the outskirts, and in this way en-
deavour to create the same interest that attaches
to nearly all ancient building, and which comes
from attention and care for such elements in
design as grouping, form, colour and texture.

The site itself is one of unusual charm, and
possesses much natural beauty, whilst the view
from the ground itself, across a wide undu-
lating valley to distant hills, is one of the most
beautiful in Kent. This fine natural picture,
or series of pictures, has of course to a great
extent determined the general scheme, a plan
of which we hope to publish and further
describe in a future number. In the meantime
one of the smaller houses which are about to be
built is illustrated on this page. In this instance