The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-19

which are similar. The constant factors are house and outbuildings, piece of land and always different natural sur- roundings which the landscape architect must be able to size up and utilize to their best advantage from the point of view of the householder.
 In this special case the first point de- termined Is the location of the house, which is placed on the crest of the slope toward the river but not in the center. The best view being to the right, and the lot being narrow a site is chosen well to the left, facing diagonally across the gen. tleman's own property. and at the same time avoiding the possibility that the out look might be cut off by some new build ing erected on the next estate. But the view, although of first importance, is only one consideration. The spot must also be easily and pleasantly accessible from the road: 1t must be the best spot on that particular lot in respect to sanitation and general healthfulness; the condition of the ground upon which the house Is to stand. as well as the richness or the pow erty of the soil and the expense involv- ed in preparing it for trees, vines, shrub bery or a garden, must be considered as important factors.
 When these points are settled the prob lem resolves itself into two parts-how to treat that part of the estate between the house and the road, and how to trea the part of it between the house and the lake. According to the programme the lake side of the house looks out immediately upon the water and the effect of this view will be enhanced in proportion as it comes as a surprise to the visitor. Every one who is fond of country walking knows the value of this element of sur prise, and the landscape architect goes di- rect to nature when he proposes repro- ducing the same sensation by his way | of approaching the house. As seen from the road, therefore, the house Is so sup plemented by shrubbery and the wall of a garden that no suggestion of the water is visible The road itself, the stables and the driveway leading to them are so ar ranged as to be hidden by trees or shrubs, while the main body of the estate, on It's land side, remains a broad, open lawn bounded by irregular groups of trees and backed by pleasant country house; and through the trees bordering the almost hidden roadway at one side of the lot the landscape architect allows a bit of the surrounding scenery to be visible, leav- ing the plantation thinnest at such places as give the best outlooks. On the lake side of the estate he devotes his efforts to making the most of the natural view across the water.
 But aside from his care for the aesthetic beauty or the environment the landscape architect enters the domain of the struc- tural architect so far as to declare where such and such rooms should be situated Every room has windows. and every win dow has view, so while the landscape architects mission Is not to determine the size and shape of the rooms he may de eide what shall be the outlook of each and what is to enter it in the way of air and sunshine. He plans the dining-room, for example, so that it shall get the morning sun and the drawing-room or other apartment, so that 1t shall have the sunshine in the later hours of the day In short, 1t is his task To see that the house gets the greatest benefit out of all the forms of nature in its surroundings.