The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-18
IMPROVING THE CITY LOT
By Frank H. Nutter, Landscape Architect.

I design determined upon by the owner
and here he may indulge his indi-
vidual tastes and fads, and if he has
one of the latter in these strenuous
days and can find time to carry it out,
| he is happy man.
1t is we'll, however, to make a spe-
cialty of some kind in such a garden,
| whether it be a selected variety of
! hardy perennials, Towering ANIMALS,
| roses, iris, aequate plants or what n,o
and let it be the predominating fea-
ture, tho not precluding the use of
other plants to a certain extent If
| it is decided to have a lawn, let it
be a lawn of as wide. expanse as posi-
BILE, with the, paintings relegated to the
! border beds. Even a kitchen garden
#. might not be amiss in such a, location
as this, if we'll kept, especially if the
borders of the paths be marked with
the bright-hued flowers of our grand
mothers days, phlox, cocks-comb,
marigold, asters, etc.
! The question is sometimes asked,
Is it. practicable to cooperate with
| neighbors in such a way as to secure
| effects impossible to the owner of a
single lot? Certainly this is possible,
and in these days of combines and
| trusts, landscape trust of this kind
would be the most harmless of the
| class. ~ -.
feasible to treat in common the rear
gardens We have been discussing. and
by sacrificing in part only the privacy
we long for, to gain more extended
| areas OF lawn and chance to intro
duce larger trees and longer vistas.
On the front lawns still more could
be done, as it would not require as
much personal contact, tho mutual
concession on some points would
doubtless be necessary, as in all part
nerships. A general scheme for the
uniform grading of adjoining lawns
! and care of same, and planting plan
| arranged for the whole area, would
be requisite for complete success. A
land owner who, in developing his
property for the market, can grade
it as whole, establish a building line
beyond which no structures or fences
shall extend. set out the street trees
With uniformity and properly grade
and sod the boulevards which border
the roadway, has done much to add to
the value of his stock in trade and to
encourage purchasers to enter upon
the Intelligent orname ntatiOn of their
property.
In closing, allow me to carry this
| thought of cooperation one step far
tf1er. The abolishing of all fences
along street and property lines often
has the effect Of destroying all privacy
etilu apparently throwing everything
open to the public. There are many
locations where the occupants of a
block of street which is not a main
thorofare might combine to remedy
this defect. Let the roadway be mar
rowed as before suggested; along the
ntersecting street sides of the corner
lots construct a wall or fence or es-
tabllsh a hedge, running back to alley:
on either side of the narrowed road
way, where it intersects these cross
streets, erect suitable posts, carrying
lanterns, or vases to mark the en-
trance to the improved block; see to
it that the roadway is carefully tended
ana II desired, use some Towering
plants or shrubs at proper locations
along the boulevards.
The result will be that all the homes
| along this favored block instead Of
standing unprotected, will enjoy at
least the semiprivacy of residence
park without in any way conflicting
with the rights or pleasures of the
public.