The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-18
NEED OH GOOD PLAN
FOR HOME GROUNDS
Methods DO Not Produce artistic
or Satisfying Results in Either the LARGEST
or Smallest Elaboration Is Not the
Measure of Beanty-DeSign ,Shouzd Unite
House and Grounds, Grounds and O1tter Land
Scnbe

THE minds Of the home builders,
i and of not few to whom their
homes are not new, are much oc-
cupied this month with the problem Of
home grounds and their proper treat
ment. There is a general awakening in
Minneapolis to the idea that the rails
ing. of flowers and the planting of
lavish number of beautiful shrubs and
vines, 90 not always, nor even usually,
give satisfactory or artistic general eff
fects. There is a growing appreciation
of the need Of intelligent, competent
planning of grounds, whether they are
a great park, large country place or
a modest dooryard. All must be I'M
dertaken in an artistic spirit to obtain
a good result.
"Two trees and six shrubs, scrap Of
lawn and a dozen Towering plants may
form either a beautiful little picture
or huddled disarray of forms and
colors,' says Mrs. Schuyler Van Reuse
sound books on the subject that does not
confuse and repel the ignorant seeker
for guidance by technicalities.
"The scheme is the main point she
continues, "the scheme and the will to
stick to it and not be tempted by the
beauty of individual things into fritter-
ing away or confusing it's Effects The
fundamental idea Of artistic gardening
and the purpose of a design is to form
a picture that will give the. same kind
of satisfaction that is found in a good
natural landscape or Landscape on
canvas. The size or elaboration of the
scheme does not affect it's beauty any
more than it does that Of the painter s
composition,
ments (even if these elements be the
very fewest in number) can be good
which is not good as a whole; to make
it good as whole, we, must begin by
having a clear idea of what sort of
a whole we want; and to begin with
such an idea is to work in an artistic
spirit, no matter how well or how poor
ly we succeed in giving it beautiful ex-
preston. 1t is needful to say that
working in this spirit we should not
only work to better eventful effect, but
with greater pleasure for the moment
To have some appropriate and charm
ing little picture in our minds which we
want to realize; to dispose of our
grounds, and to choose and place our
plants, with the requirements OF this
picture before us-this is to. get the
highest pleasure for our planting
| Few who come to realize the value OF
an artistic and consistent plan, feel
competent to undertake to make one;
but, if they do not feel like employing
a landscape architect, by giving care
full study to the problems, they can
avoid many mistakes and enjoy, some
genuine triumphs. The principles on
Which beautiful landscape art is based
are breadth, repose, simplicity and hit
ness, harmony between part and part,
concentration of interest, variety in
unity and stimulus for the imagination.
The elements of the planning are
first, to unite naturally and attractive
|1y the lines of the house with the con-
formity Of the site, and then to unite
the home grounds with the surround
ing landscape, for which they will form
the foreground as seen from the house:
"The true use and first purpose of
R Rem nGS lis so to grow for US beauti-
full plants of such a kind that their
right association will make a beautiful
whole, beautifully in keeping with the
house on one hand and with the outer
landscape on the other. In fitting them
| for this purpose, we are at liberty to
get our trees, shrubs and flowers where
we will, provided we introduce none,
which, by discordant note, will mar
the general effect, which must be deter
mined by soil, climate and situation,
and by the character of the house and
Of the local landscape
To have this harmonious character,
American gardens must be American,
with the lawn as it's salient feature. To