Evening star., 1909-05-15

covering tur ulock-a short one-between
two streets. The houses are almost ar
tistically perfect. and both are set IN
yards ample enough in size to give the
effect Of spaciousness, so often totally lost
in smaller places.
The yards are each inclosed by trinity
clipped low hedges set within retaining
iron fences. The hedges receive con-
slant attention. are never permitted to
become struggling or irregular. while the
lawns themselves are clipped at least
twice a week, rolled and sprinkled until
they are velvety In their luxuriant beauty.
On both places shrubbery is used. and no
set beds OF flowers cut up or mar the
beauty of the smooth greensward. But
there the resemblance between the two
places stops.
In one OF the yards the lawn has been
left clear in the center, the shrubbery
being disposed in clump effects ABOUT the
sides and in the corners. Where hlsn
close fence shuts off the laundry yard
from the remainder Of the place several
rambler vines have been planted, the
vines being trained up so as to cover the
cleanly painted boards OF the renee: AT
the rear Of the lawn, where the dlvlolnS
green's have been planted In irregular
fashion. Toward the side this plantation
continues, the trees being considerably
smaller in size, while at the front corner
Of the yard small clump OF low-groWing
lark -foliaged evergreens shows somber
against the glowing green of the lawn.
Interspersed among the evergreens all
about are a few other trees. all or small.
growing habit. The whole effect is one OF
openness, spacfousneSs, roomy ana artis-
In the adjoining yard the conditions and
the effect are both entirely different.
Where the surrounding hedge or the first
place simply runs around the yard and is
kept closely cropped, the hedge sur
rounding the second yard Is planted SO as
to encroach on the lawn In a number or
spots. At the entrance the heavy CROWN
runs up beside the steps. clear to the
verandah, with only cramped. narrow
opening by which to gain the front en-
trance or to pass around toward the
side OF the house. The lawn itself to-
tally lost in a wilderness of small trees
and shrubs; half dozen sorts of ever
greens, in all sizes. cumber the yard;
scarlet naples, two Of them. distract the
eve: Japanese mulberry trees and small
weeping willow stand side by side. while,
Just inside the hedge, are two shade trees
Of considerable size. The whole effect is
cIuttered, overcrowded. cramped and in
artistic: 1t looks as II the one who plant
ed the trees has had a job lot OF them
and did not like to waste any. so set
them all out, without regard to fitness,
= beauty Wn6H III JuAldpOoltiOl, W oily Tim 3
else The lawn and the house are totally
subordnated and lost sight OF in the
thicket Of mixed shrubbery.
Facts to Remember.
These two places. adjoining as they do,
offer a striking object lesson in the right
and wrong way to landscape a small city
yard; and the lesson will apply equally
well to the suburban lot Of greater area.
The following paragraph from l.. H. Bal
ley's Garden Making should be memor-
ized by every amateur gardener who is
planning to set about beautifying and
landscaping his place, be that place large
or small.
.'The first instruction which should be
given in landscape gardening, / think, is
this: The object of landscape gardening
is to make a picture. All the grading.
seeding and planting are incidental and
supplemental to this one central idea,
The greensward is the canvas. the house
or some other prominent point is the CEN
trail figure, the planting completes the
composition and adds the color. The sec
principle that the picture shall have a
landscape effect That is, 1t should be
nature-like. Carpet beds are masses OF
color, not pictures. They are the little
garnishings and reliefs which are to be
| used very cautiously, In the same way
| that little eccentricities and conventional
| isms in a building should never be more
| than very minor features. Every other
| concept in landscape gardening is SUBJ
| ordinate to these two. They are explana-
| tions of the means and methods of max
| ing the picture Some Of the most i'm
i portant of these secondary, yet funda-
| mental, concepts are: Conceive of the
place as unit. II a building Is not
| pleasing, ask an architect to improve It.
/ The real architect will study the building
/ as whole. grasp it's design and mean
| ing. and suggest improvements which will
add to the forcefuiness of the entire
| structure.
"A dabbler would add a chimney here. a
window there and apply various daubs of
paint to the building. Each of these fea-
lures might be good in itself. The paints
might be the best of ochre, ultramarine or
paris green, but they would have no rela-
| tion to the building as a whole and would
be only ludicrous. These two examples