The Virginia enterprise., 1913-05-16
Essentials of Beautiful Yard.

.ScCillldlo VI OedulIDuI dEus
Every home should be surrounded
by a beautiful and artistic yard. AL
most all Of us appreciate this fact,
and it will not bear argument, but
there is considerable divergence OF
opinion as to what can be done to
make the yard beautiful.
In order to assist our readers to Sc
cure the most gratifying results posi-
bic, we will try to outline the essen
tial features to be borne in mind when
planning landscape gardening at
home.
The one most important feature in
planting operations is harmony. This
is the keynote of all beautiful scenes
1t does not mean that we may not
employ contrasting colors and forms.
but that these features give a pleas
ing general effect
If your house is of any particular
architectural style, let the shape Of
your walks, roadway, flower beds,
shrubs and trees be of such a charac-
ter as to carry out the lines and spirit
of the house as far as possible. The
formal house should be surrounded by
natural things of geometrical patterns
square corners, formal shaped
shrubs, straight walks, etc., rather
than the graceful forms. The bunga.
low and the less imposing and rigid
type of building must be treated in
decidedly different manner, as its
lines are more on the graceful AID
beautiful order, and the lines of the
surrounding grounds should carry out
the same idea. Curved lines, even of
a rather indefinite character, may be
used to advantage. Flowing shapes in
the trees and shrubs, profuse vines,
beds and banks of wild flowers and
related subjects should be adhered to
largely.
Do not attempt to mix these two
distinct styles of landscape art. Moth
ing can be more uuattractive than a
formal square house set in woodland
unless it be graceful, unpretentious
country home in the midst of an Ital.
ian garden.
The house, while it is not really a
part Of the yard, is still the most i'm
portant feature Of the whole scene
from the standpoint of the person on
the outside. This is why we place
such special emphasis on the appear
ance and style of the building.
We take for granted that the impor.
tance of the lawn is thoroughly under
stood. The arrangement of the build.
ings, walks, roads, and paintings will
determine it's shape and extent, but 1t
is highly essential that the ground be
covered by a smooth, velvety turf,
where not otherwise taken up for
some specific purpose.
City front yards are usually so small
that all we can hope to do with them
is to keep them covered with a good
lawn. Suburban front yards are much
more ample and are covered by the
general principles set down for city
back yards.
The first care is to join the house tc
to the ground in natural and artistic
manner. The color of the house has q
good deal to do with this, and the rest
can be accomplished by judicious
use of flower beds, vines or shrubs
near the house.
In planting for the small yard, dc
not put beds or shrubs in the middle
of any stretch of lawn. Keep them
either along the walk and roadway, o,
around the outer edges of the lot. By
using taller and more distinctly color
ed and formal plants close to the house
and smaller and less prominent vari
cites farther away we can secure an
appearance Of distance in the view
from the house, and this is very i'm
portant feature in the effect of any
landscape picture.
For the small city back yard the
house must be ignored to consider
able extent and the planting is largely
a question of the gardeners individual
| taste. Much more effective results
will be secured even on the smallest
! Int 10 Tho fo11 simnle rules here giyer