SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 363 



the shores and banks with apparent out-croppings of stone 

 ledges, half-sunken boulders, or tree stumps, which, half seen 

 through the foliage of creeping vines or ferns, greatly soften the 

 often too hard lines of the shores of artificial waters. 



A clump of rushes may be used to tone down a projecting 

 point. A quiet cove may be made more natural by a patch of 

 the water lily, or of the lotus. 



The prominent features in a landscape are wood, water and 

 green sward, and their harmonious arrangement constitutes the 

 charm of pleasing scenery. 



The location of park driveways depend so much on the envi- 

 ronment of the park, that much cannot be said thereof. It can 

 safely be depended upon that the surrounding property to a 

 city park will be made available for residence. In such a case, 

 the driveway should be of sufficient distance from the park 

 limits to allow of breadth for effective and massive planting of 

 trees and shrubbery around its borders, where abutting on resi- 

 dence property. The ideal park of the people conveys the idea 

 of retirement and seclusion from bricks and mortar; therefore, 

 street life should be made invisible, if possible, from the 

 interior of the park. 



The driveways should, in graceful, sweeping curves, give 

 commanding views of the principal points of interest in the 

 park, and at the same time these curves should not be allowed 

 to approach each other so nearly as to slice the landscape into 

 strips alternately of gravel or grass and trees. 



In planting observe unity in grouping, let some designs be ap- 

 parent. Should the driveway sweep boldly around a point, let 

 that point be clothed with a heavy group of trees; the object of 

 the sweep of the road is then explained. On that piece of road- 

 way, slightly curved, permit the eye to wander across the vista to 

 the irregular outline of the groups of foliage beyond, or delight 

 itself in the reflection of the pendulous branches of the elm or 

 the willow on the placid bosom of a lake. If your roadway is 

 carried through a piece of dense greenery, let it be to emerge into 

 a view of charming openness and beauty. 



Unity or harmony in planting consists in the blending of the 

 trees of the groups with each other, so that incongruous associa- 

 tions and violent contrasts may be avoided ; the oak will not bear 

 close association with the birch, yet may be connected by some 

 other form of growth intervening, which is in harmony with both. 



Coloring in groups should also be studied ; light and shadows 

 too have their part in Nature's harmony. As an example; note 

 the effect in winter of an association of the white birch with the 

 pine. 



Evergreens and shrubbery may occasionally be used in the fore- 

 ground of groups, but in the way of an attachment to, rather 

 than as a part of the group. 



