310 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



ing. A fiuisbed place is not as interesting to most owners as one to 

 which something may be added and the artistic method of planting 

 in groups give abundant scope in this direction. 



The second point I wish to make is, tliat groups and masses form 

 the very best backgrounds for the display of our finest bedding 

 plants, the bedding plants having more character because of con- 

 nection with heavier planting behind them. It is upon the same 

 principle v/hich guides an artist in hanging an important picture. 

 He first covers the wall with a suitable background. It is cheaper 

 and easier to arrange beds where but one side is open to critical 

 inspection. A bed entirely surrounded with lawn must have plants 

 of uniform size, and a certain number must be used to complete the 

 concentric row^s, but this is not so important where a background is 

 furnished. You can make your bed narrow or- wide, as proportion 

 is not such a matter of prime importance as in a bed set in the open. 

 In the planting w'e have been doing, the row of spireas would not be 

 a good place to bank flowers against, because the trailing branches 

 of the spirea make a finished connection with the lawn which could 

 not be improved by any planting of flowers. On the other hand, 

 the rigid stems of the I'yrus Japonica on the other side of the yard, 

 with their glossy green foliage and good height would make an 

 excellent background for a bed of cannas. They would not inter- 

 fere with either, as the pyrus blooms more than a month before it 

 is time to plant cannas. A double row of peonies could be planted 

 in front of the red group, and with no interference in this case either, 

 for the dogwood is most interesting in winter when, the dried peony 

 stalks would have been relegated to the bonfire heap. A bed filled 

 with some of the beautiful coleus our florists are giving us in recent 

 years would do excellently in front of the retinosporas. In fact, 

 they could find no more congenial background than the beautiful 

 soft golden foliage of the retinospora. I might go on for an hour 

 telling you. of forms and combinations of beauty which can only 

 be had at tbeir best where the system of planting I am advocating 

 is used. 



Perhaps, as you mentally review our little lawn as we have planted 

 it, you will wonder w'hether I am going to leave this imaginary door- 

 yard without any shade trees. Certainly not. But the number and 

 location of shade trees is a matter that cannot be determined off- 

 hand. 



The frontage of the house and size of lot should determine both the 

 number and position. If the dooryard we have been considering 

 is but six rods square and the house faces the south, then one good 

 tree just to the left of the front walk and twenty feet from the steps, 

 and another on the west side near the fence, just below the evergreen 

 group would be enough, As to varieties to plant, that is too big a 



