434 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Usually, however, in some direction there will be a point of 

 interest in the landscape, as a picturesque hilltop or lake, the spire 

 of a distant church or some other striking object, and this we 

 will make the most of by leaving the necessary opening 

 in the border planting and so locating the plantings upon 

 the lawn and nearer the house that the object of interest 

 will be seen from the windows or veranda at the end of 

 the prepared vista and framed in the opening of the border plan- 

 tation and, perhaps, further enclosed by the overarching branches 

 of some large tree. It is astonishing what striking eflFects some- 

 times result from such a framing, and the object, which, perhaps, 

 in the wide sweep of the horizon seemed to be insignificant, 

 stands out as strongly as though it were a picture on the wall of 

 our outdoor apartment. 



In our inspection of the surrounding landscape we will be 

 unusually forunate if we do not find also some features we wish 

 were not there. Here our border planting will serve another pur- 

 pose, and by increasing its height and thickness and, perhaps, also 

 by the use of evergreens, lest the falling leaves of autumn should, 

 during the long months of winter, reveal to our gaze the obnox- 

 ious object, we will conceal it from our sight. If on the grounds 

 themselves we should be obliged to maintain structures which we 

 do not wish to be too prominent, this same use of trees and shrubs 

 will be an efficient aid. A^ost useful for this purpose are the var- 

 ious kinds of hardy vines, either annual or perennial, from the 

 morning glory, hop, nasturtium or even the despised wild cucum- 

 ber, to the climbing honeysuckle, clematis, Virginia creeper, wild 

 grape, etc. Truly they often, like charity, will cover a multitude 

 of sins, architectural and otherwise. 



The house and other buildings often stand bare and isolated 

 on the lot, as though they had no special connection therewith and 

 were only waiting further orders to move on and take up their 

 abode elsewhere. A proper arrangement of an irregular bed of 

 choice shrubs of not too rampant growth, around such portions 

 of the foundations and verandas as the planning of the house and 

 grounds will permit, and the use of vines, where feasible, on ver- 

 anda posts, outside chimneys, stonework, etc., will remedy all 

 this and, as it has been happily expressed, "Marry the house to 

 the grounds." 



As a protest against the old custom of shutting out the pas- 

 ser-by from all the enjoyment of the beauty of private grounds, 



