Suburban Home Grounds. 69 



windows of the house, the street, and any other vantage point 

 on the grounds. 



Mews are often destroyed by lack of consideration as to the 

 uhimate effect of the shrubs or trees planted. Then locate or 

 indicate the objectionable features that should be hidden, 

 such as a neighbor's back door, a stable, etc. Then proceed 

 to plot on the plan the desirable locations for the shrubs or 

 trees chosen. 



In making this plan the home builder may embody many of 

 the choice plants often admired in some friend's grounds. By 

 such consideration many disappointments will be avoided in 

 the failure of plants to grow. The shade of a tree, the north 

 side of a building, the climatic conditions, or the quality of the 

 soil will preclude many of the plants desired. It will be found, 

 however, that there are many more varieties that may be used 

 never thought of by the home builder without such study. 



The size of the plant as received from the nursery as com- 

 pared with its ultimate growth is one of the usual forgotten 

 points. Trees are planted too closely together as they appear 

 only as poles at first. Later, when they grow and appear to 

 crowd, there is difficulty in getting any of them removed. 

 ''Woodman, spare that tree" is one of the unwritten laws. 

 Another error often made is the desire to use too large a 

 variety of trees and shrubs. There are new varieties intro- 

 duced and offered as specialties by the nurserymen each year 

 which are destined to fail if the climatic conditions and soil 

 preparations are unsuitable. It is l^etter to limit tlie list to a 

 few plants of sure growth at the first planting. Try to use 

 plants that will take care of themselves. 



In planning, strive to get simple broad effects instead of 

 startling ones. The novelty, in time, passes away by the 

 latter method and a more restful, homelike, and less expen- 

 sive result is secured l)y the former plan, flan to plant in 

 gi'oups and masses rather than the spotting of the lawn by 

 the use of individual shrubs. Many a fine lawn has been 



