340 LANDSCAPE DESIGN 



and so on, and the kind, diameter, spread, and condition of trees, and 

 the elevation of the ground at their foot. These surveys may be 

 greatly added to by photographs, and if the exact locations from which 

 the photographs were taken are recorded, further objects may be 

 located upon the survey, or an entire location survey of recognizable 

 objects may be made by measurements taken from these photographs.* 

 Design Having familiarized himself as far as possible with what his client's 



desires are and are likely to be, and with the governing circumstances 

 under which these desires must be met, the landscape architect pro- 

 ceeds to his design. If he means to do his work quickly and efficiently, 

 and so that when he has brought it to an end he may feel reasonably 

 sure that he has done the best that he is capable of under the circum- 

 stances, he must make his decisions in the design in some sequential 

 and orderly way. This does not mean that he should have some stereo- 

 typed, mechanical method of approach to his problem, but it does 

 mean that he should not make his designing simply a matter of inspira- 

 tion. 



He should first accept those restrictions of topography, of neces- 

 sary dimensions for use, of necessary limit of expense, which he finds 

 imposed, and let them in so far shape his solution for him. He should 

 then decide the fundamental questions of choice of style, choice of 

 main units for use and beauty to be included in the design, and perhaps 

 such important things as house location and orientation. f It is 

 very likely that at this point a number of different alternatives will be 

 possible. The designer should determine which of these alternatives 

 are worth further consideration, and then, taking the essential charac- 

 teristics of each alternative, put it into sketch form, carrying it no 

 further than is necessary for its comparison with other alternatives in 

 respect to the fundamental factors which are, so far, the only ones be- 

 ing considered. It is commonly much better to produce a series of 



* With the progress in aeronautics and the extensive use of the camera from mili- 

 tary aircraft, the interest in this form of surveying has increased and will doubtless 

 give rise to a literature in English on the subject more up-to-date than Lieut. Henry 

 A. Reed's Photography as applied to Surveying, 1888, or the chapters in general books 

 on topographic surveying. 



t Cf. The Estate, Chapter XI, p. 253. 



