The Livable House 



Probably the only way to get the right sort of atmosphere into 

 a naturalistic garden is to study the country around it and adopt 

 native characteristics; that is, the good characteristics. The bad 

 ones should be discarded and the good ones emphasized, for this 

 is the only way to preserve the individuality of each particular 

 bit of country. 



If you are making a naturalistic pool down on Long Island, or 

 in any portion of the country where no rocky streams are to be 

 found, resist the temptation to import rocks and boulders to put 

 along the edge of the pond. Make it true to the type of pool 

 which occurs in the neighborhood; let the grass run down to the 

 water's edge, broken at intervals by clumps of iris and tall grasses, 

 Sagittarius and button bush, with cedars and black alders and 

 dogwood to form a background. But if the streams and pools 

 near your house are rocky, stones may border the water's edge 

 with perfect propriety. Be careful to have the majority of them 

 big stones — or the water's edge will look cluttered and restless. 

 Ferns tucked in among the rocks, and wild grape vines spreading 

 leafy layers over their surfaces, will help fit the rocks into the 

 land, and an occasional tree or bush growing out of a crevice may 

 be made to have the casual charm of a "happen-so." 



Mr. Hubbard's Newport rock garden is a delightful bit of truly 

 naturalistic gardening, and the remarkable thing about it is that 

 the picture was taken only three weeks after its creation. 



Another unusually good piece of rock work is that of the Alex- 

 ander garden at Springfield, Kentucky. Mr. Jensen's versatility 

 in bringing out the individual qualities of totally different parts 



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