138 PLANS OF RESIDENCES 



a sufficient mass of evergreen verdure around the pine to shut the 

 carriage-yard out of view from the front. 



The border near the right-hand fence, in front, is a hemlock, or 

 an arbor-vitae screen ; with single specimens standing in front of it, 

 of any of the choice varieties of common deciduous flowering 

 shrubs. The plan fails to show the continuity, of the evergreen 

 screen along that side of the lot, and consequently some of the 

 deciduous shrubs are too near the fence. The hedge back of the 

 large flower-bed should also occupy double the width shown on 

 the plan. The isolated, very small shrub-marks, represent slender 

 junipers, or single brilliant-leaved plants. 



The few flower-beds that are shown on the lawn-side of the 

 house can probably be filled by most ladies quite as tastefully as 

 we could suggest. The continuous bed opposite the large window 

 of the parlor will demand much skill in arrangement, if filled with 

 annuals and perennials. But as these are likely to be changed 

 every year, and as skill in such matters is the result of experience 

 alone, it is needless to specify any one list of varieties, or order of 

 arrangement for them. In case the occupants of the place prefer 

 not to take care of a great bed of annuals, the entire bed may be 

 devoted to the culture of roses ; and if these also involve too 

 great an annual outlay of time and money, the ground may be 

 left in lawn alone, and the border broken by a few fine shrubs 

 upon it. 



The location of the parlor on this plan, with its principal 

 window looking out on the shortest and most unsatisfactory view 

 of the place, may be open to criticism. But it must be borne in 

 mind that, on small lots, all the sides of a dwelling cannot have 

 park-like exposures ; and the room that is least used, and least 

 looked out of, is the one that should have the least interesting 

 exposure. Parlors are principally used by day as reception rooms 

 for casual callers, and in the evenings for sociable gatherings. In 

 neither case are the guests, or the family, in the habit of paying 

 much attention to out-of-door views. The furniture of a parlor is 

 likely to be scrutinized more than that of other rooms, but the out- 

 looks from it are of less importance than from those rooms which 

 the family and their intimate friends frequent. 



