QUESTION DRAWER. 



8i 



(^OEiTIOM BI^AUE[S. 



Arrangement of Home Grounds. 



Sir, — I have been much interested in the articles 

 on landscape gardening which appeared in the 

 "Horticulturist." I intend laying out my own 

 grounds and thought of sending you a plan of 

 ground for any suggestions you might offer. 



A gravel ridge runs across the field and down 

 into the bush. It is about four or five rods wide 

 and higher than the land on either side. The bam 

 is built against it and I have marked a site for a 

 house on it. 



The gate or driveway cannot be put any further 

 west than is marked without having a hill to 

 climb. The house being so far from the road I 

 don't know what to put in front of it ; a lawn so 

 long would be too big. I would like you to suggest 

 1st. A driveway in from the road and position and 



A DIVISION rtNCC 



-f- 



BARN 



X HOUSE 



Side Road 



Gate 

 — X- 



SUUK-BIUM 

 OIHIUSIDC 

 txnNDIMC 

 DOWN TO 

 RIVfR 



tOAD BEGINS TO 



OESCCND HILL 



Fig. 



1742. 



course, whether straight or curving? 2nd. The 

 house surroundings, the position and extent of 

 lawn, the planting of trees and shrubs and what 

 kinds ? 



The field is well protected from the west by a fine 

 maple bush. The view from position marked for 

 house is grand, especially to north. It is my in- 

 tention to plant an orchard, having cherries and 

 peaches on ridge, with apples towards the road. 

 The soil is a good sandy loam, becoming more 

 olay towards road. At present the only fixture is 

 the barn. The field contains about seven acres. 

 The distance from house to road is twenty rods, 

 from house to bam about twelve. 



Subscriber. 



The following reply is given by W. H. 

 Manning, Landscape Architect, Boston, Mass.: 



Sir, — You ought to encourage such inquiries 

 as you have referred to me, but in doing this 

 you should insist upon their giving full informa 

 tion, otherwise no one can give them advice that 

 will be of any real service to them. 



About all I could say to your client would be 



to make the general statement that it is usually 

 unwise to locate a house on the summit of a 

 ridge for it makes the building unduly obtrusive 

 and roads to such a site will be more difficult to 

 construct and maintain. It is generally better 

 to locate at the side or at the base of a slope, 

 reserving views from a higher level for occa- 

 sional enjoyment or for enjoyment from upper 

 windows. 



A large lawn on such a place, as I take it 

 your correspondent has in mind, would be bur- 

 densome to mamtain. It would probably be 

 better for him to enclose a smaller piece of 

 ground with a retaining wall or irregular belt of 

 shrubs which he would keep under the lawn 

 mower, the adjacent land to be grazed or kept 

 under mowing. 



The roads should be made as short as prac- 

 ticable, and curves should not be used unless 

 there is a very good reason for them. 



Your correspondent would do well to provide 

 a flower garden and keep all his annual flowers 

 in it, also a service yard for laundry, etc., should 

 be separated from the other parts of the grounds 

 by a plantation. Plantations about the lawn 

 should be arranged to keep as much open 

 grass as practicable. Very few large trees 

 should be planted near the house. 



This is about all I can say to your corres- 

 pondent because the information which he gives 

 is not sufficient for one to gain a clear idea of 

 the conditions. 



Note by Editor : We very much appreciate 

 the above pointers coming as they do from Mr. 

 W. H. Manning, one of the best authorities in 

 the United States on Landscape Gardening. 



We understand that very soon Mr. Manning 

 will publish a little book in which directions will 

 be given for the preparation of Surveys of small 

 Home and School grounds. The cost will be 

 only 25 cents. 



Another book which would be of much use 

 to our correspondent is a hand-book for Plan- 



