53^ 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



AVENUES. 



I^ROBABLY the most important points 

 in an avenue next to the condition 



% I'^Mh of the trees, are leng-th and breadth. 



— SJP The former determines its abiUty 

 either to add to the attractions of an ap- 

 proach, when of suitable leng-th, or to con- 

 vert it into a monotonous and apparently 

 never-ending- drive when too long. Its 

 breadth, again, may almost be said to de- 

 termine its existence as an avenue at all, 

 for we have all of us seen the distance be- 

 tween the two rows of trees so great, as to 

 entirely destroy the effect they were meant 

 to produce, and while retaining its formality, 

 destroying- the grandeur with which the 

 height of the trees invests it, and which re- 

 latively decreases the further the latter re- 

 cede from the observer's eye. 



As far as its length is concerned, this will 

 depend to some extent on the distance be- 

 tween the two points it is supposed to con- 

 nect. But, considered as a feature in itself, 

 we think that half-a-mile is long enough for 

 any avenue, if we wish to avoid making the 

 journey along- it tedious and tiresome. As 

 already pointed out, after once an avenue 

 has been entered, the view presented to the 

 eye remains much about the same, and it is 

 only when one or other of the ends is ap- 

 proached, that the scene changes to any 

 g-reat extent. When the line runs through 

 an extensive park, which can be seen be- 

 tween or beneath the trees of the avenue, a 

 chang-e of scene is afforded on either side ; 

 but the main or front view remains the same, 

 and after a few minutes' ride or walk, the 

 eye becomes satiated with its familiarity, 

 and g-radually becomes bored with what at 

 first sight may have pleased. As a long 

 avenue familiar to many, the Long Walk in 

 Windsor Park may be instanced. The size 

 of its trees, and the historic castle at one 

 end, and the colossal statue at the other. 



render it an imposing and striking feature of 

 the royal domain ; but to tramp along its 

 whole length merely for pleasure is a feat 

 few would care to repeat who are able to 

 appreciate natural scenery. 



Had the hill, with its Copper Horse, been 

 as near ag-ain to the Castle, this avenue, in 

 my opinion, would have been a much grander 

 sight than it is at present. This may, per- 

 haps, be a matter of opinion, but in a world 

 where size is only relative, it must be allowed 

 that a disproportionate length only tends to 

 dwarf the accompanying heig-ht and breadth 

 of any object, and proportion is an essential 

 feature in matters connected with taste. 



The most attractive and successful ave- 

 nues are frequently those of only a few hun- 

 dred yards in length, such as may be found 

 connecting some old Elizabethan manor- 

 house standing in a few acres of ground, 

 with the adjoining village or public road. 

 In such a position, it invests the approach 

 to the house with a dignity it would not 

 otherwise possess, and the house itself with 

 additional importance by hiding from view 

 out-buildings, and boundary-fences, which 

 would reveal the actual extent of the prop- 

 erty. Usually planted with Elms or Limes, 

 these avenues in many instances still remain 

 entire and in good health, although the 

 houses to which they owe their origin have 

 either disappeared, or have been turned into 

 farm-houses, or even more humble uses. 



In the same way, where the mansion stands 

 close to the entrance gates, no better con- 

 nection between the two can be found than 

 a short avenue of this kind. The distance 

 is too short to enable the visitor to be de- 

 coyed into a winding and circuitous road 

 through the grounds, while a piece of straight 

 road through ordinary park land or shrub- 

 bery rarely looks well. But when bordered 

 by a stately avenue, it does away with that 



