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width at the corners of the lawn than along the sides, thereby obtaining a clear 

 but somewhat rounded space of turf. A lawn appears larger and gives the effect 

 of greater spaciousness if its area is wide on the rectilinear axes rather than on the 

 diagonals. Deep recesses are interesting if there is sufficient space to permit their 

 use; and even outstanding specimen shrubs or trees may be planted effectively in 

 these places, where they are advantageously displayed against the background of 

 the border. But in any lawn, as in any garden, the first thought should be for the 

 necessary open space, and scenery consistent only with great meadows cannot be 

 reproduced in small back yards. 



In planning the borders of the lawn, one should realize in the beginning that his 

 object is not the planting of bushes that are interesting in themselves, but of such 

 bushes as will make an appropriate background for the lawn. Many small lawns 

 would be far more pleasing if their borders consisted only of free-growing, tumbling 

 masses of greenery, wherein the various kinds of plants are practically indistin- 

 guishable. Flowering effects are by no means undesirable in lawn borders, but 

 too great a variety is sure to spoil the total effect. A limited variety of flowers 

 is, in most cases, to be desired, especially as a profusion of flowers is expected in 

 spring and early summer, but a variety of foliage is unfortunate. The indis- 

 criminate use of the so-called "foliage plants," whose leaves may be yel- 

 low, blue, purple, or any unusual green is unpardonably bad taste. As a rule, 

 the peculiar quality of color in these foliage plants is in itself not good, and com- 

 binations of them are even worse. The Creator furnished every plant with 

 foliage of that tone of green best suited to set off the color of its flower. Most 

 native plants have leaves of a desirable green, but of the shrubs and trees available 

 for such planting, only dark greens, so far as possible, should be selected. More- 

 over, plants with small-sized leaves are preferable to those of coarse foliage. If 

 one is fond of flowers, of their fruit, or of the general aspect of any particular 

 plant, whether at all seasons or at any particular season^ he should recognize 

 that showy plants can be seen to best advantage only when they have a suitable 

 background. Most, if not all, of the border plants should have good foliage, and 

 should be naturally densely branching. A background of good foliage is most 

 needed when many of the plants are in flower. When only occasional shrubs are 

 in flower or showy with berries, a predominating mass of green all about them 

 makes their color appear far more brilliant. 



If a surrounding plantation is composed for the most part of neutral tones, then 

 color, pointed forms, evergreens, or other exceptions to this neutral background 

 are accentuated. It is desirable to have these accentuated features at points in the 

 border that are the termini of the longest views or of views of special importance. 

 But if the border is composed for the most part of diverse colors or of variously 

 pointed forms, it is not a good background, as it is restless rather than restful, 

 and it affords no possibility of further accent where accent is needed. Thus, in 

 planning his lawn, one must remember that it should be spacious ; that its outline 

 should express a proper relation to the adjoining features, as well as being inter- 

 esting in itself ; that it should have an effective barrier of vegetation, so selected and 

 so arranged as to be for the most part of neutral greens ; and that pi ants of special 

 interest should be carefully placed with respect to the design of the entire yard. 

 Informal scenery needs as careful planning as do formal effects. The outlooks 

 from the house to the lawn and from the garden to the lawn, as well as the arrange- 

 ment of the walks about the entire yard and all other general relationships of the 



