50 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS. 



Where, however, there is plenty of land and the enjoyment of a picture 

 isolated from the commercial plantings is desired, the open space should 

 be enlarged and tree-clumps and shrub-masses displayed on either side 

 and irregularly-outlined flower borders provided for on the house-sides of 

 them and the 'buildings be thus brought into a strictly ornamental environ- 

 ment. In this one should not think of planting shade trees in the house- 

 ends of the fruit tree rows thus emphasizing the rectangular arrange- 

 ment which he is seeking to avoid. Nor should the trees selected be of one 

 kind, but of several kinds, which do well in the locality and which the 

 planter admires. 



Even when the more remote environment is planned according to the 

 natural system of irregular forms and distances beyond open spaces un- 

 marred by geometry, it is often desirable to immediately surround the 

 house with formal beds (and even terraces, if the ground requires them), 

 providing the lines and plantings be simple and not too inharmonious to 

 blend with the freer features of the environment beyond. Such a connect- 

 ing link between the elaboration of the house lines and the simplicity of the 

 farther stretches is often very effectively employed. 



THE OPEN SPACES. 



Reference has been made to open spaces and it should be noted that 

 such should be arranged even in gardens of small area, as has been inti- 

 mated in the discussion of house-gardens in orchard areas. The walled- 

 gardens of earlier times, and still extant in other lands, are un-American 

 in attitude and spirit. Even fences should be discarded except where in- 

 trusion by live stock must be prevented. Hedge rows are being, by com- 

 mon consent, removed to interior separation and concealment lines. The 

 ideal environment of a house, as seen from the highway, is a lawn or 

 some substitute for turf which circumstances may require as will be dis- 

 cussed in a later chapter. The open space, upon the enjoyment of -which 

 the public has a valid claim, should extend from the highway trees to the 

 house front and through rearward vistas also, if that can be arranged. The 

 following paragraph recently written* by Mr. G. H. Hopkins of Los An- 

 geles County, covers many points in the treatment of the open space : 



"The best of our present-day gardeners do not cut up the lawn with a 

 lot of flower beds. Where the grounds are not large, the lawn should have 

 only a few low-growing shrubs or palms, while with a larger area occa- 

 sional trees may be added. The scheme of tree planting should be with the 

 idea of having at least a portion of the buildings in view at all times while 

 passing along the street or highway. Tall trees like the eucalyptus should 

 be planted at the rear of the house. Such trees as the peppers may be 

 planted around the house, but not so close as to hide it from view. Low- 

 growing trees may be grouped around the sides of the grounds and build- 



* Pacific Rural Press, Feb. 11, 1911. 



