52 CALIFORNIA GARDEN FLOWERS. 



sun, shade and flowers are used as extensions of the living rooms, as the 

 California climate so amply justifies. 



The open spaces are indicated by the areas isolated by the main drive- 

 ways or walks as they surround them in their courses. Whether they be 

 front, side or rear they may be covered by whatever plant serves the local 

 conditions best for a lawn, or the semblance thereof, and they may be edged 

 or bordered with flowering plants except perhaps the front or main lawn, 

 which should reach to the walk or driveway line with its own substance 

 neatly trimmed to this line and not to border or edging. Flowering plants 

 should not be grown in beds cut into the front lawn nor can they well 

 occupy the whole space thereof. A front yard of flowering plants at their 

 best do not produce the effect of a lawn, and unless given unusual attention 

 and replacement at short intervals, they are never at their best as a whole. 

 Therefore it is better to grow them in borders at the sides or at the foot 

 of the house walls, or, better still, they should be grown for their blooms, 

 for their own sakes or for room ornament, in side or rear beds, and con- 

 cealed from front-sight by shrubbery or otherwise. The writer's personal 

 choice is to extend the lawn from the street or highway line to the base of 

 the house walls, except such narrow bed as is desirable alone for the grow- 

 ing of the vines which are trained upon the house walls or upon frames 

 attached thereto. The front walks and drives would therefore traverse the 

 lawn area and usually be invisible from the highway, as the eye passes over 

 the verdure toward the building. But there are objections to this arrange- 

 ment in California, as will 'be noted in the chapter on lawns. 



Windbreaks. Of course the doctrine of open spaces for the public 

 eye must be considered in connection with adverse conditions which may 

 prevail. If the front yard happens to be in the teeth of the wind it is often 

 necessary to supplement the first line of defence, the highway trees, with 

 other plantings on the windward edge of the garden which may obscure 

 the outer view. In that case the open expression must be sacrificed for 

 the sake of protection. The same is true of the dust from a neglected 

 highway. Trees and shrubs are great dust-arresters and must often be 

 employed therefor. Sometimes it is desirable to select a building site with 

 reference to avoiding these troubles. 



Width of Walks and Borders. The effect of openness or freedom 

 is somewhat dependent upon the width of walks and of borders which may 

 attend them on the outer sides of the garden area, as suggested. The 

 necessity of Indian-filing your visitors through the garden should be 

 avoided. All main walks should be not less than four feet wide, while five 

 feet is better, and short connecting laterals should be at least three feet 

 wide. Plantings should be set back far enough in the borders to ensure 

 this much breadth, free from overhanging. At the same time care should 

 be had not to make the walks too wide in places of small area. No face 

 is at its best with the mouth wide open. Width should be considered in 



