178 PL A y S O F Ji E S I D E X ( ' E S 



of great beauty and are of low growth, can occasionally be grown 

 to advantage, to cover ground which needs cultivation, in places 

 where they will fill in with as good effect as flowering annuals. A 

 good gardener can also grow strawberries with profit in young 

 shrubbery plantations, where their presence will not be noticed. 



Let us now suppose oiu'selves in the street on the side-walk 

 at A. From that corner the house and grounds will be seen to 

 good advantage, but the finest lines of view on the latter will be 

 obtained further to the right. At the point B, the whole length of 

 the lawn to the evergreen boundaries and shrubby groups of the 

 croquet and archery ground is an unbroken expanse, margined 

 on the left by varied groups of trees with clear stems, whose 

 shadows fleck, but do not interrupt the view ; behind these, masses 

 of large flowering shrubs form continuous bays and projections of 

 foliage that rest upon the lawn ; while on the right, in the distance, 

 glimpses of the pleasure-walk, now open, now lost to sight behind 

 verdant arches and projecting groups, and nearer, the long vine- 

 covered front of the veranda, and the light colors of many flower- 

 beds in dark bays or on open lawn — altogether, will give from 

 this point of view an impression of beauty and extent not often 

 realized on less than an acre and a half. Nor will the view be less 

 pleasing from the main entrance at C", for from this point the trees 

 and the shrubbery on the left are seen to better advantage, and 

 the evergreen groups, summer-house, and flower-beds of the far 

 corner come into view. From 1) and E the views are shorter, but 

 take in a variety of groups and single trees which will be more or 

 less interesting according to the choice of materials in planting, 

 and the luxuriance with which they are grown. Cilinipses may 

 also be seen from these points of the long lawn and the flower- 

 beds on the south side of the house. At F, over the gateway, we 

 would have a hemlock arch like some of those shown in Chapter 

 XIV. Standing under this arch, narrow openings between shrubs 

 and trees give a glimpse directly in front, margined by low beds of 

 flowers, of the fruit trees and vines that border the drive down to 

 the carriage-house front ; which should, of course, be designed to 

 form a pleasing centre of this vista. The views will also be pleas- 

 ing in every direction as one walks along towards the house. On 



