44 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



December, 



Taste and Tact in Arranging 

 Grounds.* 



and Paper. 



Our second article in this serial, relates to 

 the home grounds ,of a New York State 

 nurseryman. This 'gentleman sent to us 

 the upper sketch of grounds, annexed, with 

 a request for any suggestions on improving 

 the same, which it might occur to us to 

 submit. It is a pleasure to comply with 

 this request, for if there is one class more 

 than another whom we are 

 glad to see interested in taste- 

 fully improving their grounds, 

 it is the nurserymen. 



Indeed, but little argument 

 is needed to show, that not only 

 every nurseryman, but every 

 florist and seedsman as well, 

 should follow the example of 

 the present applicant, to the 

 extent of providing, as his 

 opportunities will allow, a fine 

 ob.iect lesson in ornamental 

 gardening, for the good of the 

 public in his respective locali- 

 ty. These men sell trees, vines, 

 plants and seeds to others, 

 they should show others by 

 example how to eflfectively 

 iise such embellishing materi- 

 als. Not only should their 

 grounds be handsomely ar- 

 ranged, but the growing of 

 many specimen trees, shrubs, 

 etc., which are now largely 

 unknown to planters, should 

 receive much attention with a 

 view to acquainting the public 

 with such. They should also 

 undertake by liberal and judic- 

 ious leadership, to influence 

 public sentiment towards im- 

 proving the public highways, 

 cemeteries, parks, squares, 

 school grounds, etc. 



Glancing over the upper plan 

 as submitted by our friend, it 

 is at once seen that here there 

 is considerable room for im- 

 provement. The place as it 

 now is, presents a certain pov- 

 erty of garden expression and 

 lack of pleasing features. An 

 exception, is found in the 

 curved hedge of Hemlock, 

 which extends from the office 

 to the highway, and this is re- 

 tained in the new plan, The 

 merit of this boldly-curving 

 hedge lies in its relieving, very 

 decidedly even here, the 

 numerous straight lines and 

 angles which at present con- 

 stitute one of the chief faults 

 of these grounds. 



In the lower plan we en- 

 deavor to show how without 

 discarding, or even varying 

 greatly the position or course, 

 of any principle element, there may be 

 secured a strong preponderance of graceful 

 curves and irregularity throughout. As is 

 commonly the case in gardens, there already 

 exists in this one, in the boundary and 

 building outlines, more straight lines and 

 angles than is conducive to pleasing garden 

 effects. The object therefore must be, 

 instead of increasing this characteristic, by 

 embodying these into the walks, drives and 



'CopyrlKht. 1S90. Popular Oabdenino Publishing Co.- 

 NOTE : It Is designed to render the present serial widely 

 useful through Imparting Ideas on tastefully arrang- 

 ing grounds of every kind, basing the same on actual 

 examples. To this end sketches of home plats, rural 

 cemeteries, town squares, school yards, etc., are cor- 

 dially Invited from readers, with a view to our sub- 

 mitting suggestions for Improving the same, lo 

 future articles, should more plans be received than 

 are needed for this purpose, such will be chosen, as In 

 our judgment, will afford the best subjects for con- 

 veying Information to the largest number of readers. 



Other features, to take a reverse course, so 

 that the fixed lines and angles may be sub- 

 dued in effect. How easily this can be done 

 in the present case is shown by the details 

 of the lower plan. 



Take the driveway and walks for instance, 

 and it is seen, that with but slight curves 

 introduced, they may be nearly as direct in 

 their course as are the old straight ones, 

 while being far handsomer in contributing 

 an aspect of grace to the garden beauty. 



REAB YARD ANO HEEulNG-IN GROUNDS 



PROPOSED 

 SPECIMEN FRUIT PLAT 



PACKING HOUSE 



iP<3 



TASTE AND TACT IN ARRANGING GROUNDS. 

 The upper plan shows a nurseryman's home pounds ; the lower one 

 the same with certain improvements suggested as follows: 1, main 

 entrance ; 2, front and side home lawn ; 3, center lawn ; 4, main lawn : 

 5, vine walk, with shrub or rockery screen towards street: 6, grove of 

 ornamental trees; 7, mixed flower borders; 8, specimen fruit plat; 

 9, shrubbery walk; 10, walk piercing hedge and leading to fruit plat; 

 II, rockery at ends of border; 12, summer flower beds; 13, masses ol 

 evergreens ; 1-1, climbers at piazzas. 



Again to have the front yard divided by a 

 straight walk through its centor, and then 

 each division centrally occupied by a round 

 flower bed, is not nearly as pleasing to the 

 eye, as to have the plat or plats unoccupied 

 at the center. Let it be laid down as a fund- 

 amental principle in all good gardening, to 

 which there are very few exceptions, that 

 for the best appearance, the centers of all 

 lawn areas should be kept clear of walks or 

 other features besides grass. 



To the average reader it might appear 

 that trees and shrubs are suggested almost 

 to excess for use throughout these grounds. 

 This is not true, especially in the present 

 instance as the owner desired provision for 

 many specimen ornamental trees and 

 growths throughout. But in any case where 

 the principle here illustrated is observed. 



namely to keep the plantings largely to- 

 wards the margins of the different plats 

 and of the grounds in general, with the 

 centers of the grass areas open there is 

 little danger of introducing too many trees, 

 shrubs and plants so far as appearances go. 

 The cost of the stock, planting and main- 

 taining might be an objection in the minds 

 of some, but it ought not to be to a nursery- 

 man. If all the improvements cannot be 

 completed in one season, it is yet well to 

 J, work on a comprehensive plan, 



doing a portion of the work 

 each year until aU is accom- 

 plished. 



The plan of arranging the 

 shrubs, plants and trees mainly 

 in groups is one almost always 

 to be recommended. Numbers 

 in a mass, especially of shrubs 

 and plants, contribute boldness 

 and character in a degree not 

 attainable by scattering the 

 same about singly. In the ar- 

 rangement here shown, if judg- 

 ment and taste are bestowed on 

 the selection, the masses of 

 shrubs, flowers and rockwork 

 indicated by 7, 9, 11 should con- 

 tribute a most attractive part to 

 the garden. The heavy masses 

 of flowering shrubs through 

 which the entrance to the 

 grounds at 1 is made, afford a 

 charming introduction to the 

 home and its garden. 



With locating some choice 

 evergreens at 1.3, 13, an abund- 

 ance of shrubs and handsome 

 trees along the western bound- 

 ary near the residence, a tree 

 grove in the south-east portion 

 of the grounds, and having the 

 beautiful curving Hemlock 

 hedge at one extreme side, 

 pierced by a passage-way lead- 

 ing to the fruit plat 8, and plats 

 occupied with a profusion of 

 shrubs and flowers at 7, 9, 11 as 

 referred to above, and an abund- 

 ance of other choice natural 

 material scattered over the 

 place, and a vine arbor span- 

 ning the walk at 5, with the 

 open lawn areas affording pleas- 

 ant vistas in many directions, 

 and gracefully-winding drive- 

 way and walks throughout 

 the grounds, altogether there 

 would be provided in the 

 present subject, the elements of 

 a most beautiful, complete and 

 well-balanced garden, one that 

 could not fail to impart end- 

 less charms to its owner and 

 to all beholders. 



Next month's paper in this 



serial will contain two lessons 



in garden improvement, the one 



on tastefully arranging a narrow 



deep town lot, the other giving two plans 



for improving a subscriber's Rose garden. 



{To be continued.) 



Notes from the Popular Gardening 

 Grounds at La Salle-on-the- 

 Niagara. 

 The New Toslatoes. Visitors going through 

 our Tomato patch this summer would hardly 

 have imagined, unless being told, that there 

 were thirty different varieties in the lot. Many 

 of these are so very similar in their chief charac- 

 teristics—in appearance of plant as well as fruit 

 —that the casual observer would readily take 

 them to be the same sort. We think it would 

 puzzle even the expert to pick out a Matchless, 

 an Ignotum, a Nichol's Stone, an Early Ohio, a 

 Lorillard, a Brandywiue No. 4.5, a McCuUom's 

 Hybrid, or some others of recent introduction 

 (not to speak of the older Mayflower, Cardinal, 



