I89I. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



105 



PEARS 



beautifying materials. Likewise the paths 

 and drives were located by stakes and lines, 

 devices for which our great teacher has no 

 use. That our correspondent should there- 

 fore, after years of familiarity with the 

 present arrangement, have 

 been impressed by its prim 

 and artificial appearance, 

 is not to be wondered at. 

 That he should seek to 

 remodel it Is most com- 

 mendable. 



What can be done to im- 

 prove the place ? The first 

 point we think worthy of 

 consideration, is the sub- 

 stitution of grace and ir- 

 regularity for stiffness and 

 formality throughout. Ad- 

 mitting, that it is better to 

 arrange the orchard and 

 vegetable plat artificially, 

 that is after the order of 

 straight' lines and angles, 

 to 'facilitate cultivation, 

 and admitting farther that 

 such qualities in the form 

 of lines and angles are 

 already fixed in the out- 

 lines of buildings and 

 boundaries present, the 

 question arises, why have 

 a single additional straight 

 line in the ornamental 

 part of the grounds when 

 instead we can render it 

 more pleasing by employ- 

 ing graceful curves and irregularity instead. 



That this can be done with many gains, 

 and without a single material disadvantage 

 will be apparaut from a careful comparison 

 of the upper with the lower plan, which 

 latter embodies our suggestions for improv- 

 ing these grounds. 



A glance at the lower plan shows a pleas- 

 ing distribution of its features with several 

 strong qualities entirely lacking in the 

 upper one. Notice the fine lawn area 1, be- 

 tween the house and street, 

 ' with its handsome outline, 

 open center and irregular 

 arrangement of shrubs, 

 flowers and trees towards 

 its borders. The corres- 

 ponding area in upper plan 

 is wholly lacking in each 

 one of .the qualities named, 

 for here we observe an out- 

 line, stiff and unpleasant; 

 with a fiower bed in the 

 worst possible position for 

 that area, namely its 

 center, while the planting 

 scantily done and after a 

 regular order adds to the 

 general angularity of the 

 part. 



For the conspicuous tri- 

 angle in front of the house 

 in the original, there is no 

 like feature in the lower 

 one, as the walk is here 

 found susceptible of more 

 simple and graceful treat- 

 ment. In the triangle, six 

 clumps of Pieonies, marked 

 P are located at regular 

 distances apart, with a 

 flower bed in the center. 

 In the lower plan, these 

 Paeonies are massed in the 

 left portion of plat 1, and 

 this is a much better arrangement. 



Plat 2 of lower plan affords several re- 

 markably strong and beautiful features 

 wholly absent from the corresponding pai't 

 of our querist's plan. They were obtained 

 easily and consistently. It is very desirable 

 in beautifying a place,.to set off the resi- 



dence in its relation to the street and to the 

 grounds as handsomely as possible,(because 

 it is the home), with the barn and other 

 buildings subordinate. Unfortunately in 

 the upper grounds, the barn is brought out 



-U. 



Plan nf a Reader^s Groundt Submitted far Improvement. 



even more boldly than is the house, as seen 

 from the highway, this being caused by the 

 straight drive leading boldly to the former, 

 while the house view is detracted from by 

 the intervening triangle and walks. To 

 make matters yet worse, the barn drive 

 finds emphasis in the straight Rose borders 

 on each side, with the effect, we should 

 think, of drawing the eye of passers much 

 too strongly towards the barn door. 

 The improvements therefore suggested 



Play} nf the same Grounds Containing Suggegtions for Improvement. 



for this plot 2, are first, a bold ornamental 

 lawn, supporting some dozens of trees, 

 shrubs, Roses, etc., primarily to invest the 

 home with additional interest and beauty, 

 secondly, to seclude the barn in part, mak- 

 ing it appear as if belonging to another 

 portion of the grounds, without really 



hiding it. Second, the drive bears grace- 

 fully towards the house, as the most im- 

 portant building of the place, and yet its 

 course is so easy and direct as to cause no 

 inconvenience in reaching the barn. 



Undoubtedly the great- 

 est general gain for beauty 

 in this part, is the ample 

 area with its charming em- 

 bellishments and adding 

 character and dignity in a 

 degree utterly lacking in 

 the upper plan. The ar- 

 rangement of trees and 

 flowering shrubs in large 

 variety, in masses shows 

 the utmost freedom in ir- 

 regularity, form, size of the 

 groups, and of the corres- 

 ponding recesses and open- 

 ings between; the object 

 throughout having been to 

 employ such pleasing uses 

 of similar materials as 

 nature herself suggests. 

 One or more of the irreg- 

 ular groups might be com- 

 posed of Roses from ,the 

 present straight borders, 

 while shrubs and trees 

 would be used elsewhere 

 as indicated. It may be 

 noticed that of the six trees 

 regularly located in 

 straight lines in this part 

 (the upper plan), three have 

 been retained; likewise of 

 the row of seven trees next to the highway, 

 five have been retained. 



On the small plats 3 and 4 of the lower 

 plan, F. F. F. indicate flower beds cut into 

 the grass, while several clumps of shrubs 

 or hardy flowers might find place on the 

 same areas. 



Plat .5 might be termed the evergreen 

 side of the lawn, this being very appropri- 

 ately to the north. The free use of Pines 

 (at P rear end), and of Spruces, Arbor Vitses, 

 Yews etc., elsewhere 

 towards the street seems 

 not only to balance and 

 beautify the grounds with 

 this most charming class 

 of growths, but being 

 placed on this side, the 

 trees protect the home 

 and grounds from north 

 and northwest winds. 



Study the improved plan 

 as a whole and what a 

 beauty spot it is with its 

 ample grass areas, its 

 beautiful curving walks 

 and drive its profusion of 

 trees, shrubs, flowers to 

 contribute beauty and com- 

 fort in every month of the 

 year. Who would not have 

 such home surroundings, 

 especially when so easily 

 attainable ? Have more 

 trees and shrubs been sug- 

 gested than seems econom- 

 ical? Some choice kinds 

 would have to come from 

 the nurseries at regular 

 catalogue prices undoubt- 

 edly, but others could be 

 procured as cuttings or 

 small nursery plants at 

 a cheap rate, while any 

 quantity of young mater- 

 ial, (and such it should be), might be pro- 

 cured from the neighboring woods and 

 clearings in many parts of the country. 



Having but one life to live, is it not worth 

 while that we should make home as beau- 

 tiful as possible with ;the hardy growths 

 that nature so lavishly provides? 



