THE COUNTRY YARD 



but In spirit, to its setting. We may, indeed, 

 give it as an axiom, that the more formal the 

 house, the more formal the garden. In the 

 suburb, or the village, we meet nature half-way, 

 and our yard is not an uncovered greenhouse, but 

 rather a link between the joy of home and the 

 lawlessness of the wild. A village garden can 

 be charming if it draws only on the fields within 

 sight of the house for its materials, and It be- 

 comes esthetlcally and morally useful If It teaches 

 to the villagers the immftnence of that beauty 

 which, too often in their conceit. Is a far and 

 merchantable quantity. The city yard is an 

 entity. The country yard is foreground for the 

 large and affecting beauty of the hills. 



As to trees. It is possible to have too many 

 of them, and too close to the house. Modern 

 landscape architects will not hear your pleading 

 for just one elm before the house, or just a couple 

 of maples at the curb — that is, some of them 

 won't. Sunshine in the house Is the first desid- 

 eratum, and that is proper. Spirits and sanita- 

 tion both require It. Yet I do not give up the 

 Idea of trees on the premises. They should be 

 massed, like the flowers. In groups or pairs of the 

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