1812 LANDSCAPE GARDENING 



LANDSCAPE GARDENING 



In this connection it seems proper to notice a scheme 

 which is frequently urged in this country, viz., the 

 planting of country roads with fruit trees. One prime 

 argument always advanced by the advocates of this 

 plan is its successful use in Europe. Extended observa- 

 tion in all the countries of continental Europe con- 

 vinces the writer that fruit trees along country roads 

 are rather rare. Especially uncommon are examples of 

 extensive municipal planting and maintenance of such 

 fruit trees. At the same time Europe has certain defi- 

 nite advantages over America in enterprises of this kind. 

 On the whole the plan seems generally impracticable 

 in America. The exceptions to be noted are rows of 

 apple trees rather frequently seen alongside of farm 

 fields in New York state and New England. These 

 are indeed very beautiful and a great addition to the 

 public pleasure in the use of the roads. They are 

 always held as private property. 



Scenic roads. 



Besides the planting of simple rows of trees along 

 country roads, much more extended developments 

 will be highly justified in many cases. First of all, the 

 shrubbery borders along the roadside may be conserved 

 and improved. Where such natural shrubbery borders 

 do not exist, they may be planted and such plantings 

 should be designed and carried out by expert landscape 

 gardeners, seeing the work is of such general value. 

 Numerous promising experiments have been made 

 in the last few years in this direction of developing 

 attractive roadside plantings. 



Such public roadside plantings may properly become 

 the conservation grounds of native species. It is a 

 signal and unfortunate fact that in many parts of the 

 country, especially where agriculture is particularly 

 effective, many of the finest native species are rapidly 

 disappearing. This applies to trees, shrubs and native 

 herbaceous flowering plants. Many of these native 

 plants are not noxious weeds in the ordinary sense. 

 The weeds in fact are able to take care of themselves 

 and do maintain their kind against the assaults of 

 organized agriculture. Many shy and delicate species, 

 however, of the utmost interest and beauty, give way 

 quickly before the plow. These are the species which 

 should be carefully protected by gardeners everywhere 

 and which might with special propriety be encouraged 

 along country roadsides. 



Another similar service of the roadside plantings 

 may be rendered in the conservation of native birds. 

 These also, and especially the rarer and more interest- 

 ing species, are disappearing before the encroachments 

 of civilization. Some attention paid to the encourage- 

 ment of birds in these roadside plantings would be 

 highly justified on grounds of public policy. 



There should be considered further the fact that the 

 country roads everywhere constitute the most popular 

 public parks in existence. The automobiles always take 

 to the country roads, rather than to the city parks, 

 from an absolute and almost universal preference. 

 They find these roads more enjoyable than any other 

 scenes. This suggests that the roads should have along 

 many miles of their extent the same careful scenic 

 treatment which is given to the scenery and plantings 

 along park roads. This means not only skilful orna- 

 mental planting, but occasional cutting out of trees 

 for opening up views, the removal of unsightly objects, 

 the abolition of the roadside dump, and the subjuga- 

 tion of the billboard. 



It may fairly be suggested further that in many 

 parts of the country special scenic roads should be 

 opened up, the main object of which is to develop 

 stretches of fine scenery. These should in fact be laid 

 on such indirect and circuitous lines as to prevent 

 their use by business traffic. They would follow wind- 

 ing streams or the shores of lakes, or would climb over 

 ridges of hills where the views were extensive. This is a 



type of landscape gardening not generally undertaken 

 anywhere in the world, but one which seems especially 

 suitable to the genius of America. 



Care and protection of trees. 



While it is always desirable to have more extended 

 plantings of trees both in city streets and along coun- 

 try roads, the preservation of existing trees presents 

 nearly everywhere a more immediate and serious 

 problem. Street trees are subject to many kinds of 

 damage. Aside from the usual insect and fungous 

 enemies, they have to contend against bad soil con- 

 ditions, against the inroads of telephone linemen, 

 trolley companies, gas mains, electric light wires, and 

 all similar public utilities which have learned to use 

 the road for their private profit, and largely to disre- 

 gard the public rights in tree property. The regula- 

 tion of gas mains and electric wires is perhaps the most 

 difficult, as it is the most common, problem of all. In 

 general, every effort should be made to remove wires 

 from streets, and where this cannot be done, to see 

 that they are kept out of the tree tops and everywhere 

 properly insulated and stayed. 



In certain parts of the country, public trees are con- 

 sidered of such great value that their care has been 

 turned over to a special officer, the tree-warden. Such 

 officers should have definite and fairly extended 

 powers. Their business is to enforce the legal rights of 

 the public in the trees, and to protect them from the 

 attacks of private interests as well as from the attacks 

 of insects and fungi. The tree-warden may easily be 

 one of the most useful public officers in a municipality. 



Along with an aroused public interest in trees, has 

 arisen an army of "tree doctors," a considerable num- 

 ber of whom are low-grade quacks. Expert service in 

 the repair and preservation of trees is everywhere to 

 be encouraged, but very cautious discrimination must 

 be exercised. It will not do to assume that the com- 

 pany getting out the biggest advertisements really 

 knows the most about trees. 



Town commons. 



In the northeastern states nearly every village has 

 its town common, a small central open space usually 

 very attractive. It gives indeed a special character to 

 each town which possesses something of this sort. In 

 mid-western states there are somewhat similar "parks," 

 usually open spaces of one or two square blocks in 

 extent. In the southern and southwestern town there is 

 often a courthouse square having somewhat the same 

 character except that, unfortunately, the main public 

 building is usually placed in its center. All such com- 

 mons, parks, or squares, however, require pretty much 

 the same horticultural improvement. In general the 

 embellishment most desirable is to be found in fine 

 well-grown trees. These should nearly always be of 

 the same species and of the largest, most vigorous 

 native kinds, rather than of any fussy "ornamental" 

 species. Most public squares or commons are at their 

 best when the horticultural treatment is confined to 

 such large trees and smooth strips of lawn. The use of 

 flower-beds on such grounds is to be generally repro- 

 bated. While their exclusion is not an absolute rule, 

 the exceptions are very rare. 



Shrubbery borders are sometimes used on these 

 town commons or parks. In special cases they may be 

 justified, but the presumption is against them. 



When public buildings are placed on such squares 

 (they should always be placed outside the squares, 

 facing upon them), it is frequently desirable to soften 

 their outlines by foundation plantings. These should 

 be of hardy shrubbery, usually such as has fine texture. 

 Species of weedy growth (such as hazel and Rosa 

 Carolina) should be avoided. Species of coarse tex- 

 ture may be used with large coarse architecture, 

 especially with heavy rusticated brick or stonework, 



