268 ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



trees and shrubs, in addition to the proper avenue trees. 

 When the latter are able to stand alone the fence can be 

 removed, and the temporary growth cleared away. Another 

 method of shortening the awkward period of avenues is by 

 planting a certain number of quick-growing trees, such as 

 poplars, between the permanent trees. In this way an effect 

 may be obtained in half the time that would be the case 

 without them. 



Apart from such temporary mixtures, it is probable that 

 only one species of tree should be used in planting an avenue, 

 as a mixture destroys that uniform character and regularity 

 in height and shape which is its most desirable feature. 

 Where mixtures are employed, however, different species 

 should be arranged alternately, so that a regular succession 

 may produce the same effect from end to end. Patchiness is 

 a fault in avenues which can rarely be overlooked, that is, if 

 they are to fulfil their proper function, namely, an archi- 

 tectural feature in the landscape. 



The site chosen for a park avenue is of considerable 

 importance. An objection has often been made that an 

 avenue cuts a park in two, and there is no doubt that it does 

 so when run through the middle of it. But, properly placed, 

 an avenue is often the means of adding dignity and character 

 to an otherwise tame and uninteresting park. When the 

 mansion house stands within a short distance of the park 

 boundary, it is often difficult to provide an approach to it 

 which is imposing enough to correspond with the size of the 

 house. The distance is often too short to give the carriage 

 drive those curves and sweeps which render the house 

 invisible until a visitor is close upon it, and thereby increase 

 the effect produced by its appearance. But when the drive 

 between the entrance lodge and the house is bounded by 

 a stately avenue, an immediate impression is received the 

 moment one enters the park. The house appears like a 

 picture framed by the two sides of the avenue, and increases 

 in size and importance the nearer one approaches to it, while 

 the avenue throughout retains its regular appearance. It is 

 in such situations that an avenue is of great value to the 

 landscape gardener. In a short avenue, 100 or 200 yards 

 long, for instance, the two sides should stand close enough 



