86 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1900. 



mon white picket fence never harmonizes with the landscape, 

 and if we replace it by a hedge, or substantial rail fence of 

 neutral tint, we shall have gone far toward improving the appear- 

 ance of our home. The picket fence is neither artistic nor 

 economical ; but if the fence cannot be removed or replaced, let 

 us hide it by planting. We will also plant the Virginia Creeper 

 where it may climb upon stone and brick buildings, for nothing 

 looks more dreary than these buildings in the country, utterly 

 devoid of verdure and foliage. 



We must take an inventory of the trees and shrubs and make 

 it a point not to destroy anything, until we are sure that we do 

 not want it. As a rule, the large trees may stand as they are ; 

 occasionally one will be found that hides some favorite view and 

 must be removed. If not too large, we can transplant it to 

 some other portion of the grounds. 



It may be necessary to do a little grading here and there, but 

 we must not make the mistake of thinking that our land must be 

 level, or the surface of uniform grade, for knolls and ravines 

 add variety and give possibilities, which a level tract of land 

 does not possess. A slope usually gives the best results and the 

 house should stand upon a higher portion of the grounds. 



After we have taken an inventory of the place, let us proceed 

 to draw a plan to scale on paper. This will help us to decide 

 many of the minor matters, and will be of value when planting 

 time arrives. . 



If one can afford the money, he should employ a man of ex- 

 perience in landscape design to make his plans. If not, he 

 must plan his own grounds. In general, it is best to keep the 

 centre an open lawn and frame it with border shrubbery and 

 trees. The house should be the central object, when viewed 

 from the street, and from the house we must keep open the 

 views most pleasing to us. Plant out the hideous ones. Put 

 shrubs in the angles of the house by the steps, and plant vines 

 on the porch. Unite the house and lawn by planting against 

 the foundation. Plant all the corners where walks and drives 

 branch, in solid masses of shrubbery. One of the greatest mis- 

 takes commonly made is to plant single specimens at equal 



