16 HOW TO PLAN THE HOME GROUNDS 



velop in every way the possibilities of beauty and conve- 

 nience inherent in the site, may be lead by tree-masked 

 ways to a point where the house will gradually glide into 

 view, bit by bit, till its full effect stands before us. 



In the case of a small village plot this complete mask- 

 ing of roadway and path is seldom advisable, but gener- 

 ally one or more large trees can be so placed in relation 

 to the house that the breadth of its general surface, 

 broken up by masses of foliage, will serve to reveal only 

 small areas, here and there, of the roof and sides. 



All these changes of the original earth surface may 

 be so managed that, when the house is once located, the 

 remainder of the ground seems comparatively unchanged. 

 At intervals a road or path will peep out in an unobtru- 

 sive way, and open spaces will appear only as natural- 

 looking glades or lawns, or as a suitable resting place 

 for the home itself. 



The turf and trees and shrubs will seem to be a natural 

 arrangement of features that have apparently, by acci- 

 dent, fitted themselves to the needs of the house. This 

 kind of work is not expensive, and all the more dignified 

 and refined because it adheres as closely as possible to 

 the original peculiarities of the ground. A few trees or 

 shrubs are set here and there, or in borders, simply to 

 help out the natural suggestions of the place, and all 

 too obvious effects are obscured as much as possible by 

 various devices of arrangement. 



On a village lot this obviousness is more difficult to 

 manage than on a larger place, and obviousness in excess 

 is objectionable, because all parts of the place should 

 blend in gradual and perfect harmony. It is an advan- 

 tage to the general effect of a small building lot to set 

 the house well back from the street, and to mass the 



