SITE OF THE HOUSE AND OF THE GARDENS. 17 



Even a view, however beautiful, that is lacking in variety of pro- 

 minent features, becomes tame to the constant onlooker, though to 

 him who occasionally contemplates it, the effect is fresh and delicious. 

 When the prospect is simply over a long stretch of even country, the 

 eye may get tired of it, and welcome the growth of intervening trees 

 that serve to break up the too regular panorama. When the view 

 is of a mountainous district, or where the surface is broken by- 

 abrupt hills, its ever- changing colours, its light and shade, under sun 

 and cloud, destroy monotony. This is the character of extended 

 scenery to be sought for. Water is always an agreeable feature, 

 especially when there is some promontory or curved shore to 

 diversify the regularity of margin. 



In the circumscribed area of a park, or a garden, where 

 the boundary forms our limit of view, there are modes of treat- 

 ment that may modify or remove the impression of contracted 

 space. The groups of trees with undergrowth (technically called 

 "planting"), or even single trees, by the colour of the foliage, and 

 by the disposing of the boundary plantations, can promote the 

 idea of spaciousness. Such plantations should not exhibit con- 

 tinuous lines, unless for some strong reason, such as the creation 

 of necessary shelter. It is sometimes better even to let in the 

 view of the neighbouring town or fields. When any object in 

 itself disagreeable, or by association unpleasant, lies within view of 

 the house, or of any point near the house that has been made 

 notable, care must be taken to block out the object by an inter- 

 mediate group of planting ; in short, a wall, even though it be of 

 foliage, by too regular form, marks an enclosure too directly, and 

 militates against the idea of spaciousness and freedom, where 

 spaciousness and freedom should be most fully expressed. Any 

 hard formal boundary line, however wide its range may be, is 

 inimical to proper effect in this sense. 



D 



