82 Theory and Practice in Landsccfc-Gardcniug. 



and the free circulation of air. where grass can grow freely ; where, in the 

 morning or in the evening, you may cover with your eyes a large surface, 

 and, as on a stage, notice at one glance all the changes of decorations pro- 

 duced by the long shades cast over it by the trees on one side, and the 

 brilliant effects of the sun on the other. This is what a lawn should be. 



With scattered trees all over the grass-plot, one may be right in saying 

 that he cannot see the forest on account of the many trees. 



Admitting a place for a lawn in this style, as illustrated by the following 

 diagram, what is intended to be planted according to this rule are not 

 single standing trees, but smaller or larger groups, or even groves, in the 

 back-ground, — masses of foliage that may often be increased in dimen- 

 sions, the farther off they are. 



The number of these groups is not determined ; but their location ought 

 to be selected with regard to each other, so that more frequently groups of 

 the 2, 3, and 4 region may come in view without other groups in front of 

 them. 



The necessary openings for vistas, if staked out before the planting, will 

 have to be left open ; or, if the nature of the land permits it, — as, for in- 

 stance, in a lawn ascending from the house towards its end, — shrubs of 

 such a size as will not reach the visual line may be employed in front with- 

 out danger. 



With such a distribution, it becomes clear that through the openings 

 remaining between the groups, and by diversifying the colors of the foliage 

 and the forms of the trees, there will be as many different aspects as open- 

 ings ; and whenever one looks through an open space, be it from the front 

 to the rear, or from the rear to the front, the variety will be everj'where 

 repeated. 



Single trees and single shrubs of all sizes may be planted thinly and 

 irregularly over these vacancies : for this purpose, trees of remarkable forms, 

 of characteristic appearance, color, or flowers, or often show-plants that are 

 too valuable to be used in the groups, may be employed. 



These single trees and shrubs are not to be distributed according to 

 their sizes, in their respective regions, as indicated for the groups ; but, if 

 not exactly the reverse, at least with a tasteful fancy. For instance, in 

 front, or on the shade side of a group of dark evergreens in the 3's or 4's 



