ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 8i 



an artist from making any attempt at planting a home picture. 

 A few simple principles will render the development of such 

 a picture comparatively easy. The first of these is the need 

 of preserving ample stretches of open lawn. The lawn is the 

 canvas upon which the picture is to be painted. It should not 

 be frittered away in meaningless planting. Out of this prin- 

 ciple grows the second, that planting should be in masses rather 

 than scattered. To avoid stiffness and formality, the third 

 principle arises, which is, that planting should be irregular and 

 avoid straight lines. The group is the unit of artistic planting. 

 It emphasizes the good qualities possessed by single specimens, 

 and adds features which no single specimen can give. It should 

 be in the highest sense irregular, both in ground outline and 

 sky outline. It should be dense enough to afford abundant 

 play of light and shadow, but open enough to provide for 

 proper growth of the individuals composing it. To plant such 

 a group seems easy, but the common mistake of the novice is 

 to make it too dense and regular, to produce a formal clump 

 rather than an easy and graceful group. The use of the group 

 does not prevent the development of individual specimens and 

 the highest enjoyment of those specimens. They may best be 

 placed at prominent points or projections in the outline of the 

 groups. Care should be taken to choose plants which har- 

 monize in their foliage and character of growth in arranging 

 the group. 



A prominent feature of modern gardening consists of bring- 

 ing in the beauty which lies beyond our own borders. Our 

 enjoyment of beauty on another's ground does not prevent 

 his enjoyment of that same beauty to the fullest extent. Groups 

 should, therefore, be arranged so that attractive features out- 

 side should be open to view. Oftentimes a scene not especially 

 attractive in itself becomes so if partially shut off from view. 

 This the group can do. It can also be used to hide or mitigate 

 unattractive objects, a service often of the greatest importance. 



Walks and drives are often a necessity ; they are never an 

 ornament. They are for use. They should, therefore, go 

 where they affect to go in a direct and business-like way. This 

 does not mean that they must go in an absolutel}- straight line. 

 Few men will walk across a field in a straight line, perhaps 

 none, unless aiming to do so. A walk may curve to present 

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