Landscape Gardening 



seen lengthwise is more conspicuous and offensive than one 

 of which only a cross view is obtained. 



Another motive for keeping walks retired and out of sight 

 which may here be mentioned, though it does not so much 

 affect the question of extent, is that they may be more private 

 and shaded, less liable to be overlooked, more cool and 

 refreshing in summer, and warmer and more sheltered in 

 winter. By passing along them, too, when they are thus 

 secluded, the various views of the place which occur at the 

 many openings that may be left give, by reason of their 

 number and diversity, a more exalted impression of size. 

 When persons walk in their gardens, and choose the paths 

 for the purpose, they will usually desire to be to a certain 

 extent unseen, so that their motions and occupation may not 

 be the subject of observation or comment, 

 ' One of the best methods of adding to the apparent limits 

 of a place is to get rid of anything like obvious or glaring 

 boundary lines. This can be done by planting, throwing up 

 mounds of earth, the use of very light and low fences, sunken 

 walls, the treatment of a low wall as an architectural feature, 

 the covering of a dwarf rough wall with ivy, and letting this 

 straggle out from it wildly and irregularly, by broken thickets 

 of common shrubbery, or by a mixture of several of these 

 things. The worst and ugliest species of fence, where it is 

 much seen, is a plain wall, especially if it be high, a close 

 wooden paling, unless it be quite a rough one, of split oak, or 

 a hedge that is kept regularly clipped. All these present a 

 formality, hardness, and liny character, which are continually 

 making themselves conspicuous, and there is no losing the 

 consciousness of a near and disagreeable boundary when it is 

 composed of such materials. 



It should be observed that, as few places offer facilities for 

 getting rid of the boundary line entirely at all points without 



