68 Landscape Gardening 



high poUsh; as extreme thinness of plants in beds, poverty 

 and weakness of masses or specimens, large staring patches of 

 bare soil visible in the borders or beds skirting a lawn, an 

 inferior order of plants in the neighborhood of the house or 

 by the sides of the grass glades, and the use of commonplace 

 or uncongenial ornaments, are inconsistent with richness. 



12. To conceal the offices and out-buildings belonging to 

 a residence is a matter of the most ordinary kind, yet it may 

 be very clumsily effected. Planting is in general the most 

 effectual means. It should not, however, be carried so close to 

 the building as to darken the windows materially or occasion 

 dampness. And that this may be attended to without intrud- 

 ing too much upon the space of the garden, the arrangement 

 of the house must be adjusted accordingly. A good deal, in 

 short, will depend upon the architect. Perhaps it is best, 

 when the servants' apartments are on the ground floor, to 

 keep them wholly on the least important side of the building 

 as regards aspect and scenery, and have their windows looking 

 for the most part into the house-yard, which can then be 

 easily planted out. If treated as an inferior wing to the 

 house, they should always recede far enough from the prin- 

 cipal elevation to give space for the admission of light and 

 air between them and the plantation or whatever else is used 

 for screening them. 



13. Variety. — I come now to the consideration of that 

 very essential element in the composition of a landscape, — 

 variety. This has been happily termed "the spice of life," 

 since without it existence has no true relish. And its influ- 

 ence in landscape gardening is equally potent, for it gives a 

 vivacity, a freshness and a piquancy which nothing else will 

 supply. It is the crowning grace that makes even uncouth- 

 ness tolerable, and invests beauty with superior attractions. 

 Sameness is but another word for feebleness, variety for 



