132 Landscape Gardening 



any little variations of height in the upper Hne of sheltering 

 plantations must not be condemned, because these will be 

 beautiful in themselves, and will not at all diminish the pro- 

 tecting power. 



Sea breezes and gales occur with such frequency in some 

 localities and are sometimes so injurious that protection from 

 them should be obtained by the thickest and broadest plan- 

 tations that can be afforded. And in such instances, even 

 the openings through which views of the sea or of a landscape 

 in that direction may be desirable should be planted with 

 low shrubs that can be seen over and not left unfurnished. 

 For if the wind strikes at once on the ground its full force 

 will spread itself through the garden, whereas when it first 

 meets with a kind of leafy or branchy network, however low, 

 its momentum in the line of the ground's surface, where the 

 most delicate plants are supposed to exist, will be considerably 

 reduced. 



3. Mode of access to a house, whether by a carriage-drive 

 or a walk, should be kept as far as possible out of sight of the 

 pleasure grounds and principal windows, that neither of these 

 may be overlooked by persons coming to the house. It is 

 much better to cramp and confine an entrance than to open 

 the garden to it. Not that I should choose to do either, but 

 merely regard the former as by far the lesser evil. At the 

 same time it should be noted that no house ought ever, on 

 any of its sides, to stand in a field or park, but should be 

 entirely surrounded with a greater or less breadth of garden 

 to maintain its character as a house and to harmonize with 

 its domestic expression and objects. 



What may be termed an architect's view of a house, which 

 is one that embraces the entrance and best garden fronts, 

 looked at obliquely, so as to get them both in perspective, is 

 often unattainable from a drive, without sacrificing too much 



