300 HORTICULTURE FOR SCHOOLS 



selves, apart from the groups ; and their beauty may be still 

 further emphasized by planting groups of trees or shrubs to 

 serve as a background. 



417. Buildings. The architecture of the building will 

 determine largely the nature of the plantings to be used 

 about it. A rich formal style of architecture will demand 

 plants of similar nature: columnar trees, like the Irish yew 

 and Italian cypress; compact shrubs, like clipped specimens 

 of English laurel. The less pretentious buildings will call for 

 less formal treatment. Almost without exception, the base 

 of the building should be hidden by shrubbery. The entrance 

 may be emphasized by higher-growing clumps of similar 

 material; the corners may be screened by upright growing 

 shrubs or small trees. The shrubbery should be planted in 

 irregular lines, groups of higher growing specimens appearing 

 here and there. 



418. Walks and drives should, wherever possible, be laid 

 out in curves rather than straight lines, as they are less con- 

 spicuous and lead restfully from point to point by unnoticed 

 gradations. Further, if the plantings have been judiciously 

 placed, there is in the plan the element of surprise, as a turn 

 here or an opening there reveals some vista not perceived 

 before. If the curve of the walk is unduly sharp, there must 

 be clumps of shrubbery on the concave side. 



However, the basic fact that a straight line is the shortest 

 distance between two points should never be lost sight of in 

 walk construction; and the curves should never give the 

 appearance of being forced or abnormal or located in the 

 wrong place. From the standpoint of the landscape, the 

 effect would be more beautiful if walks and drives were dis- 

 pensed with altogether; but since this is quite out of the 

 question, they must be as beautiful and restful as possible, 

 without ever forgetting the element of convenience. 



419. Straight lines. It has already been stated that 

 straight lines should be avoided wherever possible. At the 



