T Ji c Livable House 



sometimes be emphasized to good advantage, and the apparent 

 drop from one point to another exaggerated. Mr. Ferrucio 

 Vitale has accomplished a pleasing deception of this sort in the 

 garden of Mr. Samuel Heilner, where the actual difference in 

 heights is only three and one-half feet. By making shallow risers 

 and tilting the tread back so as to lose an inch or so which has to be 

 regained on each riser he has made the flight of steps much longer 

 than is necessary, and in so doing has created the illusion of a 

 real hill. 



In many ways the casual obseryer may be hoodwinked by such 

 differences in levels. A perfectly flat piece of land always ap- 

 pears slightly concave, and needs a small crown in order to make 

 it seem flat. Moreover, the etf'ect of a concave surface is de- 

 cidedly to shorten a stretch of ground, which, on the other hand, 

 may be equally lengthened in appearance by a conve,\ grading. 

 Any artificial variation in the surface of land which is naturally 

 flat should be small or spread over b'g surfaces, in order not to 

 seem stitt and unnatural. Abrupt difl:'erences in levels, when they 

 become necessary, may be softened by planting. Naturalistic 

 groups of native shrubs and trees planted at strategic points, such 

 as the junction of a le\el stretch and the beginning of a slope or on 

 an awkward rise, will excuse a grade which, bare of planting, 

 w(juld seem forced and unnatural. Such artificial changes in 

 level are extremely useful. For example, shrubs or trees planted 

 with the idea of shutting (Xit unpleasant objects will, under most 

 circumstances, accomplish this end much sooner for having the 

 head start offered by a hill or mound. Grading the boundary up 



[34] 



