PLANNING THE GARDEN 29 



the basis of practical usage and convenience. 

 Then direct the walks by the shortest route to 

 their objective point. Avoid senseless curves, 

 especially in a small yard, and have no more 

 walks than are absolutely necessary, nor walks 

 that are wider than necessary. If the grounds 

 are large— half an acre or more in extent — then 

 walks serving no practical ends may be intro- 

 duced if desired. These may lead by devious 

 course to retired seats or summer-houses or 

 may conduct to shrubberies or to artificial gar- 

 den ornaments, as, for example, a sun-dial. 

 But if such walks are wanted, let the planter 

 go forth to some remote wood or old meadow 

 and, finding a path worn by the foot of man or 

 beast, study its outlines and curves. He will 

 not be long in observing that its irregularities 

 are not without purpose — 'it avoids obstacles, 

 a tree, a shrub, a stump, a stone, a bog; it cir- 

 cles knolls or follows the meanderings of a 

 stream. But always it changes its course for 

 reasons that are obvious. And for such 

 reasons and these alone should the direction of 

 walks laid on residence grounds be changed. 

 The obstacles, of course, may be provided, but 

 in any event they should be present and visible. 

 A grouping of shrubbery, ,a large boulder, a 



