230 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



line of a demesne, either for the sake of adding to 

 its length, or for g^^'ing it bolder and more numerous 

 curves. Though the concealment of boundary lines 

 is often carried to ludicrous extremes, yet that does 

 not make their obtrusion less offensive to propriety 

 and good taste. 



The opposite evil is even more common — that of 

 carrying a meandering line of carriage-road through 

 the middle of a comparatively small park, and by 

 such means reducing it to meanness or insignifi- 

 cance. In cases -where it seems desirable to deviate 

 from what would ob\-iously prove on the whole the 

 nearest way to the house, either natural or artificial 

 obstacles — the latter being made so like nature as to 

 be mistaken for such — should intervene to compel 

 the deviation. To manage these with judgment 

 and effect are among the most difficult efforts, and, 

 when successful, are reckoned amongst the highest 

 triumphs of landscape gardening. 



IBntrance. — ^The line of carriage-road at its point 

 of divergence from the public road is also of the 

 utmost importance. Where a demesne is of con. 

 siderable size and the choice considerable, it should 

 never, if it can possibly be avoided, diverge from the 

 highway at right angles. By taking advantage of 

 bends in the highway or byway, it is generally prac- 

 ticable to diverge so easily and naturally as to make 

 the carriage-way appear, as it were, a continuation of 

 a part or the whole of the main road. This imparts 

 great dignity and importance to a house at a very 

 trifling cost, and may often be managed without 

 adding seriously to the length of the carriage-road. 

 In cases where the carriage-road jiroceeds for any 

 distance almost parallel with the public road, it is 

 very important that the one should be hidden from 

 the other, as it would generally bo considered vulgar 

 taste and a mere ostentatious assumption of an 

 unreal extent of property to lengthen the carriage- 

 way beyond what was needed to afford an easy and 

 commanding entrance from the public highway. 



In Fig. 7 the carriage-road is in effect a continua- 

 tion of the public highway on its main line ; but, of 

 course, on coming from the right at A, a sharp bend 

 would occur in making for the earriage entrance. 

 This might have been avoided by throwing the lodge 

 further back, and carrj-ing the road round a gentle 

 curve from A to b. As a rule, however, carriage 

 entrances planned as in Fig. 7 answer all practical 

 purposes well, the public road. A, being but little 

 used. In cases where there is much traffic in that 

 direction, it is common to have a second carriage- 

 road join the public road at some distance beyond the 

 house, thus rendering access to the house of equal 

 importance from all points. 



In Fig. 8, however, it will be seen that the peculiar 



bends in the public highway — and these can be 

 generally found or readily made at a trifling expense 

 — are of such a character that the carriage-road is 

 equally commanding whether entered from A or b. 

 Few things add more to the pleasure and safety of 

 carriage-roads than such easy and commanding lines 

 of egxess and access. 



The effect of avenues is also at times greatly 

 augmented by taking advantage of straight pieces of 

 highway running in the same direction, which at a 

 distance gives all the practical and perspective effects 

 of a continuation of the avenue. As straight roads 

 are, however, rather rare, it is comparatively seldom 

 that these can be utilised by the carriage-road de- 

 signer, whereas handy curves, semi-natural-looking 

 bends, can mostly be found if looked for, or easily 

 made by very slight diversions or widenings of 

 public highways in proximity to carriage entrances. 



Finally, the house should not be seen too far off, 

 nor often lost sight of after being seen ; or a sense of 

 weariness and of unnecessarj' length for length's 

 sake are apt to be engendered that are anything but 

 pleasant first impressions of a demesne. On nearing 

 the house the road may approach and, as it were, bear 

 down upon it at right angles, or enter the carriage 

 front on one side. The first is generally chosen for 

 avenues or carriage-drives that start at right angles 

 from the mansion and proceed straight from it foi 

 some distance; the second for those that wind or 

 bend almost immediately they leave the house. 



Furnishing the Sides of Roads — Avenues. 



— The use of trees for this purpose is probably as 

 old as the art of road-making. It is not imlikely 

 that the planting of single, double, or several rows 

 of trees to furnish shade and shelter and define 

 boundaries preceded the making of roads, and, by 

 concentrating traffic, rendered the making of roads 

 needful. Be that as it may, avenues of trees on 

 either side of roads were at one time almost 

 universal. These were mostly formed of single rows 

 on either side, but often double, and sometimes 

 three or more rows were used. A double row on 

 either side added a greater wealth of arboreal 

 grandeur to the road, and also furnished space for a 

 most enjoyable foot-path between the rows. There 

 are few more sixitable or imposing modes of furnish- 

 ing the sides of the highways or of private roads 

 than by planting them with suitable trees at proper 

 distances. 



Among these the Plane, Lime, Beech, Sycamore, 

 Oak, Ebn, Poplar, Spanish and Horse-chestnut, Birch, 

 and in damp situations the Alder, are the more suit- 

 able; the wild Pear and Cherry, the Walnut, the 

 stronger-growing Apples and Pears, the Jlock Acacia, 

 and other trees, would also make effective avenues. 



