40 



BUILDING SITES 



After all, the vast majority of building sites are pretty nearly 

 level surfaces, and if we will but learn to develop all the beauty 

 that such are capable of, there will be little cause to envy the 



Fig. 9. 



possession of more varied surfaces. Most of the designs which . 

 follow will be for such places, as they can be planned with more 

 certainty of being useful to a great number of persons. Varied 

 surfaces require such thorough knowledge of each peculiarity of 

 the ground, the drainage required, the diiference of levels, the na- 

 ture of the trees, or rocks, or water, that may be upon it, that their 

 features must not only be seen, but carefully surveyed and platted, 

 in order to be planned to advantage ; and even then the slcill of an 

 artist-gardener will be essential to their judicious improvement, 

 unless the proprietor is a person of unusual taste in such matters. 

 Many persons involve themselves in useless expenditures on such 

 sites from misdirected zeal for improvement, and ignorance of what 

 not to attempt. Uneven sites also necessitate greater skill in the 

 architect, in adapting the house to the ground. It is by such adap- 

 tations, happily executed, that the difference between architects of 

 fine native taste and culture, and mere routine designers, is occa- 

 sionally illustrated. And the same faculty for the happy adapta^ 

 tion of one mode of planting or another to suit different ground 

 surfaces, to develop the best effects of existing trees, to turn a rock 

 or a brook to the best account, is that which distinguishes the 

 artistic from the commonplace planter. 



