38 Xan&scape Hrcbttectuce 



more recognition of actual principles, more display of 

 good artistic sense in the use of landscape gardening 

 materials. A great deal of the writing on landscape 

 gardening is not much more than a description of 

 the virtues and vices of certain trees and shrubs and 

 flowers, their beauties and their drawbacks. Some at- 

 tention should be given naturally to the practical side 

 of the subject, but only enough to make plainer the 

 application of the fundamental ideas. There is un- 

 doubtedly a separation required — ^were it but tempo- 

 rary — between what may be called fundamental ideas 

 and what is mere detail. At present in landscape 

 gardening as usually practised, good ideas based on 

 sound precedents are words almost without meaning to 

 most people. A complete, all-comprehending system 

 is of course impossible at present and doubtless always 

 will be. Yet, if real effort of thought could be concen- 

 trated on cardinal issues and less padding of conven- 

 tional and traditional details were foisted in, much 

 might be done to make research into landscape-garden- 

 ing lore more fruitful. 



This at least should be always kept in mind, that 

 the art of landscape gardening has been an evolution of 

 ideas originated and developed down through the ages 

 by the tmfolding of the genius and the practical experi- 

 ence of skilled and cultured men. 



No man is entirely original, indeed it was said by 

 John La Farge that if an idea were an original one it 

 would be safe to say it would not be a good one. Land- 

 scape gardening like everything else has its roots in the 



