HOMESTEAD PARKS 



studied with the architect in the original plan. 

 The spot for the house was designated. The 

 scheme for planting was worked out and in many 

 cases carried out. Individual taste was allowed 

 to dictate preferences as to the use of certain trees 

 and shrubs within certain areas of the lot. Noth- 

 ing was permitted, however, that would tend to 

 destroy the natural woodland effect. Indeed, very 

 many native trees were left standing. Many lots 

 had a bit of lawn, a house, a few natural shrubs 

 like dogwoods, and a background of native trees. 



It should be understood that, although every 

 appearance of naturalness is preserved in the con- 

 tour, even to the steep declivities of the hills, much 

 change of surface has to be made to keep steep 

 hillsides from washing and to soften by filling the 

 rough and deeply scored hollows and uneven 

 depressions. 



To illustrate further this method of treatment 

 of a building-lot system, reference may be made 

 to the Glen Wood tract at Birmingham. Here 

 we have a territory, generally of a less steep char- 

 acter, with lower hills around it. The bird's-eye 

 view of the park, as seen in the picture, indicates 

 the way in which roads on such territories have 

 to find their way along the contours, creeping up 

 the hillsides on the easiest possible grades. 



It will be noticed that in this tract of fifty or 

 sixty acres few main roads are used. The lots 

 are so irregular and diflScult of approach on most 

 sides that it is necessary to carry small winding 

 drives to many of the lots so as to make them 



[35] 



