LANDSCAPE GARDENING STUDIES 



grade of ten per cent which is considered in 

 most cases beyond the Hmit of comfort. Much 

 of this hillside was sodded on account of its abrupt- 

 ness, and other portions of it were planted with 

 Bermuda grass which thrives well in this climate 

 and although brown in winter gives a beautiful 

 green surface in summer. In some places this 

 winter condition has been overcome by sowing 

 perennial rye-grass which comes up quickly and 

 gives a bright greensward during the winter 

 months. 



The peculiarity of the climate of Alabama is that, 

 in spite of its being hot and more or less dry, a 

 large proportion of the deciduous trees and shrubs 

 of the North will grow there. On the other hand, 

 many beautiful evergreens that thrive throughout 

 Europe and do not thrive in the North will also 

 grow there, such as the beautiful Cedrus deodara 

 or Indian cypress, the southern Magnolia grandi- 

 flora, and others. It is a little too far south for 

 rhododendrons to thrive well, but the shining 

 leaves of the laurel seen in Great Britain by the 

 million do well here, though in the Northern 

 States they are almost always cut down by the 

 frost. Large numbers were used on this plan 

 at the points marked 15. Their growth is very 

 rapid in this climate. It might be said that this 

 remark applies to all trees and shrubs growing 

 so far south, probably on account of the compara- 

 tively long seasons and the warm stimulating 

 climate. 



It may be noted that here, as was the case in 

 [58] 



